1. Welcome!

2. Level 1: The Basics Know these skills before you hit the road The Gear How to stop Cycling in a straight line Making hand signals Visibility Lane Positioning Sidewalks Shifting Gears Avoiding Obstacles

3. Level 2: On the Road Practice these skills to become a confident commuter cyclist How to take a lane How to navigate intersections How to make a left turn How to pass other vehicles How to activate traffic signals How to carry children Parking tips All information in this presentation comes from the Bike Sense Manual

4. Level 1

5. The Gear: The Bike Mountain bikes and hybrids are well suited for city riding thanks to their upright sitting position, accessible gear shifters and brakes, rugged construction and manoeuvrability. Road bikes are faster and more efficient for longer distances Any bike can be used. Always be sure it is in working order Tires make a lot of difference. Ensure there inflated to the recommended pressure listed on the sidewall.

6. The Gear: Helmets Wear one. It’s the law. You look stupid without one A helmet will greatly reduce your chances of a serious brain injury. Hockey or other types of sports helmets are not designed for cycling types of impacts. Helmets are designed for a single impact. Replace your helmet if it involved in a collision. Helmet materials degrade and compact over time. Replace your helmet every 3 years.

7. The Gear: Helmets Proper helmet fit: Proper size fits snuggly and does not ride up or roll loosely on head Adjust straps so that you have: Two fingers width between your brow and the rim One finger width beneath your earlobe and the V of the straps Two finger width under your chin Avoid black helmets. A bright coloured helmet is very effective at increasing your visibility

8. The Gear: Lights Cyclists are required by law to have a front white headlight and a rear red light Lights should be visible at a minimum of 100 metres Set your rear light to ‘flashing’ mode for greater visbility The purchase of a higher power front light is recommended for riders on trails and debris-ridden routes (eg potholes)

9. The Gear: Clothing Bright clothing Reflective materials Avoid black helmets Pants – designed to wear Rain gear Gloves Shoes Eye protection

10. The Gear: Commuters Spare tube or patch Tools: pump, tire lever, allen keys, screw driver, wrenches Fenders Work clothes, lunch, water bottle, laptop Panniers: Allow you to keep your hands on the handlebars Low centre of gravity Reduce the weight on your bum Do NOT hang bags from handlebars!

11. How to: Stop! Front brake accounts for up to 80% of the stopping power Forward momentum puts most weight over your front wheel. For optimum stopping power: shift your weight towards the rear keep your centre of gravity low. Use both brakes Practice stopping as quickly as you can to get a feel for how much distance is needed at different speeds and under different conditions.

12. How to: Cycle in straight line Ride in a straight line under varying conditions is the key: Head up Looking 1-2 blocks forward Speed helps Riding in a straight line makes you predictable to other road users: Minimize wobbles Practice following a painted line as closely as possible at different speeds. Shoulder checks: Your body determines the path of your bike Difficult but critical traffic skill. Mirrors are good but do not replace shoulder checks

13. How to: Make Hand Signals Always make hand signals well in advance of any turn, not just when you think they are needed. The proper turning sequence is: first shoulder check, then a hand signal, and then, with both hands on the handlebars, shoulder check again before making the turn or the stop.

14. Visibility As a narrower vehicle, cyclists can be less visible to motorists. It is therefore extra important for cyclists to use all means available to make themselves conspicuous: Wear bright clothing Turn on your lights – lights are a must in the dark! Put reflective material on your bike and clothing Do not pass on the right Position yourself where motorists are looking Take extra precautions at dawn, dusk, and during difficult weather Be aware

15. Lane Positioning The law requires cyclists to keep to the right, but that does not mean hugging the curb. You should be approximately one metre away from the curb, both to reduce the risk of hitting the curb or debris, and also to better place yourself within the motorists' field of vision. This allows you to move away from traffic to avoid an obstacle, an open door, or crowding by another vehicle. Avoid riding in a motorist's blind spot.

16. Sidewalks It is against the law to ride on sidewalks, unless specifically directed to do so by a sign or local bylaw. Several studies have proven that cyclists on sidewalks face a far greater collision risk than cyclists on the roadway. The main danger points are driveways and street crossings where sidewalk cyclists surprise motorists and pedestrians by appearing from unexpected directions.

17. How to: Shift Gears The basic rule is that low gears are for slow speeds, and high gears are for high speeds. Always shift into a low, easy gear before you stop. Check ahead and shift into a lower gear well in advance of hills. On the level, use a gear that gives you a fast comfortable spin ('cadence') of around 70-90 rpm. Pedalling in a gear that is too fast can tire you more quickly. However, pedalling in a gear that is too hard can cause strain in your knees and lower back.

18. How to: Avoid obstacles Keep an eye on the road well ahead of you to see if there are potholes, gravel, glass, drainage grates or other hazards coming up. Ride no closer than one metre from parked cars to avoid being hit by an opening door. If you have to move over into traffic to avoid these, look over your shoulder first and use a hand signal if necessary. To abruptly swerve into traffic can easily lead to a collision. To make riding safer for you and other cyclists, report unsafe road conditions to local authorities as soon as possible.

