Biking to Work Success Story: iris yong - Coworking and Membership Manager at 312 Main
iris yong is the Coworking and Membership Manager at 312 Main; a coworking space in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. iris lives in Coquitlam and commutes to the office daily usually by car. After being encouraged by other coworkers at work, iris has recently started cycling part-way to work.
Cycling to work has been on iris’s ‘bucket list’ for over a decade now, and she is happy cycling on the trails around Port Coquitlam but felt nervous about cycling on roads in Vancouver. To help build her confidence, iris took a ‘Ride the Road’ course run by the HUB Cycling Bike Education team and signed up with another member of the coworking space for added encouragement. iris cites how there was an "Immediate transfer of knowledge to practice" in the course which really helped her to embed the lessons learnt in the classroom out on the bike lanes immediately.
“I’m more aware as a driver now and have a greater appreciation and awareness of bikes”
- iris yong, Coworking and Membership Manager, 312 Main
A week after taking the Ride the Road course, iris cycled to work with her coworker, Sonam, who is a more confident cyclist. iris purchased some bike shorts for saddle comfort and a helmet and found that she could get herself kitted out fairly cost effectively. To make the initial ride manageable, iris drove from Coquitlam, met Sonam, and then cycled the last 5km of the route together to the office. Gradually they increased the distance to 8-10km until they were riding from the PNE together. iris usually spends $7 a day parking in the downtown core, but was able to park for free close to the PNE saving $35 a week in parking plus gas.
“It was really helpful to chat with others in the coworking space and look over maps to help visualize the route in, cycling opens up so many more options and opportunitites ”- iris yong, Coworking and Membership Manager, 312 Main
Cycling with a buddy has helped iris gain confidence cycling on the road. She never felt pressured to ride in a certain way and has instead felt encouraged to go at her own pace. iris’s coworker, Sonam, would cycle slightly ahead and always wait for iris, making her feel safer and more confident. iris also noticed the health benefits of cycling part way to work and her goal is to cycle all the way to work from Coquitlam by Spring next year.
"We always high fived at the end of the ride! That high five at the end of the bike ride is the best celebration :)"
Bike to Work week runs bi-annually across Metro Vancouver in Spring (May) and Fall (October) each year. Be part of the change and help make Metro Vancouver a happier, healthier place to live, work and play! Register for Bike to Work week today at btww.ca. Already taken part before? Simply log a trip to be considered a participant.