Commuting - How to run a commuting basics class?

My town has recently started an anti-obesity campaign. I volunteered to run a "Getting started in bike commuting" seminar. Anyone done one of these? I'm open to all suggestions. I'm planning on getting brocheres from MassBike on road smarts. I don't think this is going to be more than 1 or 2 evenings to discuss bikes, bike safety, and dressing for the weather.

Lots of bicycle advocacy groups have specific pages with info on getting started commuting by bike on their web sites. In addition to MassBike, I would check out the the following web sites: Maine Bicycle Coalition, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, San Franciso Bicycle Coalition and Michael Bluejay's Bicycle Universe site ('how not to get hit by cars' page)...A simple google search using the right keywords will probably yield more similar sites. Good Luck! :)

Jean. By way, happy belated birthday..I recall finding material on bike safety on the net..Is there a preparred course?
Seems the City of Calgary, Alberta ( somewhere in Alberta?) had a lot of material on their parks web page? Must be a bike friendly town.
I like the idea of what you are doing..You are to be congratulated. What pertinent topics...
Safety, how to ride, the law, the act of commuting and its needs; and finally, I live such a fast life.. Sometimes, I expect to do something about bike mechanics. That is an area of need many of us ignore...SOmetimes, it takes months to learn how to change a flat.?
Maybe a bike mechanic from a local shop would come in. Free publicity. Wish LBS had brief overviews of bike mechanics..Some used to .

My town has recently started an anti-obesity campaign. I volunteered to run a "Getting started in bike commuting" seminar. Anyone done one of these? I'm open to all suggestions. I'm planning on getting brocheres from MassBike on road smarts. I don't think this is going to be more than 1 or 2 evenings to discuss bikes, bike safety, and dressing for the weather.

Be careful when obtaining info from governmental agencies about riding bikes. Some are written from the perspective of someone that's deathly afraid of riding on the roads. You might try the League of American Bicyclists website for info. I believe Ken Kiefer had a good site that has lots of excellent info on commuting. Above all, be very positive about using a bicycle to commute. My belief is that more people are turned off if we start talking about "saving oil", and similar topics. I think sticking with the natural aspects of cycling, like health, being outdoors, seeing wildlife, and the excitement of just riding a bike, will keep more peopleexcited about doing it. If you can get more companies to give us secure places indoors to store our bikes, that would mean a world of difference.

I agree that it's better to play up the personal aspects and benefits of cycling, rather than trying to promote it as the 'politically correct' thing to do...even though there are benefits to society at large, as well.

Techniques for riding safely in traffic are important to any commuter. John Forester's Effective Cycling has been the standard for teaching safe riding. Some points from his book/site may seem appropriate:

www.johnforester.com/BTI/ectraining.htm

Why not print out some of Ken Keifer's pages on bicycle safty and use that as handlouts. Then print out some of Paul Dorns article on bicycle commuting.

I'm doing my job by placing my junk folding bke at the train station every day. The other day I saw two bikes locked next to mine! These copy cats are going to take my space!

There's some information at http://www.bicyclinglife.com which may be of some benefit. As may have been mentioned above, you're better off choosing the material yourself rather than relying on others to do it. Rarely do they come from the perspective of a cyclist.

The LAB has a commiting course as an add-on to the Road I course. It is based off of John Forester's work.
http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/courses.htm

Kiefer's stuff is great. Show some stuff from this forum.

Thanks guys. I hadn't been to Michael Bluejay's page since I started commuting. I was glad to see that he specifically says it is OK to use his stuff for this type of course. The Effective Cycling book is a little hefty price wise to use for a short course, but I was thinking of using John Allen's Street Smart's which the LBS carries. MassBike is a bike advocacy/lobbying organization that I think will be able to give me some literature. They have a nice brochere that outline cyclists' rights under Mass law on one side (suitable to handing motorists that think you belong on the sidewalk) and on the other side a good summary of safe cycling practices & Mass laws regarding the responsibilities of cyclists. I'm also planning on ordering something from the cafe press that has the bikeforums site on it to give everyone. I really agree that the personal angle is the best hook to commuting, and being associated with the anti-obesity program I expect most of the participants will be interested in the health aspects and I want to point them to the weight loss club thread as well as the commuting forum. Since the classes would be at the rec center, I'm planning on bringing my bikes to show some of the possible adaptations that can be done. Since I suspect some of the participants will be stay-at-home Mom's I want to take my shopping bike to show the errand bike as well. Has anyone had any personal experience teaching a class of this sort?

A whip and a chair? (sorry)

In portland, various folks have been holding workshops on things like cargo bikes, trailers, baskets and other modifications and options for increasing the utility of bicycles; I've seen this demo both last September at Car Free Day, and last month at Earth Day. I think what the organizers have generally done is to put out requests to the local cycling community for people with such bikes and gear to volunteer/donate it for the day.

Jean,
I am a League Cycling Instructor (certified by the League of American Bicyclists) and taught a basic commuter class last month.
All of the above suggestions are good but I would suggest that you contact LAB (http://www.bikeleague.org/index.cfm) and perhaps one of the LCIs in your state. There are eight listed in the League's almanac.
Another thing I would suggest, and this is part of all classes (beginner, basic, Road I, commuter, etc.) taught by LCIs, is to make sure the class includes riding on the roads as a group. Include signalling and lane changing, left turns, multilane roads, crossing RR tracks, road hazards, emergency stops (when a car cuts you off), and emergency turns (when a car turns in front of you).
Send me a PM if you would like more info or ideas.