EDUCATION

Youth Bicycle Education

C1-3. Do any public or private elementary, middle or high schools offer regular bicycle education to students?

The city schools currently partner with the Safe Routes to School coalition, sponsored by Tanner Health System to provide students and parents with safety materials. They also collaborate on bike and walk to school events. During these events, the Carrollton Police Department Bike Unit instructs parents and students on safety practices and provides helmet fitting guidelines. They also provide a brochure on safety, and Tanner gives out reflector lights with LED beacons for bikes at many of their events.

Carrollton PD Bike Unit – helmet fit seminar during 2016 Walk&Roll to School Event

In 2015 the school system removed an ordinance prohibiting students from arriving to school by foot or on bikes / scooters. In August 2016, the SRTS was for the first time mentioned in the student handbook, and on October 5, 2016, as a part of celebrating Walk&Roll to School Day, the school and city officials cut the ribbon for a buffered bike/ped path – Trojan Lane, that connects the Carrollton GreenBelt to the front of the Carrollton Elementary School.

Trojan Lane ribbon cutting during 2016 Walk&Roll to School Event

Spring 2017 brings efforts to introduce regular bicycle education to the city schools. The SRTS regional representative, Chelsea Carter (chelsea@saferoutesga.org), is scheduled to visit Carrollton in early February. Please follow up with her for the latest developments. The Parent-Teacher Volunteer Organization is advocating for forming an official partnership with SRTS. It also offers advice on bicycle safety through the school’s website.

The Walk & Roll events were introduced in 2015:

 

Source: CCS
Photo: FoCGB
Ricky Stilley for Times-Georgian

From Times-Georgian:
Approximately 200 Carrollton City Schools students participated in “Walk and Roll Wednesday” as they biked and walked to school from the Carrollton GreenBelt Hay’s Mill Road and Target store trailheads. The event, sponsored by the Carrollton City Schools, Tanner Health System and the Carrollton GreenBbelt, encourages students to walk or ride a bike to school to establish healthy habits and get a sense of freedom. Raffle tickets were given to each student for a chance to win two bicycles.


Bike safety and bike riding classes are also offered on demand by the Police Department and local bike store owners.

Perpetual Motion Bikes – on demand school, boy scouts classes

Perpetual Motion Bikes volunteers coach Bike BUG (Bicycle User Group) safety courses for school children and scouts.

Bike events. Photo: Mikki Griffin
Bicycle education for school kids. Photo: Mikki Griffin
Bicycle education for school kids. Photo: Mikki Griffin

C4. Outside of schools, how are children and youth taught safe cycling skills?
  • Bike clinics or rodeos
  • Scouts bicycle training
  • Helmet fit seminars
  • Summer camps
  • Bicycle safety is taught as part of driver education curriculum

Youth Police Academy

During the YPA summer camp, the participants learn about safety and rules of the road.

Source: CPD Facebook
Source: CPD Facebook

Bike Rodeos & Safety town area events

Bike rodeos are held during Mayfest – a popular community festival with average attendance of more than 5,000 people. The rodeo is one of the funding sources for Shop with a Cop, an initiative that allows less fortunate children to experience the magic of Christmas by shopping with a police officer. Each of the Shop with a Cop participants also receives a bicycle.

Source: CPD Facebook / Kurt Catudal
Source: CPD Facebook
Source: CPD Facebook
Source: CPD Facebook

 


C5 – C8. Adult Bicycle Education

C5. Are bicycle safety or riding skills-related classes or hands-on instruction offered to adults in your community?

The bicycle classes are provided by a local bike shop – Perpetual Motion Bikes. Mikki Griffin, owner and bicycling advocate, hosts Tuesday evening rides that include safe riding skills and habits basics, introduction to riding on the roads, sharing the roads, and proper signaling. The rides attract bikers of different skills and abilities. Group rides sign-up.


Mountain Biking:

Farmers Market Ride:

Ride the GreenBelt:

  • Traffic Skills 101 (Smart Cycling)

Plans to host at UWG May 2017 per Carolyn Maddox – UWG and Nedra Deadwyler – Georgia BIKES!

