Galiano Island

Road Safety for Cyclists

Welcome to Galiano! We hope you will enjoy your time here on one of the most beautiful islands in Canada. As a cyclist visiting the island, it is important that you be aware of the unique road conditions on Galiano in order to have a safe visit.

Important Safety Tips

Narrow paved road on Galiano Island lined with forest, with no bicycle lane
Galiano roads are narrow and shared by cyclists and motor vehicles.

Our road infrastructure lacks bicycle lanes, which means that cyclists and motor vehicles share the road throughout the island. Additionally, all of our roads accommodate only one lane of traffic heading in each direction and are often winding and hilly.

When motor vehicles find themselves stuck behind bicycles, it creates a situation where the motorists cannot safely pass them. Motorists often have no other choice than to use the opposite lane while passing cyclists. This creates a dangerous situation where head on collisions could occur. With Galiano's increasing popularity as a cycling destination, this road safety issue has become increasingly serious.

Winding Galiano Island road through trees with limited visibility ahead
Limited sight lines make passing difficult — please pull over when a vehicle is behind you.