19. Level 2

20. How to: Take a Lane 1 If there is no shoulder or bike lane and the curb lane is narrow cyclists may choose to take the whole lane by riding in the centre of it. This can be safer than riding near the curb, which may encourage motorists to squeeze by where there is not sufficient room. You should also consider taking the lane when you are travelling at the same speed as other traffic. This will keep you out of motorists' blind spots and reduce conflicts with right-turning traffic. Be prepared for the occasional frustrated driver who is not familiar with the safe and legal operation of a bicycle.

21. How to: Take a Lane 2 If you are uncomfortable in the centre of the lane, consider taking an alternative route. On high-speed roads, it may not be safe to take the whole lane. It is important to cycle within your confidence limits and comfort when dealing with heavy or high-speed traffic. It is important to know that there is currently no concrete legal definition of 'as near as practicable to the right side of the highway', so the cyclist should use discretion to decide whether to take the lane or how far to the right to ride.

22. How to: Navigate Intersections 1 When you approach an intersection with several lanes, choose the lane with the arrow pointing in the direction you want to go. You may get cut off by turning cars if you are not in the appropriate lane. If you cannot make it across traffic to position yourself in the correct lane, you have the choice to dismount and walk in the crosswalk instead. When the curb lane becomes a right-turn-only lane, to go straight, change lanes to the right-most through lane. Shoulder check, signal, and then go to the right side of the chosen lane when an opening appears. Always enter intersections either ahead of or behind the vehicle in your lane. You may not see the turn signals of a vehicle directly beside you and the driver may not see you.

23. How to: Navigate Intersections 2 Make eye contact Avoid entering on a yellow light Treat every driveway like an intersection It is illegal to cycle in a crosswalk Watch for vehicles turning across your path and be prepared to avoid them. Ride in the lane that is closest to the right side of the road Never make a left turn from the right side of the road, even if you are in a bike lane. 60% of motorist-cyclist collisions occur at intersections. The majority of these happen when the cyclist is moving straight ahead.

24. How to: Make a left turn 1 As a vehicle: Shoulder check, signal your turn, and when clear, move over to the left side of the lane (1). You should be positioned so cars going straight through cannot pass you on your left. Yield to oncoming traffic before turning Perimeter style: Proceed straight through the intersection on the right. Then stop, make a 90 degree left turn, and either walk your bicycle in the crosswalk (2), or proceed as if you were coming from the right (3). If there is a signal, wait for the green or WALK signal before crossing.

25. How to: Make a left turn 2 On rural or high-speed roads, time your left turn so that you can complete the whole turn at once without compromising your safety. You do not want to get caught in the middle of high- speed traffic. When more than one turn lane exists, use the right-most turn lane. If it is a lane where everyone turns left, stay on the right side of the lane. If traffic can also go straight through this lane, stay to the left side of the lane. If you turned from the inside lane, make sure you turn into the inside lane. Once the turn is complete, shoulder check, signal, and move over lane by lane to the right, as is appropriate for the road conditions.

26. How to: Pass other Vehicles When overtaking slower moving traffic, you must pass on their left and should allow at least one metre of clearance. When passing other cyclists, warn them in advance by voice or bell. It is legal to pass on the right: when you are in a bike lane; or when the vehicle is turning left or indicating a left turn When NOT to pass on the right: when traffic is moving; when there is a street, driveway or parking spot a car can turn into; or when there is less than 1.5m between traffic and the curb.

27. How to: Activate Traffic Signals Many traffic signals are triggered by electrically charged wires buried under the pavement. When a vehicle stops over the wires, the metal disrupts the current, which sends a signal to a traffic light control box. Most bicycles contain enough metal to trigger the light, but you should know where the most sensitive spots are. Look for cut lines in the pavement, filled with tar. Depending on the shape, the most sensitive spots are: * Diamonds: just inside one of the points. * Circles: about a quarter of the way in. * Rectangles: up front, in the middle. If you cannot trigger the light, and you have waited an appropriate amount of time, treat the traffic light as an uncontrolled intersection and proceed when it is safe to do so.

28. How to: Carry Children For younger children, a bike trailer offers more protection for the child if you should fall. Bike trailers are generally considered to be a safer alternative than a bicycle child seat. Bike trailers and trailer-cycles should be equipped with a taillight and reflector, if being used at night. Bike trailers should also have a bike flag attached to the trailer to improve visibility, since they are lower to the ground. When using a seat mounted on the back of a bicycle, special care should be taken to ensure that the feet, hands and clothing of the child cannot be caught in the spokes or other moving parts of the bike All children should wear an approved bicycle helmet and should be secured by a seat belt system when in a trailer or in a bicycle child seat. Prior to taking your child out in any type of carrier, you may wish to practice turning, stopping, hill climbing and other manoeuvres with a sandbag or other weight, to simulate the effect of the additional load.

29. Parking Temporary parking against sign posts, light stands, etc. No small trees! These can be broken, costing you your bike and the City a tree Park in pedestrian areas of high visibility Avoid hiding your bike in low visibility areas Do not block fire exits, etc Buy a good lock and be sure it is secured to your frame Indoor is ideal for long term parking Discuss solutions at your workplace Half of all bikes stolen are unlocked Keep record your bike’s serial number

30. Questions & Demo