30 Apr - Changing Lives that change everything else

Before we get into the busy-ness of the next few weeks' classes and activities I thought I'd editorialize a little bit on what we do, and the lasting effect that it has on peoples' lives.  My ABSOLUTE favorite to do here at Positive Spin is teaching kids and adults to ride for the first time.  When you think about it, what "learning to read" does for the mind, "learning to ride" does for the body.  I can't think of anything that can affect a person's life - starting so early, lasting so long and taking them so far.  The next step, teaching them to ride safely on public roads, is what our new classes are all about.  It's been really exciting, yet humbling, how eager kids are to ride - even when it's just around the block.  In the surveys I do before every class I ask how many kids know how to ride a bike (balancing).  By 3rd grade just about every kid does, yet they are taught almost nothing about traffic law and riding skills.  That means we are putting them out on the streets without knowing how to look out for themselves.  As a result they crash - and 80% of all bike crashes don't involve another vehicle, it happens just because they haven't learned to handle the bike or riding conditions.  Studies have shown that good quality bike classes, like the courses we offer from the League of American Bicyclists, reduce crash rates by 80%.  Not coincidentally, helmets reduce head injuries by 80%.  Although the connection may be coincidental, it seems intuitive that we have the choice of preventing injuries by either protection (helmets) or prevention (education) - OK, how about both?
Many parents and adults point to the high crash rates as a reason to discourage youth bicycling and walking - particularly around schools.  But most of those crashes happen because the cyclists AND the motorists haven't been taught to share the road safely.  Besides, this argument just reduces short-term risk while increasing long-term risks like obesity, inactivity and poor lifelong fitness habits.  Kids can bike to schools and other places they want to go if we teach them how to handle their bikes - alone and in traffic.  In Europe this has been done for 50 years.  Every child has a full day of bike/pedestrian skills education in 4th grade (the age at which they develop adequate depth perception to judge oncoming traffic speeds).  As a result every adult knows how every child will behave in most traffic situations, making the road environment much more predictable.  As those students become driving adults they retain that knowledge, and the expectation that roads will be made to accommodate cyclists and as drivers they are expected to share the road safely with all other users.
In the meantime we also offer courses for adults and new drivers in bike/pedestrian awareness.  Let us know if your school or community group is interested in any of our offerings.
We'll be in Mt. Morris this afternoon at Perry Elementary School to teach 2 classes. Special thanks to Ms. Ruschak for inviting us.
Tomorrow we'll be giving a clinic at the Clinton Fire District building near Ridgedale Elementary from 10am-1pm.  This event is open to everyone, see the event flyer for more details.
Next week the shop will be closed EXCEPT for our Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon hours while I'm teaching in Martinsburg.  Call the shop if you need to make an appointment at any other time.  I'll be leaving the phone with someone here.