Traffic Skills 101 Bicycling Course to be offered in North Brunswick, NJ

Has the high cost of gas got you down?  Looking to lower your carbon footprint?  Do you want to get a little exercise on the weekends or possibly on your way to work, school or the grocery store?   Or do you just want to experience the freedom of the road powered by nothing but the strength of your muscles and the sweat on your brow (and your mom's irresistible chocolate chip cookies you devoured last night)?  Maybe your looking to do all these things but are apprehensive about traffic while riding your bike or just don't know where to start?  Well then I've got the answer for you!

The North Brunswick Township Parks and Recreation Department is proud to partner with the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition Bicycle Education Program to offer Traffic Skills 101 for bicyclists.

Following a well-established curriculum from the League of American Bicyclists (www.bikeleague.org) and taught only by certified League Cycling Instructors, Traffic Skills 101 gives cyclists the confidence they need to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. The course covers bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques and includes a student manual. Recommended for adults and children above age fourteen, this fast-paced, nine-hour course prepares cyclists for a full understanding of vehicular cycling.

The class will be limited to 15 students and will only be held if more than 5 students are registered.  This class is ideal for new cyclists who want to learn the basics, those returning to cycling from a long hiatus, people who want to be more independent on their bike, and those who feel a little nervous while cycling in traffic.  If you do not know how to ride a bike (that is, start, stop, balance and steer without falling down), this is not the right class for you. Participants must know how to balance and control a bicycle.

Date:  Saturday, May 7, 2011, 9 AM until 5 PM

Place:  North Brunswick Township Municipal Building

Cost:  $50 per student, checks made payable to "NJBC" and mailed to NJBC, P.O. Box 843, Mahwah, NJ  07430

Requirements:  You will need a bicycle in good working order, a helmet (no one will be allowed to participate in the on-bike portion of the class without a helmet), and a full water bottle.  This class will be held, rain or shine.

Lead Instructor:  Andrew J. Besold (ajbesold@yahoo.com)
Assistant Instructor:  Jim Nicholson (jimnichlci@optonline.net)