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Learn to Become a Confident Cyclist

Riders will learn how to spot unsafe traffic situations and tips on how to prevent biking accidents in safety courses led by the nonprofit Sustainable Streets.

Want to start riding your bike around the Westside but are intimated by cars?

Sustainable Streets, a nonprofit organization devoted to encouraging people to walk and bike, is holding classes to instill confidence into new bike riders.

The classes will review riders’ rights on public roadways, teach people to identify unsafe traffic situations and offer tips on how to avoid accidents. 

Riders will also learn how to conduct a pre-ride safety check and learn basic road repairs, such as fixing a flat tire. Event organizers will also conduct a short bike ride with the group to put to use the skills learned in the class.

Those wanting to participate, should have a bike in good working order, with at least one functioning brake or coater brake. Participants must be at least 16-years-old. 

Classes are free and will be held at Santa Monica Place. No walk-ins will be accepted. People must RSVP by visiting sustainablestreets.org/ccc/ or contacting Tracey Booth at tbooth@sustainablestreets.org

Here is a list of upcoming classes:

  • Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
  • March 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • April 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • May 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saltwater January 15, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Wait a minute...isn't one supposed to learn bike safety, etiquette, rules of the road as a child, back when the FIRST learned how to ride?
Glenn E Grab January 15, 2013 at 01:04 pm
saltwater, conditions were different then, traffic was nothing compared to what it is now...if this class is based on defensive riding and anticipating situations it will save lives....
Saltwater January 15, 2013 at 01:26 pm
^ Srsly, don't tell me there wasn't traffic back then because there was. One thing we learned was that some roads weren't safe to ride on. It was called common sense. We learned that as a children.
John hacker January 15, 2013 at 02:06 pm
You can learn as much as you want. Out of a hundred cars that pass street riders by, missing them by inches, how many are drunk, stoned, texting, stupid, old, tired or just not paying attention? I think street riders are idiots. It's just not worth it in my opinion. Yes yes, I know, you have the right. I value my health too much. I ride only in the mountains or bike path. How many of you stubborn riders have to go down before you learn?
Glenn E Grab January 15, 2013 at 02:18 pm
John, unfortunately you're right.....the only partial solution is riding carefully until you get to the bike path.....even then it's still dangerous...
John hacker January 15, 2013 at 02:43 pm
Stay safe
Alison Kendall January 16, 2013 at 01:14 am
The Confident City Cycling class is based on a League of American Bicyclists curriculum and has been shown to help riders reduce their risk of crashes and injury in urban cycling situations. If you are going to bike to work or around your neighborhood, you will benefit from this class, even if you have been biking for 20-40 years.
Niall Huffman January 17, 2013 at 05:06 am
Believe it or not, many people didn't receive any bike education as children, or if they did, got very little beyond, perhaps, a brief classroom video. A Confident City Cycling course is *much* more involved and goes into greater detail than what children typically learn, particularly when it comes to navigating complex traffic situations and taking active measures to prevent and avoid collisions. Even experienced adult bicyclists can benefit from some instruction, as they may have picked up some bad habits over time that needlessly put them in awkward or dangerous situations.

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