Page 385 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Canada

the vehicle, you locate a car with your Cycling
smartphone app. You can park and leave them
anywhere within designated areas. Cycling is a great way to get around the country
The RV (recreational vehicle or motor home) during warmer months, and its popularity is
rental business is mostly based in the west, with on the rise. Most urban centers have dedicated
specialized agencies in Calgary, Edmonton, bike lanes stretching hundreds of miles, and
Whitehorse and Vancouver. Canadreams almost all cities allow bikes to be taken on
Campers has rentals in eight cities. public transportation. Some places, however,
Car2Go restrict bicycles during peak travel times, so
∑ Car2Go.com/CA check in advance.
Canadreams Campers
∑ canadream.com Bicycle Hire
All major cities have shops that rent bikes, and
Parking some have tour guides available. Specialty bike
The majority of cities and towns have paid shops also rent electric and mountain bikes.
on-and off-street parking with parking meters Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto have bike-
and designated car parks. Parking in the share programs with docking stations
downtown core of major cities is expensive: for throughout the city, which allows cyclists to
instance, parking from a meter in downtown make one-way bike trips for a nominal fee.
Vancouver can cost up to $10 per hour. Some These programs use adjustable bikes, which
meters limit parking to two hours. Illegally are easy to ride for people of all abilities.
parked drivers run the risk of getting their Montreal
vehicle towed with a fine. ∑ montreal.bixi.com/en
Toronto
Road Regulations ∑ bikesharetoronto.com
Everywhere in Canada you drive on the Vancouver
right-hand side of the road and traffic signs ∑ mobibikes.ca
are in English, with French translations in the
eastern provinces. Right turns on red (unless Cycling Regulations
otherwise indicated) are allowed after coming to Regulations on the use of helmets vary across
a complete stop in all provinces, except some the country, so check in advance. The Maritime
places in Quebec. All vehicles must give way to Provinces and BC have an all-ages helmet law
emergency service vehicles, and traffic in both that applies to cycling on roads. Vancouver also
directions must stop for a school bus when has a bylaw requiring helmets on most off-road
signals are flashing. Pedestrians have the right paths. In Ontario helmets are not compulsory
of way at all intersections without stop lights for adults over 18. Quebec and the Northern
and crosswalks. Provinces are lawless when it comes to bicycle
Most provinces prohibit radar detection helmets. Other large Canadian bike share
devices in vehicles and mobile phones may not systems differ by province.
be used while driving, with the exception of a
“hands-free” system. Boats and Ferries
The Canadian Automobile Association is a
great source for driving regulations and maps. Across Canada, car ferries cross rivers, lakes,
Canadian Automobile Association and oceans. Some ferry systems charge
∑ caa.ca substantial fees, while others are free. Marine
Atlantic is perhaps the biggest ferry operation
Insurance and Drivers’ Licenses on the east coast, and runs ships between
Foreign drivers’ licenses are valid and accident Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. BC Ferries
liability insurance is mandatory in Canada. Check operates along the BC coast, including the
with your insurer before your arrival to make gulf islands, and carries passengers from the
sure you have sufficient coverage during your mainland to Vancouver Island. During the
stay. Most of Canada requires that you carry at summer months, it’s a good idea to make a
least $200,000 in liability insurance. US visitors reservation if traveling from Vancouver
should obtain a Canadian Non-Resident Inter- (Tsawwassen or Horseshoe Bay) to Victoria
Province Motor Vehicle Insurance Liability Card, (Swartz Bay), as ferry line-ups can take a few
also know as a Yellow Card, from US insurance hours either way, despite it having the largest
companies. The Insurance Bureau of Canada is double-ended ferries in the world.
a good resource to check and ensure you have BC Ferries
adequate coverage. ∑ bcferries.com
The Insurance Bureau of Canada Marine Atlantic
∑ ibc.ca ∑ marineatlantic.ca

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