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Safe Bicycling:
Organizational Strategies |
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Create a Bicycle-Friendly Workplace
Ways for Employers to Support and Promote Safe Cycling
As an employer there are many ways that you can support and promote safe cycling. The resource center provides strategies to introduce such programming into the corporate setting:
- Talk to your employees who cycle to determine what their needs are and to solicit ideas on ways to attract additional employees to cycling.
- Form a Workplace Bicycle Users Group (BUG) to Promote Safe Cycling
One way to encourage employees to cycle is to form a BUG. Having peers to help plan and sponsor safety trainings, rides and events help to get people out on to the roads. BUGS provide members with: information on where to ride, a body of like-minded people to ride with, a source of answers to cycling questions and a united front to help promote bicycling. When forming a BUG, contact a local bike shop; they will often support a group by offering discounts to members on equipment and may have certified staff that can provide workplace training.
- Be familiar with your employees’ commuting patterns to better understand the feasibility of being able to cycle to work. Post route maps in your place of business to highlight safe cycling routes to work.
- Adopt a practice of being cycle-friendly and promote the existence of the practice to employees, visitors to the worksite and the community. Hold a “Pedal with the CEO” Day to reinforce the organization’s commitment. Sponsor incentive programs and stage promotional events.
- Keep bicycle safety information “in front” of your employees using available internal communications mechanisms: intranet, company newsletter, email, banners, bulletin boards, paycheck stuffers, etc.
- Plan Safe Cycling Events for Employees, their Families and Members of the Community
The more comfortable cyclists are riding in traffic; the safer they ride. One excellent way to develop or improve bicycle skills and confidence is to participate in cycle training classes/workshops. Training is useful for both those who are novice cyclists and for those who have not ridden recently. Training can teach cycling safety and increase road confidence. Employees can learn about rules of the road, rights and responsibilities, buying, fitting and maintaining a bicycle, cycling wear, carrying gear, group riding practices and to navigate traffic effectively.
- Host Bicycle Rodeos for Employees’ Children
Rodeos are an opportunity for children and their parents to learn about bicycle safety, develop their skills, how to care for their bikes and wear their helmets by participating in various interactive stations on bicycle education.
Rodeos often have the following stations.
Rules of the Road: Children will be able to learn along with their parents about the rules of the road and how to respond in specific situations.
Bicycle Helmet Fittings: Children can bring their helmets to the rodeo and have them checked for proper fit. Employers sponsoring rodeos may provide low cost or free helmets for participants who need them.
Bicycle Checks: Children can bring their bikes to the rodeo to be checked for proper tire pressure, broken spokes, lubed chains, working brakes, etc. Emphasis is also placed on bike fit and on how to care for a bike.
Bicycle Course: Children will have an opportunity to ride on a course with obstacles to test their cycling skills.
- Bicycle Maintenance Clinics
Bike maintenance and repair clinics are often available at bike shops and through bicycle advocacy groups. Employers can host a clinic at their location for employees and their families. Cyclist will feel more confident when they can change a flat tire, patch tubes, make front and rear derailleur adjustments and chain maintenance.
Bicycle safety training is provided by a number of organizations. Contact a local or State bicycle coalition in your area or visit the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) website (http://www.bikeleague.org) to search for League Cycling Instructors (LCIs) in your area. LCIs are the experts in bicycle education and offer courses to suit the needs of any cyclist. They are certified, insured and equipped to teach anything from basic skills to college level courses. LCI's can also design bike rodeos and provide general safety consulting.
The following topics are typically addressed in a training class:
Teaching children to cycle safely
Bicycle commuting to work
Riding recreationally
Riding with a group
Rules of the road
Bike selection, fit and maintenance
Bicycle clothing basics
Bike education and helmets
ABC Quick Check
Navigating traffic safely
In most States, bicycles in the roadway are defined as vehicles and are subject to all the same rights and responsibilities of motorized vehicles. Simply knowing how to ride a bicycle is not the same as knowing how to operate a bike safely and legally. The LAB has developed the Bike Ed program, a curriculum for adults and children taught across the United States a by LCIs.
Download the Bike Ed brochure that promotes the League’s classes. http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/ pdfs/BikeEd_brochure.pdf
- Participate in the National Bike Month events celebrated each May that promote safe cycling, such as Bike to Work Week or Bike to Work Day along with local cycling activities. Find out if your community participates in these events and join in to support their efforts. Arrange for your bike coordinator to be part of the planning process annually and sponsor an activity or training class. Plan additional activities and promotions within your own organization.
- Promote the use of bicycle helmets for all bicyclists. Encourage your employees to be role models for safe cycling wearing helmets on every ride. Provide free or low cost helmets for employees and their families.
- Provide a pool of company bicycles for employees to use for business purposes during the workday or for fitness on off-duty time. The bicycle fleet would be managed as a company would its pool cars by overseeing proper maintenance, recording staff use times, parking facilities, safety equipment, including bike helmets and lights, bicycle safety training, implementation of policies to address safety and liability concerns, including mandatory helmet use and a release and waiver of liability for employees.
- Provide secure cycle parking for employees and visitors. Encourage employees and visitors to ride their bicycles to promote cycle-friendly initiatives in your local community. Ideally the parking should be well-signed in a prominent place at least as convenient as car parking. Start small, if the demand increases more parking can be installed later.
Partner With Bicycle Safety Advocates for a Bicycle-Friendly Workplace
There are a number of organizations concerned with bicycle safety. These organizations are invaluable resources that offer a wealth of information and have a vested interest in disseminating bicycle safety information. With little or no expense to your company, they can share their resources that may include knowledgeable speakers, training opportunities, informational pamphlets and brochures, posters, videos and much more.
League of American Bicyclists (LAB)
LAB is an organization committed to promoting bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation. The League works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America.
Site: www.bikeleague.org
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI)
BHI is an organization committed to promoting helmet use. It offers a wealth of information to help organizations implement a helmet awareness program, and provides additional references and resources for promoting helmet use. The site provides information on choosing a helmet, how to properly fit a helmet, and helmet laws by state.
Site: www.bhsi.org
Thunderhead Alliance
The alliance is the national coalition of state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations working in unison to break down the barriers to safe bicycling and walking in North American communities. They create, strengthen and unite state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. Their current membership includes at least 128 member organizations.
Site: http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/links.htm
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