“Most adults think they know how to ride a bike because they rode one when they were kids,” says Dominic Dougherty, manager of the Bikestation in downtown Long Beach. “But that would be as if they were taught to drive at Autopia and then were turned out on the street with a car.”

Getting on a bike again—and lots of people are, motivated by health, environmentalism, economics and the pursuit of happiness—is a completely different Disneyland. Dougherty recommends enrolling in Road I, a comprehensive safety class offered by the League of American Bicyclists.

“It’s a matter of turning the toy you played with as a kid into an adult vehicle,” says Dougherty, who nine months ago became certified as a teacher of Road I. “Instead of riding your bike, you’ve got to learn how to drive your bike.”

The Road I course consists of nine hours of instruction on two days, one week apart. The three-hour classroom portion is free; the six-hour on-the-road part requires a $20 contribution to the League of American Bicyclists, which has been advocating for pedal-powered vehicles since the late 1800s.

“The classroom session deals with traffic theory,” says Dougherty. “A lot of thought went into designing the traffic system we have today. We teach how traffic integrates, how to get along and where you belong on the road to do it. A lot of it is eye-opening.”

Dougherty says the class is valuable to anyone who uses the traffic system—in a car, on a motorcycle and even as a pedestrian.

“The bicycle-riding portion comes the following week,” he says. “Before going on the road, we go over the basics in a parking lot—beginning with the best way to get on your bike and get moving. We teach some emergency maneuvers, including how to use the brakes—skidding isn’t stopping; it’s sliding across the pavement.”

After all that, the cycling students finally hit the streets, although that may be a poor way to put it.

“Avoiding problems is why we preface so much in the parking lot,” says Dougherty. “It’s a class but it’s under real conditions. Learning a technique like the rock dodge—how to maintain a straight line while avoiding a last-minute obstacle—can save your life. Same with knowing how to evade a car that makes a sudden right turn in front of you.” Despite everybody’s childhood familiarity with bicycles, Dougherty says people are usually receptive to relearning how to ride them.

“Occasionally there is a little resistance from the club riders—the guys in full lycra suits,” he says. “They spent a lot of money on their bikes, so of course they know what’s best.”

ROAD I BICYCLE SAFETY COURSE CALL 562.794.7535 FOR NEXT CLASS | LBCYCLISTS.ORG

Tags: bike safety, lbcyclists, Long Beach