Whether you are a beginning cyclist, have been riding sporadically for some time, or are a long-time frequent cyclist, you will benefit from having a solid skills foundation. There is a lot more to safe and enjoyable cycling that merely wearing a helmet, riding on the right side of the road, and keeping your bike in good repair.
Take the following quickie quiz. If you can’t answer all the questions correctly, BikeEd™ Road I is for you.
- What is the first thing you should do when you want to make a left turn on your bicycle?
- Stop along the right hand curb and wait for a gap in traffic before starting your turn
- Give a hand signal for a left turn
- Shortly before you turn, cross over to the left edge of the road
- Look over your left shoulder
- To stop as quickly as possible on a clean, dry road surface, a skilled cyclist should:
- Drop the bicycle and slide
- Squeeze the front brake lever harder than the rear brake lever
- Squeeze the rear brake lever slightly harder than the front brake lever
- Brake until both wheels skid
- When two drivers on crossing paths arrive at an uncontrolled intersection (no stop signs or traffic lights) at the same time, which one must yield to the other?
- The driver on the right
- The driver on the left
- The driver of the larger vehicle
- The driver of the smaller vehicle
- To avoid a pitchover crash over the handlebars when you need to stop, you should:
- Never use the front brake
- Always apply the rear brake first
- Use only the front brake when the pavement is wet or sandy
- Use both brakes, but slide back slightly on the seat to put more weight over the rear wheel
- The Vehicle Code of Pennsylvania and all other states says:
- Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as other drivers
- Bicyclists must follow a different set of rules than other drivers
- Bicyclists must always yield the right-of-way to motor vehicles
- Nothing about how bicyclists are supposed to operate
Answers: 1-d; 2-b; 3-b; 4-d; 5-a
For all the questions, even those you answered correctly, do you know WHY that answer is correct? BikeEd™ Road I will tell you.
You can get a description of Road I and all the BikeEd™ courses at the League of American Bicyclists’ website <http://www.bikeleague.org/>. There is also a state-by-state list of certified LCIs (League Cycling Instructors)–people who have undergone intensive training to teach cycling the way it’s supposed to be done.