Police officers are often stereotyped as sitting around in cruisers, a box of doughnuts never far from their reach.
But Victoria Police Const. Mike Russell shrugged off the cliché, donned his Lycra suit and jumped on a bike for a race against Chief Jamie Graham, who drove a police cruiser from Esquimalt to downtown Victoria.
It was part of the commuter challenge leading up to Bike to Work Week. Twenty-five bicycle-versus-car teams started from a variety of locations and raced to Fort and Blanshard streets.
Russell sprinted to the finish to win his race against Graham.
“He was slagging me a little bit yesterday, but I schooled him today,” said Russell, Victoria police media spokesman.
Russell said the commuter challenge is helpful in setting an example for the community and reinforcing the image of cycling as a safe activity, especially in summer when the number of cyclists climbs.
With Bike to Work Week set to start Monday, organizers are hoping the challenge will encourage more residents to take part.
So far, 528 teams have signed up in Victoria, and the Greater Victoria Bike to Work Society expects about 7,000 participants — including 1,000 new cyclists.
To encourage participants, the society is offering $40,000 in prizes, including gift certificates and an electric bike.
With more cyclists taking to the streets, the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition sees an opportunity to discuss improving infrastructure.
Some streets may suit the addition of a single bike lane, while others would benefit from a physical barrier, said Edward Pullman, president of the coalition.
“We need facilities that are appropriate for the road, beyond having a single bike lane,” Pullman said. “That would make sense for somewhere like Blanshard but not on a residential road like Haultain.”
He would like to see Victoria model itself after Vancouver and Portland, with more bike lanes and streets designed for bikes, to allow cyclists greater access to the road.
“Bike to Work Week makes cycling a more socially acceptable thing to do,” he said. “We could always go a step or two further.”
