CAzB Urban Bicycle Clinic Review: by Brian Nelson

Heeding my own urging to take this course, I showed up Saturday February 21 to take the Road One Course. To my surprise there was Richard Utterback, ABC’s V.P. That was nice I thought, it’s a good showing the Prez & V.P. are both taking the class and had decided to separately. Onwards. We started with some open discussion on our own cycling background getting to know each other. Then watched a very good video produced by LAB (League of American Bicyclist). This covered a lot of aspects on riding in an urban setting and traffic. The video demonstrated many of things we were going to learn that day. After a little more discussion we went outside.

The day pretty continued that way, a little class work, then out on the bikes. At lunchtime we all climbed on our bikes for short ride to Subway.

This turned out to be a great way to spend a Saturday. Everyone there said they learned something new or a better way of doing something. I learned a lot that makes me feel safer when riding in traffic. I also learned some moves that I continue to practice that could save me from an accident or a fall. Towards the end of the day we also got to be critiqued on riding in traffic situations. It is a learning method that works and helps you to realize what really needs to be changed in your own behaviors.

I was so impressed with this class that I made a decision right there to go forward and to actually become an Instructor for the class. There are ways of making a difference and this one way I want to, especially when a cyclist with 19 years of riding experience says, “ I learned some things today I should have learned 19 years ago.”