Bicycle Education - Traffic Skills 101
You already know how to ride your bike. Now, learn how to drive it!
NJBC, and others, will be offering bicycle education classes in 2010, including the popular Traffic Skills 101
course, developed by the League of American Bicyclists. See the class schedule for current classes.
This nine-hour "hands-on" course is taught
by LAB Licensed Cycling Instructors (LCIs) who have years of experience, both on the road and in the classroom. These instructors have
taught classes for Bike New York, the Hartford Capitol Region of Governments, Hudson TMA, Bike Montclair, TransOptions and the Morristown
Department of Transportation.
The courses are kept small to maximize the interaction between instructors and stdents. Often, the class will be limited to six to eight participants per instructor (larger classes will have two instructors). These courses fill rapidly so when you see availability, act quickly!
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Traffic Skills 101 is a fast-paced full-day course. It gives cyclists the confidence
they need to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail.
The course covers bicycle safety checks,
on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques and includes a student manual. Recommended for adults and children
above age fourteen.
There will be an optional "fix-a-flat" session (rear wheel, as that's the one that always seems to go flat). This is not a
demonstration - you will be working on your own bike. Be confident that you can get home from a ride, even if you get a flat tire.
The class includes a 30-question exam which mandatory for those wishing to continue on for their own LCI certification), optional for all others. However, most students want to take the test to show how much they've learned!
Remember, these courses will fill quickly so reserve your place early. If you are interested in holding a separate class for your club or organization, please contact us to discuss this.
Following is the outline for a typical course, a combination of classroom instruction and time on or around your bike:
- Classroom
- Overview of road cycling skills
- Cycling in Traffic/Crash Avoidance
- Principles of Traffic Law
- Lane, Speed and Intersection Positioning
- With Your Bike
- Basic Bicycle Maintenance/ABC Quick Check
- Bike/Helmet Fit/Equipment
- Gearing/Gear Selection/Cadence
- Group Riding/Riding at night and in the rain
- On Your Bike
- Skills Drills
- Road Ride
- In Closing
- Fix-a-Flat
- Exam and Feedback