In class in Fort Collins, Colo., has been teaching drivers how to better understand the challenges bicyclists face and how to drive safely alongside them. Beyond empathy, the program introduced many drivers to the previously-foreign concept of biking:
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the program is how it has made cycling more attractive — even to people who thought they’d never give it a try. According to City of Fort Collins survey data, over 28 percent of class participants who self-identified as “no-way no-how” when it comes to bicycling, reported they know feel more confident about hopping in the saddle. (65 percent of the “enthused and confident” said they gained confidence.)
Reaching people who drive with information about cycling — especially those who previously would never envision themselves as “cyclists” is a “game-changer” Gaskill-Fox said. “We didn’t even put in a new bike lane!” she expained with joyful enthusiasm, “We just told them how to do it more safely.”
Read the complete article at BikePortland.org
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