Free Safety Workshop to Kick Off Beverly Hills Bike Week

Get ready to ride—safely and confidently—with the free Bicycle Safety Workshop on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at . Held in conjunction with the city, the class offers safe bicycling tips and techniques for teens and adults.

Get up to speed regarding helmet safety and proper sizing, bike type and size, weather preparedness, route planning, night riding, flat tire repair, lane positioning and more.

Taught by Ron Durgin, a League of American Bicyclists certified cycling instructor and Beverly Hills resident, the workshop is for cyclists of all skill levels who want to enjoy riding more. The workshop is designed to help boost cyclists’ confidence as they navigate Beverly Hills’ city streets.

Durgin emphasizes that safety is a two-way street, with increased awareness needed by drivers, bike riders and pedestrians alike. Bicyclists are entitled by law to “own the lane”—that is, not just be relegated to the gutter. One of the most common bike accidents is being “doored,” or running into a car door when a driver opens it.

Durgin founded the nonprofit group Sustainable Streets, and also teaches a two-day hands-on workshop, Confident City Cycling, with one session including a ride on city streets. He also teaches a pedestrian safety workshop for older adults.

No wheels? No worries. Durgin can help you decide what type of bike is right for you. No reservations necessary. Just show up for an evening of high-energy inspiration and a chance to meet other Beverly Hills riders.

May is National Bike Month, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists. Bike to Work Week is May 16-20 and Bike to Work Day is May 20.

In other bike related happenings, urban planner Mark Elliot, founder of local group Better Bike Beverly Hills, brings to light the need to make Beverly Hills bike-safe so we can get around town on two wheels instead of four. One BBBH initiative is “rack-on-request.”

“The city can install two racks to accommodate four bikes for less than one percent of the cost of a publicly funded garage space. One on-street parking spot equals 14 bikes in a bike corral,” Elliot said. “Los Angeles and other cities are doing it, and so can we. Getting more bike racks on sidewalks near where we work and shop helps encourage people to ride.”

Also on the bike front, at the , Councilman Dr. Julian Gold noted that the panel will be considering ways to make the city bike-friendly. Gold told Patch that a plan is needed and that it can’t be done piecemeal. It takes driver education too, he said. 

Stay tuned to Patch for Beverly Hills Bike Week ideas, such as riding bikes as a family to the Beverly Hills or . Also check out what other cities are doing through the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

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