Planned sessions:

  • This class is designed by The League of American Bicyclists, founded in 1880 organized to pave roads for transportation and recreation and continues today to promote safe cycling and create a bicycle-friendly American.
  • The TS 101 was developed to increase your knowledge and expertise in the art and science of bicycling.
  • This class is also the first step to becoming a League Certified Instructor (LCI).  TS 101 is designed to enhance one’s ability to” use a bicycle with confidence and competence” anywhere and any conditions.  And is a total of 9 hours, 4 hours of classroom instruction and 5 hours of hands-on and bike-on instruction.
  • In this class you will learn:
    Bicycle Basics
    Rules of the Road
    Bicycle handling and safety skills and maneuvers
    Requirement(s):  For this class, participants are required to know how to ride a bike and must bring their own bicycle and helmet.
    Cost:  $30/ $20

The Friends of Carrollton GreenBelt also participates in the University of West Georgia Sustainability Summit annually. We offer education on trail safety, trail rules and etiquette and answer questions.


The Police Department offers bicycle basics session during the Citizens Police Academy held each January. The attendees learn about the Bike Unit, community policing and safe interactions with bicyclists.

Bike Unit provides bike safety presentations on demand. Sgt. Kurt Catudal estimates they have 4-5 requests a year:

Annual Safety class conducted by police @ Tour de Carroll:

Tour de Carroll safety presentation. The have attracted about 125 riders each year in its four year history. Photo: FoCGB

C6. Methods are used to share bicycle information with adults in our community.

Bike Specific Websites:

Community maps and Brochures:

Permanent signage, displays, or information kiosks

Trail rules are posted at every trailhead.

Table or booth at community events

Look for us during Mayfest!

 

Other Groups Receiving Bicycle-Related Education


Elected officials:

Georgia Trail Summit
  • Program
  • Keeping Carrollton’s GreenBelt safe and well maintained workshop by Carrollton PD received 100% Excellent rating. Highest rating of any workshops offered.

City of Carrollton bicycle police officers share their experiences with mobile trail patrols to increase public safety on the Carrollton GreenBelt. Trail management, good maintenance and public programming will also be discussed.

Get Healthy Live Well summit –

Designing Policy: A New Point of View – 3rd Annual Get Healthy, Live Well Health Summit

More than a 100 local leaders participated in the Breakout Sessions:

Catalyzing Community Health through Safe Routes to School. Speaker: Stephanie Weber, Safe Routes to School.

  • Understand how Safe Routes to School can improve the health and well-being of children and families in your community, how to develop a program that fits your community’s needs and the broader benefits of doing so.

Creating More Livable, Walkable Communities. Speaker: Mark Fenton, Transportation, planning and public health consultant

  • This is an opportunity to describe in detail the attributes of more walkable, bicycle-friendly settings, and the successes of specific communities. Mark suggests concrete steps individuals, neighborhoods, professionals, companies, and governments can take to immediately begin to alter their environments more positively.
Creating More Livable, Walkable Communities session / Photo courtesy of Melanie Boyd and Times-Georgian

Police Officers:

Training for Police Officers was hosted jointly by Georgia Bikes and Carrollton PD (May 2015).

CPD Bike Unit & Georgia Bikes – Brent Bruice. Photo: Mikki Griffin
  • Bicycle Basics for Law Enforcement as designed by Georgia Bikes and follows the guidelines of Georgia State Law, best practices and is 1.5 hours long.  POST-certified course ID, NTE04G
  • In this class you will learn: Who is a Bicyclist?, Georgia Bicycle Laws- What are the rights and responsibilities of a cyclist? How do laws apply to people on bicycles? Common violations of Motorists or Bicyclists – What to enforce?
    Crash Data/ What to be aware of in a crash Important Legislation, Important things to be aware of about bicyclists – 3/ 5 foot rule, How to avoid hazards, lane positioning, bike infrastructure, Safety issues – sidewalks, helmets, lights.

 

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