Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Bike Commuter Training

I assisted with a bike commuter training class today at Bikestation. It was a fun experience. The students were a group of women that were part of a program to train them in non-traditional workplaces (hazmat, construction, railroad, etc.,) Part of the program dealt with mobility. Many of them didn't have cars, so the program was to teach them to use the bicycle as a means of transportation.

The first half was classroom stuff. What a bicycle is in the eyes of the law. Rights as a bicyclist. Common traffic scenarios.

The second half was more hands on. How to fix a flat, adjust brakes, fix your chain when it gets derailed, use the bike racks on the bus, etc.,

The all day session ended with a nice 6 mile bike ride through Long Beach. Half of it was on the bike path, the other half in some light traffic.

From the look on their faces everyone had a great time and I think a few of them rediscovered the simple joy of being on a bike. Hopefuly, a few will actually try it out in their daily practice.

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