Education
Bicyclists are entitled to high quality training and education, from the earliest grades through adulthood, so that they can learn their rights and duties to visibly, predictably, and cooperatively participate in traffic as drivers of vehicles. Being taught to act as drivers will allow bicyclists to take advantage of the travel connectivity and efficiency of the existing road network with the lowest risk possible. This includes learning the common hazards and how to avoid them, just as motorists are taught in traffic skills (AKA driver education) classes and in more advanced defensive driving courses.
Bicyclists also need to learn the special hazards posed by many on-street bikeways built to inadequate standards, and how to avoid or mitigate the danger. Bicyclists also need to learn the different operating rules and best practices for navigating shared use pathways with pedestrians, to protect the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians on the path, and their own safety at road crossings.
Transportation professionals are also entitled to high quality education about the spectrum of bicyclist behavior, the difficulties and poor behavior created by many “minimum standard” road and bikeway designs, and how to follow the best practices for road and bikeways designs. The best practices foster driver behavior and at the same time minimize the design risk for travel on roads and bikeways. These efforts will eventually culminated in an I Am Traffic Best Practices Guide, currently under development.
Law enforcers are entitled to high quality education about bicyclists’ rights and duties, the spectrum of bicyclist behavior, the dangers of poor/unlawful behavior, and how enforcement can improve behavior through citations and diversion programs. Enforcers also need to be educated about crash investigation and fault assignment, their effect on liability in civil/criminal cases, and how improved collision reporting will improve cyclist education and facility design to address the causes of the collisions.
Elected officials and advocates also need to learn about bicyclists’ rights and duties and how they are expressed through all six Es. Education programs targeted at these groups will help them understand the importance of driver behavior and how to best support the full spectrum of bicyclist behavior on streets and on bikeways.
Because of the importance of education to all of the above groups, I Am Traffic is committed to delivering CyclingSavvy, Journeys from Home, Understanding Bicycle Transportation, Enforcement Education, and Presentations for Policy-makers for cyclists, planners and engineers, enforcers, and elected officials respectively.
Posts in the Education Category
What Police Need to Learn about Cycling
In part 3 of his comprehensive overview of cycling law enforcement, Kirby Beck explains: What police need to learn How to get heard by your local police department Why changes in police departments need to come from the top Plus: why you need the AAA on your side. “You need to start reporting things,” Kirby urges cyclists. “They’re not going to know it’s a problem if they don’t hear from you and hear from your friends. “Now I know the cops will go, ‘Why did you tell them...
read moreWhat is a Courteous Cyclist?
The issue of courtesy often comes up when bicyclists discuss traffic, especially when motorists are part of the conversation. Most bicyclists want to be respectful of others and to set a good example. However, different assumptions, experiences and knowledge about traffic bicycling can result in different opinions of what “courtesy” means. How can cyclists extend courtesies to their fellow road users, while prioritizing their own safety? We’ll answer that question as it’s addressed by cycling classes such as...
read moreAsk i am traffic: Bicyclist Licensing
An i am traffic reader asks via email: Do you think requiring bicyclists to have licenses, similar to automobile drivers (or a spot on our driver’s licenses similar to motorcyclists), would raise bicyclists’ stature in the eyes of law enforcement and the driving public? Would the inconvenience this would cause to cyclists be worth it to more clearly send the message to everyone else that we cyclists seriously want to be given the same respect as the automobile? It has often been suggested, usually by non-bicyclists, that...
read moreOvercoming Obstacles & Finding Freedom
The following story is a speech given May 7, 2013 by Michie O’Day at the Active Communities Conference in Waterville, Maine. I am honored to publish it here with her permission. Michie is an inspiration to me and a heroic example of what it means to be antifragile. Her journey on the tricycle confirms everything we are trying to do here at I Am Traffic—from education, to legal equality and informed law enforcement to inclusive facility design. Recreational Opportunities for People With Disabilities (breakout session) Today I’m...
read moreCycling with Children
Cycling is a great way to spend active family time outside. Benefits Bicycling is a popular, fun, healthy, and useful activity that people can do their entire lives. Bicycling provides low-impact exercise of variable intensity that improves health, fitness, longevity, mental focus, emotional balance, and stress levels. Traveling by bicycle is often more enjoyable and affordable than other modes, and can be more convenient where automobile parking is limited. Teaching children to travel effectively by bicycle as they get older develops...
read moreCyclingSavvy Works
It’s not Effective Cycling repackaged with a new name. A common criticism of cyclist education is simply that “it doesn’t work.” Presented with such a statement, I suppose we first have to ask, “work at what?” Those making the claim seem to be saying it doesn’t work at getting more people to ride bikes. I don’t think many are claiming a trained cyclist is just as likely to crash as an untrained one. Perhaps they may be right that it doesn’t get more people to ride bikes; but on the other hand I know individuals who have most...
read moreAchieving a Vision
Presentation at CNU20: In the video presentation above, I explain the root cause of the beliefs that inhibit bicycling in America, why the prevailing strategy can’t fix it, and offer a strategy that can. In addition to teaching people to be successful anywhere, this strategy includes many progressive infrastructure ideas that are cost-effective, versatile, expandable and supportive of successful bicyclists. For more on this topic: Strategy for a Cyclist-Friendly Community by Keri Caffrey Keri CaffreyCo-founder, CyclingSavvy Executive...
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