Post date: Jun 19, 2011 1:26:7 AM

CAN-BIKE crew members, from left, Gord MacGregor, Graydon Patterson, Monja De Luca and Tom Mosco.

Photograph by: Bruno Schlumberger, The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Citizen

(from http://www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/Gaining+confidence+road/4967681/story.html)

Gaining confidence on the road

CAN-BIKE safety courses instil confidence in cyclists

By Liisa Tuominen, Ottawa Citizen June 18, 2011

CAN-BIKE safety courses can make a difference in how cyclists see themselves on the road, say top Ottawa bike instructors.

If you ask CAN-BIKE instructors Tom Mosco and Graydon Patterson the most common mistake made by cyclists on the streets, you get two answers, "riding too close to the right" and "cyclist inferiority complex." In fact, these are the same thing. Many cyclists believe they don't belong on the roads, or feel apologetic about getting in the way of cars. CAN-BIKE safety courses aim to change the way cyclists think about themselves in traffic -that bicycles are vehicles with a right to be on the roads.

Mosco and Patterson, both former bike police officers, are two of the 10 CAN-BIKE instructors working for Ottawa's Parks and Recreation department. The pair are wellsuited to help cyclists become confident in traffic. When Mosco is asked for any examples of cyclists whose lives have been changed through the CAN-BIKE courses, he says dryly, "all of them."

Certified by the Canadian Cycling Association, the CAN-BIKE program is a series of courses on all aspects of cycling safely, responsibly and enjoyably on the road. As examples of the scope of the program, instructors have made 40 school visits this spring, giving more than 1,600 children an introduction to bike safety. The CAN-BIKE programs are also geared for teens and seniors and a specific course for women taught by a female instructor. There are rural and commuting courses and advanced classes for those wishing to become a CAN-BIKE instructor.

Employers can arrange for CAN-BIKE instructors to do 40-45 minute "lunch and learn" presentations for staff who commute -or want to -to work. They'll look at routes to a workplace, safety, bike facilities and will make suggestions for safer commuting. A bike group or club can also sign up for a lesson.

The courses are offered at a variety of locations and cost $80 to $90. There's also a two-hour, one-on-one learn to ride a bike session for $80, while the CAN-BIKE II advanced course costs $130 for an 18-hour course in bike handling skills and all traffic conditions. This certificate course is often a requirement for jobs involving cycling and a prerequisite for many bike-squad members across Canada.

A CAN-BIKE course normally involves several hours of classroom time, practice in a parking lot, and rides in real-world conditions -perhaps "unlearning" the habits cyclists have picked up from parents or friends. With six students plus the instructor, the students are usually of different abilities. They take turns being the "leader" and ride together as a group once they've mastered the fundamentals of traffic. Participants must have their own bike, helmet and bell.

As an example of how CAN-BIKE students are trained to see themselves as vehicles, Mosco emphasizes that cyclists should not be constantly checking over their shoulders for cars. Cyclists should be in a proper lane to turn or go straight, and keep themselves visible to cars; it is the vehicle drivers' responsibility to treat the cyclist as part of the traffic.

If a car honks its horn at you as a cyclist, don't scurry out of the way -the driver has admitted he sees you, and must take action to avoid you. That's a whole different mindset than the one held by most bike riders.

When asked if there were any roads where they wouldn't cycle (as the traffic on Bronson Avenue zoomed by in the background), both Mosco and Patterson agreed that some of Ottawa's unpredictable road features (such as disappearing or badly placed bike lanes) can be more dangerous than a heavy-traffic road. That said, part of cycling is choosing a route, so it's safer to avoid the busy streets where possible. CAN-BIKE helps ordinary cyclists to handle the situations Ottawa's traffic throws at them.

CAN-BIKE is currently looking for cyclists to become instructors. This will involve taking the CAN-BIKE II advanced course and a separate instructor course.

For more information, go to ottawa.ca/cycling or call City Wide Sports at 613-580-2854.