You, too, can be a street-savvy cyclist. Bicycling, like any skill, can be learned. As you become more confident and predictable in traffic, you will find that most Montpelier streets are very bikeable. Riding safely does not mean that you must ride fast; thoughtful lane positioning and defensive bicycling skills are appropriate at any speed.
Montpelier Bicycle Laws:
- Know your rights and responsibilities! Montpelier Bicycle Laws brochure (PDF), published in cooperation with the Montpelier Police Department, provides an overview of Montpelier and Vermont bicycle laws. Montpelier Police do enforce bicycle laws, and may give warnings or tickets especially for not having lights at night or riding on the downtown area sidewalks. This publication gives the info you need to avoid a fine -- and also provides coupons for discounted lights!
Bike Buddy - One-on-One Riding Help:
- Through our Bicycle Ambassadors program, we are offering help through Onion River Exchange (ORE). If you are a member of this community timebank, please do a search on "bike" or 'bicycle" and receive some help from Becka or Suzanne. If you are not a member of ORE but would like some help getting started bicycle commuting, feeling confident in traffic, help with route selection, etc., we would be happy to talk about informal trades. Email pedal@montpelierbikes.org to connect.
Online Resources:
- How to Not Get Hit by Cars - This detailed website shows you diagrams of typical car-bike crashes and provides thorough explanations of how you can ride defensively to avoid being hit. Highly recommended. Complex, but so is traffic.
- Video - Bicycle Safety Tips for Adults - Educational video from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on safely driving, fitting and maintaining a bicycle. (7:25 min.)
Online Videos for Kids:
Tip of the Month:
Montpelier Bikes' Tip of the Month is really just the tip of the iceberg, but provides a bite-sized nugget of wisdom for both bicyclists and motorists. - Traffic 101 - The Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition
typically offers this all day workshop in Montpelier in the spring.
Four hours of classroom instruction, and four hours of on-bike
practice. This class for adults is the bicycle equivalent of driver
safety education, and presumes that you already know how to ride your
bicycle.
- forthcoming - Street-Savvy Cyclist - on-bike workshops starting from Onion River Sports - to be announced.
Montpelier Videos - Coming soon:
- Montpelier Bikes will be filming some
videos to show recommended lane positioning in actual intersections in
town. (Filming, TBD June 2009)
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