Every day is bike-to-work day for 3 Londoners who pedal on the job
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More Londoners are embracing a pedal-powered commute to work, especially as gas prices climb. There are even some who pedal after punching the clock.
Three people with a job description that includes cycling reflect on why they wouldn't have it any other way on Bike-to-Work Day.
Patrick Cowan, bylaw officer
Did you know that safety hazards are easier to spot from a bicycle than a vehicle?
That's one reason Patrick Cowan, a municipal law enforcement officer for the City of London, says he prefers a two-wheeled ride at work. Cowan patrols downtown and Old East Village looking for building deficiencies and property standard issues.
Riding a bike also makes him more accessible to the public.
"People have an easier time getting a hold of us or waving us down as opposed to when I'm in a vehicle," Cowan said. "I do find I get into a lot more conversations with the citizens and I find issues that we might not have found, had I been driving by in a car."
How about saving lives? Cowan explains he once came across a woman in distress who needed emergency medical attention
"That was a day I thought, man, it's good to be on a bike because we were seeing a lot more things that we don't usually see," he said.
Spot Cowan and his team working from their bikes all summer, until early November. The city also has parking enforcement officers who work by bicycle in the core.
Johannes Lamoureux, City Wide Rickshaws
Johannes Lamoureux is easy to spot biking on Richmond Row late at night.
Pulling a rickshaw decorated in glowing LED lights, a tambourine and a horn, Lamoureux runs City Wide Rickshaws.
He's often out from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. biking or running through downtown with one of his five carts.
"It's good exercise and it keeps me in shape. But sometimes if I work too many hours, it kind of drains my energy, and I have to stop and eat every couple hours to fuel up and make sure I'm hydrated," he said.
Lamoureux can pedal more than 200 kg of weight, and on a busy night, he estimates he travels approximately 50 km.
Despite the rain and snow, he keeps the business running all year long.
"When it gets below minus 10, and you're out there for three or four hours, you start getting frostbite," Lamoureux said.
What's his cycling pro tip? To dress in warm layers.
Molly Miksa, London Cycle Link
Biking through the city with an eye for making it more cycle-friendly is at the core of what Molly Miksa does in her job.
The executive director of London Cycle Link also spends time at the Squeaky Wheel Bike Co-op, organizing cycling safety workshops for children and leading group bike rides for newcomers to Canada.
"I really enjoy biking as part of my work. I enjoy the sense of a community. You do get people on bikes just waving and dinging their bells at each other from time-to-time," she said.
This summer, Miksa hopes to lure more Londoners out to participate in group bike rides on the second Sunday of each month.
"Usually people are really happy to be there with their family and friends meeting people. I think the slow pace of a bike ride and relaxed pace let's people chat with each other as they are going and get to know each other," she said.
The benefits of cycling include exercise and improved mental health but Miksa says there's more.
"You don't have to pay for parking."