Enjoy the Ride: New Bicycling Skills DVD Available

On-line Sales Pitch for Safe Routes to School

Discover Bicycling, in Florida

Open House

Boston Cyclists Invited to Meet and Greet LAB

Two Important Reminders

Media Blasts Hit Cyclists Again

Lots of Bicycling Jobs Available

Interesting Facts and Figures

July 31, 2006

Enjoy the Ride: New Bicycling Skills DVD Available

Enjoy the Ride is a 22 minute video, hosted by Selene Yeager, which teaches people how to ride confidently in traffic.  Topics covered include: the pre-ride checklist, bicycle handling skills, and riding in traffic. Enjoy the Ride is based on the League’s BikeEd curriculum and is the perfect teaching aid for delivering BikeEd classes and livening up bike safety presentations. Bonus features on the DVD include Bicycle Safety Tips for Adults, an 8-minute NHTSA video, A Kids Eye View (Spanish and English) and A Cyclists’ Eye View, featuring on-bike footage. Enjoy the Ride is available from the League store for $32.00.

On-line Sales Pitch for Safe Routes to School

Looking for a succinct, attractive and non-technical promotional piece to sell the new Safe Routes to School program to your local school board or PTA? Check out this four-minute pitch. The piece was developed by the League with the help of a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Discover Bicycling, in Florida

The new Florida Discovery Bicycling Center (FDBC) in Lake Helen, Fla. will roll out its inaugural training and touring program this November. The Center combines adult bicycle safety training and touring into vacation-like packages along the St. Johns River region of western Volusia County.  FDBC is sponsored by the Florida Bicycle Association (FBA), the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor, and the City of Lake Helen. The FDBC’s first five-night, six-day program will begin November 12, 2006, with a full day of cycle training by League of American Bicyclists-certified safe cycling instructors.

Open House

We’re throwing our doors open at the League’s World Headquarters, Tuesday, August 15 to celebrate a number of things, so if you are in the area, come on down. Between 4pm and 8pm you’ll be able to watch our new Safe Routes to Schools and Bike Ed movies; and you can swap tales of epic bike rides with staff members. We’re at 1612 K Street, NW, Suite 800. Limited indoor bike parking available.

Boston Cyclists Invited to Meet and Greet LAB

Boston-area cyclists are cordially invited to meet LAB executive director Andy Clarke at Landry’s newest bicycle shop on Commonwealth Ave, August 18th. Discover what the League is up to and what Andy thinks about bicycle commuting, how MassBike is firing on all cylinders with new Executive Director Dave Watson, and how Landry’s supports bicycle advocacy and education in the region. League members especially welcome!

Two Important Reminders

First, please take a few minutes to complete the League’s annual membership survey – we need lots of responses. And if you aren’t a member, we’re obviously disappointed but you can just skip the first couple of questions that relate specifically to membership and tell us what you think about the rest of the questions.

Second, don’t forget the deadline for the next round of Bicycle Friendly Community applications is Friday, August 18. Announcements on the awarded cities will be made towards the end of September.

Media Blasts Hit Cyclists Again

Incredible as it may seem, radio shock-jocks are still taking potshots at bicyclists! In July, cyclists in Portland and St Louis were appalled by insensitive and inappropriate remarks by show hosts on Jammin’ 95.5 and KPNT respectively. The Portland station is owned by a local chain, Rose City Radio and excellent coverage of the debacle can be found at www.bikeportland.org. KPNT is a member of the [usually] highly respected Emmis media empire – in both cases broadcasts of the offending segments have yet to be released, making it difficult for local cyclists to reach closure.

Lots of Bicycling Jobs Available

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is seeking an experienced professional to serve as Safety Education Program Coordinator. For more information please visit http://www.waba.org/new/about/jobs.php.

The Indiana Greenways Foundation is seeking an Executive Director. Contact Matthew T. Klein, President, Greenways Foundation, Inc. at pikegop@sbcglobal.net.

Transportation Alternatives in New York City has three job openings:
1) Bicycle and Environmental Transportation Advocate, city cycling experience and Spanish language skills are a plus.
2) Pedestrian and Public Space Campaigner, Spanish language skills also a plus, and
3) Bicycle Ambassadors (2).  City cycling experience and Spanish language skills are a plus. See www.transalt.org/about/jobs.html  for full job descriptions and application details.

Interesting Facts and Figures

Did you know that…the US has 5% of the world’s population, about 30% of the world’s automobiles, but is responsible for 45% of the world’s automotive CO2 emissions according to a study by Environmental Defense….Maneuvering through traffic while talking on the phone increases the likelihood of an accident five-fold and is actually more dangerous than driving drunk, according to a University of Utah research study…and in related news a British study recently found that SUV drivers are more likely to flout the law by talking on hand held phones and not wearing a seat belt because they feel safer and take more risks…