Traffic Skills 101

This weekend, I took the Traffic Skills 101 course offered through the League Of American Bicyclists. This is the prerequisite for their League Certified Instructor training. With this certification, I can go on and teach others about cycling safely with traffic. There is an especially high need in Sacramento for LCIs to teach school-aged children. Brainwash them young! Get them on bikes early and often. Indoctrinate them to the freedom and joy of pedaling along on your own. There is a lot of misinformation about what a cyclist should do and where they should be on the road. Parents don't do their children any favors by trying to keep them on the sidewalk, or even worse, in their car. I am so excited about this opportunity to work with children and watch them light up as they learn how to handle a bike with confidence and skill. 

The class was in Roseville on Friday night and all day today. I was bummed, at first, thinking that I would have to drive all the way out to Roseville (~50 miles roundtrip) but I put a message out to the class asking if there were any carpool options. I ended up arranging a ride for Saturday but since she was leaving straight from work, I was going to still have to find a way in for Friday. Luckily, I realized that by taking the bus and my folding bike in, I would still be able to get a ride back! It took a fair amount of maneuvering, especially after getting to the stop and realizing that I didn't have enough cash, then I didn't have enough change, then I got on the wrong bus, then I had to bike around Roseville (yikes!) in the dark and over some of the most poorly designed roadways. Anyway, I got there! I was proud of myself and I have still not had to drive since last year. In fact, this was the first time I had even been in a car since before New Year's. We are definitely learning how to minimize car trips. 

Today's class was mostly about bike handling skills. We did some drills in the parking lot: scanning, emergency stops, shifting, etc. It always seems much harder when you're trying to focus on the actual technicalities instead of just riding. The only part that I had real trouble with was the quick turn--an essential skill to avoid a right- or left-hook. It takes counter-intuitive steering to lean into a sharp turn, safely sweeping you out of harm's way. I am going to keep working on that one until it's second nature. Although many of the topics covered and general lessons were pretty familiar to me, it's always great to relearn and remind myself of what/why I am doing certain things. Also, it's always good to realize the skills you are lacking or slipping on so you can be a better driver on the road. 

I really think this is a class that everyone should take--bikers and (especially) car-drivers alike. Did you know that the number one cause of bike accidents are bikers riding the wrong way down the street? Did you know that the fault of bike accidents is almost a 50-50 split between bikers and car drivers? Doorings and being hit from behind are actually pretty low on the list of causes, although the resulting damage tends to be much more extreme. 

As the League says "cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles." This is a message that we all need to be reminded again and again. 

I especially enjoyed meeting other cyclists and the instructors of the class who all had the same passion for bicycling and making the roads safer for everyone. I certainly feel safer on my bike now and reenergized my confidence in taking the correct and safest position in the flow of traffic. Please take this class as soon as you get the opportunity!