Houston: Traffic Skills 101
 

The Traffic Skills 101 course is only taught a few times per year. This is the course that teaches you how to mix it up safely with cars on everyday roads, not on the law-enforcement-controlled pay-ride routes. This is the one that you really need to have if you want to be a bicycle commuter, for example. Even if you are an experienced cyclist, you are guaranteed to learn something in this class which will make your investment worthwhile... and maybe save you from getting hurt! $60 is pretty cheap as opposed to hitting the pavement, or a car. :thumb:



Peter


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Traffic Skills 101 (formerly Road I) / Willowbrook area

Date: Sat May 16 8 am and Sun May 17 8 am, 2009 (class meets on both days)
Instructor: Peter Wang
Location: REI Willowbrook, 17717A Tomball Parkway, Houston, TX 77064
Fee: $60 class fee (waived if hardship; family discount)

Description: Do you want to learn to cycle confidently and safely in the Houston area? Then this class is a must! Learn to communicate effectively with motorists and enjoy the ride. We'll discuss proper lane positioning, basic rules of the road, how to avoid obstacles, scanning, changing a tire, emergency turns, emergency stops, basic maintenance, and much, much more! Saturday will be all lecture (no bicycle needed) and Sunday will include parking lot drills and a group ride.

To register for this course, contact:

David Sims
Phone: (832) 237-8833 x206
Contact Email: dsims@rei.com
Signup required in advance? Yes
Special signup instructions: Please call the REI store to sign up for this class. $60 class fee

Equipment required: SAT: paper, pen, lunch or $ SUN: pen, bike, helmet, water, lunch or $

Doh! I'd have to commute there by bike.

You know the REI at Westheimer and Voss is a lot more centrally located. :lol:

yeah, i live like a block from there too.

I would love to go to this since I lcf but man I am going to have to leave montrose at some insane hour to make this via bike, I will try I am more than sure I could benefit from this event. Any chance of the class being posted online??

Hey Justin - PM me if you decide to bike to this event. I would like to attend but I would prefer to ride there (I'm coming from the same area of town as you). I looked on Google Maps but I just can't find a good bike-friendly path to get to the Willowbrook area.

Sorry guys, I live near REI Willowbrook, that's why the class is there. If you want to know why there aren't other TS101 / Road One classes inside the Loop 610, well, ask the the other 30+ LCIs in the Houston area why not. Many of them live inside the Loop. I was giving some of the only Road One Classes inside the Loop a few years ago, and traveling miles from the suburbs to do it. I gave up, and resolved to teach close to home from now on.

Think globally, act locally, you might say.

Anybody have any suggestions on routes to get from inside the loop to the REI Willowbrook? The only time I've cycled from home to outside Beltway 8 I took the White Oak MUP to 43rd, 43rd west turns into Clay Rd, Clay Rd to Eldridge, north on Eldridge. From here I can meander through various neighborhoods to get somewhat close to the REI Willowbrook. Or should I just suck it up and take Jones Rd., Fairbanks N. Houston, or one of the other major car arterials?

I'm not that concerned riding to the class (early morning traffic will be light). I'm more concerned about riding back home afterwards.

Maybe we can do a group ride with other folks who want to ride from within the loop to the class?

Aaron, if you're going to do such an ambitious ride, you should be TEACHING the course, not taking it!

Peter

Aaron I am down for it and I will pm you my info and the more the better in my opinon. Willowbrook mall is my hood growing up will have think about routing on this one.

Hey I just noticed on the REI web site that they're having this course now at the Houston Galleria location:

link

Do you want to learn to cycle confidently and safely in the Houston area? Then this class is a must! Learn to communicate effectively with motorists and enjoy the ride. We'll discuss proper lane positioning, basic rules of the road, how to avoid obstacles, scanning, changing a tire, emergency turns, emergency stops, basic maintenance, and much, much more! Saturday will be all lecture (no bicycle needed) and Sunday will include parking lot drills and a group ride. To register for this course or find out more information, please contact: Dina Attar at (713) 353-2582 or dattar@rei.com. This class will be instructed by Peter Wang, League Certified Instructor.

Equipment required: SAT: paper, pen, lunch or $ SUN: pen, bike, helmet, water, lunch or $
Location:REI Houston - 7538 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77063
Contact:REI Customer Service or Bike Shop at (713) 353-2582 or email Dina Attar at dattar@rei.com
Cost:$60 for members and non-members.
Registration Required? Yes. Class size is limited to 30. Advanced signup is required and prepay is strongly encouraged at time of registration.

I already know a bunch of gestures for communicating effectively with motorists. Some of them are even in the drivers manual. :D

LOL I have a feeling I've used them before ...

So I guess Mr. Wang moved? Or have you decided to "Think Locally but Act Globally"? :D

Any body thinking about attending this class?

My wife and I will be attending this weekend. I regularly ride all around Houston to/from client sites in the Galleria and Downtown, so I already some experience riding in traffic. But I hope to learn some good tips from Peter.

Besides - the Road I course is a prerequisite for all aspiring LAB-instructors, and I've been waiting for someone to offer a course near the Loop for quite some time.

Seriously, how would a thing like this happen in Dallas? Please?

Here is a list of courses offered in Texas, as well as a list of League Certified Instructors all throughout the state:

LCI courses in Texas

People in Dallas need to check out BikeDFW.org

And there's a 50-50 chance that our ride on Sunday, Sept. 13 in Houston gets delayed due to rain. But we will still meet on Saturday at REI Galleria for the classroom part of TS101.

See you there.