While the many spokes her story aren’t all positive, one Victoria woman wants to share the sunny side of the city with the world.
When Barbara Langford left her bike at the corner of Fort and Quadra streets on July 11 while attending an appointment in town, she did all the right things – locked it up in a visible location.
When she returned, it was gone.
An unsettling moment for sure, but that’s the moment her story takes a positive turn.
A man came running across the street to tell her he saw someone break the lock and take the bike. Larry, the only name the Good Samaritan gave, then phoned the police and followed the suspect in his truck.
“Not only did he do all that, he came back and waited for me,” Langford said. “He told me that two policemen on bikes caught the thief within a few blocks, and that my bike had been taken to the police station.
“That was way beyond what I would have expected of anyone.”
She walked over to the station on Calendonia Avenue to pick up the bike. It was missing the “silly basket” of fake flowers from the front handlebars, later delivered by VicPD after an officer called to ensure she was OK.
“If it wasn’t for fast-thinking Larry, I wouldn’t have a bike. I also appreciate the Victoria police cycling unit for their rapid response in apprehending the thief and returning my bicycle,” she said.
A resident for the last 18 months or so, Langford and her husband came from Toronto and relish the quiet, small-city life of Victoria.
With much focus on the negative aspects of the city, she felt compelled to shine a light on the Larrys of the world. A man who, she notes, won't take any kind of compensation other than a thank you.
"It's a nice story," she said. “I hope it brings some happiness to Victoria.”
