Ottawa seems to get a lot of freezing rain, even during winters where they predict mostly snow. Commuting can be a challenge, especially if you need to walk to get to the transitway.

About six years ago I was hit by a car riding my bike to work. BecauseOntarionow has no-fault insurance, our car insurance provided coverage for things I wouldn’t have expected. Twice I had ergonomic assessments at home, and then another one when I returned to work.

When I had the second home assessment one of my fears was falling on the ice that first winter and re-injuring my shoulder. The insurance company paid for an extra long ice scraper for the car and Spiky Plus attachments for my boots.

I always keep my Spiky Plus in my backpack during the winter just in case the sidewalks are icy. This morning I wouldn’t have made it down the hill without them. The road was like a skating rink. The sidewalk was a bit better but only because the layer of ice was on top of snow that hadn’t been tamped down yet.

I knew we were getting freezing rain overnight and realized it might interfere with my ability to walk instead of bus home. So my original plan was to walk to the transitway this morning. By the time I reachedWellington, I realized that I was going to get awfully wet if I walked along the sidewalk alongWellingtonor Scott, and the Scott MUP may not be salted yet. So I waited, along with a dozen other people, for the 16.

While we waited, some huddled in the alcove of the condo building, one brave woman decided to wait at the bus stop, unsheltered. Three times cars whizzed through the slush and sprayed her. Yup, good decision to wait for the bus and stand back. The only downside was the 16 didn’t end at Tunney’s, so I had to crossHollandand Scott. Again, stand back at the corners and wait for traffic to come to a complete stop on days like today.

So if you were slipping and sliding on sidewalks today and saw me run for the 105 at Lebreton and were wondering how I did it … Spiky Plus.

I bought them at MEC a few years ago. They don’t seem to stock them now. Maybe these ones would work. But whatever you do, do NOT use Yak trax on ice.

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