July 2017
July 2017 | 7
ED ' s LETTER
July 2017
July 2017 : Cars vs Bikes
I
spend a lot of time in the lovely town of Sandwich , Kent . Being a good eight miles away from my home town , with a convenient off-road cycle path almost the whole way , it is a fantastic destination for bike-riding days with the kids . There is a lovely shady nature reserve along the way , as well as a small café with an amazing view , handily situated about half way along the route . It is not the longest ride , and is downhill most of the way , but to do the journey there and then back again , with some rather steep slopes on the way home , is more than enough for my boys !
The town itself is full of cycling enthusiasts , with Locks of Sandwich bike shop providing the residents with everything they could possibly need and also organising regular group events . There is also a Strava segment that takes you through the historic town , and so groups of cyclists are a common sight .
Unfortunately , the town is very much split between those who cycle , and those who do not ! Sandwich is a very old town , with a total number of 443 listed buildings ! As the layout of the town has changed very little since Roman times , the roads are narrow and the pathways are even narrower ! Driving through the area , therefore , can be stressful at times , as you try to navigate extremely tight corners and drive halfway down a very thin road , only to have to reverse back up it in order to let another car through . It is not uncommon for the whole town to come to a standstill because a lorry has tried to squeeze into a ridiculously cramped side road and become stuck between two houses on either side of the road .
So , for many , cycling is the obvious answer ; no more being held up in traffic because the train gates have got stuck down ( again !) and nipping in and out of the beautiful , but tiny back roads is easy . For those that don ’ t cycle , however , cyclists are just another irritation in the minefield that is driving through the area .
Where do I stand ? Well , as someone who has attempted both modes of transport in Sandwich , I have to say , that if EVERYONE were to make a trip to their local bike shop and use their new wheels to get around the area , traffic problems would be nonexistent , plus we would all be healthier , happier and less stressed . Maybe one day …