Bike Safety Course

The bike safety class this year will be in three parts.

Part 1 is the online course at: http://www.bikeed.org/courseIntro.aspx. It is very important that you actually do review/study the material before the class on April 26.

Part 2 is a three hour class on the 26^th that will be primarily to review areas that need clarification, so make notes as you do the online portion about what you may want to cover more thoroughly on Thursday, April 26.

Part 3 on Saturday, April 28 will be the on-bike portion of the class. We will do drills in the parking lot in the morning (skills such as scanning/signaling, and also emergency maneuvers such as quick stop, instant turn, and rock dodge). The afternoon will consist of actually riding on city streets and using your new skills (hopefully not the emergency moves).

The online course is free, but you will need to register. We are charging $20, and we are asking that you send a check in advance to Bike Santa Fe, PO Box 6181, Santa Fe 87502. This is primarily to cover the cost of a Smart Cycling manual, which will be yours to keep. We have had an issue with folks saying they will come, but not showing up, so that’s why we’re asking for your financial commitment in advance.

Also, there is a series of very short videos (1-2 minutes each) that may be worth checking out at: http://bikeleague.org/ridesmartvideos

You can also review much of what is in the online course at: http://bikeleague.org/content/smart-cycling-tips-0

It is advisable to bring your helmet and bike to the April 26 session, so we can check your helmet fit and show you how to wear it correctly. We would also like you to be able demonstrate some of the skills from the online course with your own bicycle (e.g., the “ABC Quick check”).

For the on-bike session, HELMETS WILL BE REQUIRED. We will also plan on taking a lunch break between the morning skills practice and the afternoon ride.

The location and time of the April 26 classroom session will be at the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) office (500 Market Street, Suite 200, above REI in the Railyard) at 6pm.

The on-bike session will be at the parking lot of the South Capital Complex (State office building) adjacent to South Capital Station on April 28 at 9 am.