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11-29-03, 05:27 PM
Is a safety education program set up by RAGBRAI.
To find out more about the materials available to educate people on bicycle safety click on this link:
http://www.ragbrai.com
And click on the RIDE RIGHT link in the menu.
It gives a brief description of the safety education materials that are available to the public.
Anyone can be a RIDE RIGHT rep. for their area if there is not one already. All it takes is a phone call to the Des Moines Register, ask to talk to the RAGBRAI office once they connect you tell them you'd like to be the RIDE RIGHT rep for your area. They'll ask you to e-mail them your information, name, phone #, address, etc.
You will also need an idea on what is needed for bicycle safety in your area. Is there more of a need for proper helmet usage, or more of a need for safe riding on the streets and road ways, etc?
I'm the RIDE RIGHT representative for the Sioux City area. Currently I'm going to all of the bicycle retailers in the area and asking if I can provide the printed materials that RIDE RIGHT has available to people when they purchase a bike. I'm going to put the materials in the bags that are hanging from the handle bars with the owners manuals in them.
So far both Super Wal-Mart stores are ok with this and the LBS. Target, Shop-Ko & Toys R Us have to check with either a commitee or the district managersto see if its ok to do this. I don't why it would not be. I've yet to talk to the managers at Scheels, Dunhams & K-Mart.
After the first of the year I'm going to look at going into the high school drivers ed. classes to help teach the new and up coming teenage drivers how to properly and safely deal with a cyclist on the road. I might be working with the Iowa State Patrol on this as they have a public safety education program. I've talked to the trooper for this district of Iowa who is the public safety education officer. He thinks its a great idea and if I need any help from him all I need to do is ask.
The reason for this is simple. I remember back to my drivers ed. days, & there was only one pragraph in the book and nothing on any of the tests nor anything mentioned by the instructors about how to deal with cyclists.
I think a majority of the young new teenage drivers just simply don't know how to properly & safely deal with a cyclist or they are scared when they come upon one and sometimes end up doing the wrong thing. I'm hoping to help correct that at least in my area. Of course the hardest part is going to be getting apporval by the school district & the instructors.
Using RIDE RIGHT is a good way to propery help educate people in the manner of good bicycle safety. And it should not be looked upon or considered as a methond of one person trying to express his or her potentially unwanted opinion on to others. So don't let thoughts like that stop you from getting involved.
To find out more about the materials available to educate people on bicycle safety click on this link:
http://www.ragbrai.com
And click on the RIDE RIGHT link in the menu.
It gives a brief description of the safety education materials that are available to the public.
Anyone can be a RIDE RIGHT rep. for their area if there is not one already. All it takes is a phone call to the Des Moines Register, ask to talk to the RAGBRAI office once they connect you tell them you'd like to be the RIDE RIGHT rep for your area. They'll ask you to e-mail them your information, name, phone #, address, etc.
You will also need an idea on what is needed for bicycle safety in your area. Is there more of a need for proper helmet usage, or more of a need for safe riding on the streets and road ways, etc?
I'm the RIDE RIGHT representative for the Sioux City area. Currently I'm going to all of the bicycle retailers in the area and asking if I can provide the printed materials that RIDE RIGHT has available to people when they purchase a bike. I'm going to put the materials in the bags that are hanging from the handle bars with the owners manuals in them.
So far both Super Wal-Mart stores are ok with this and the LBS. Target, Shop-Ko & Toys R Us have to check with either a commitee or the district managersto see if its ok to do this. I don't why it would not be. I've yet to talk to the managers at Scheels, Dunhams & K-Mart.
After the first of the year I'm going to look at going into the high school drivers ed. classes to help teach the new and up coming teenage drivers how to properly and safely deal with a cyclist on the road. I might be working with the Iowa State Patrol on this as they have a public safety education program. I've talked to the trooper for this district of Iowa who is the public safety education officer. He thinks its a great idea and if I need any help from him all I need to do is ask.
The reason for this is simple. I remember back to my drivers ed. days, & there was only one pragraph in the book and nothing on any of the tests nor anything mentioned by the instructors about how to deal with cyclists.
I think a majority of the young new teenage drivers just simply don't know how to properly & safely deal with a cyclist or they are scared when they come upon one and sometimes end up doing the wrong thing. I'm hoping to help correct that at least in my area. Of course the hardest part is going to be getting apporval by the school district & the instructors.
Using RIDE RIGHT is a good way to propery help educate people in the manner of good bicycle safety. And it should not be looked upon or considered as a methond of one person trying to express his or her potentially unwanted opinion on to others. So don't let thoughts like that stop you from getting involved.