Secrets of a streetwise cyclist

We learned about all of these things in class, then practised drills to help us apply what we had learned. We started with simply riding in a straight line in a parking lot, looking not at the line on the pavement, but up - way up. We were instructed to focus on flags flying from the top of SkyDome. You definitely don't have to look that high up while cycling, but doing it during a drill forced me to really focus on breaking my habit of looking down. We progressed to straight-line riding while signalling, shoulder checking and then doing a quick swerve to avoid an obstacle. The techniques involved in these drills were not hard, but keeping my eyes off the pavement was. At first I kept looking down at the obstacle I was trying to avoid, and the instructors caught me every time - even though I was wearing sunglasses.

The drills on the second day of the course included emergency stopping and turning techniques. The stopping involved braking while coming off the bicycle seat and transferring your weight behind the seat, over the back wheel. This keeps you from flipping over the handlebars when you have to stop really quickly and the front brake locks. Instant turns are for situations where you can't stop; you simply turn quickly, leaning into the turn and looking where you want to go - not at the obstacle you're trying to avoid. I managed to do the emergency stop - although I wasn't travelling as quickly as other, more experienced cyclists. The instant turn was more difficult and, although I understood the concept and how it should feel on the bike (the bike should literally whip around the turn), I wasn't confident enough to lean far enough to get that result.

Finally, each afternoon, as a group, we went for a ride, taking turns leading the group and taking breaks to talk about the decisions we made, such as where we rode in the lane and how well we avoided obstacles. "The on-road portion is one of the best parts of Can-Bike," says Wentworth. "You get the chance to put what you learned into practice and gain confidence - while you have the support of the instructor and other people in the class. You could get a book, but it's not the same."

It's that support and coaching that makes Can-Bike so useful. "This course gives cyclists both the handling skills and the emotional skills to deal with the stress of riding in traffic," says Bruce Mol, a Can-Bike instructor in Vancouver. "I find that commuting is a mental challenge. I don't ride on automatic. If you're cycling and daydreaming, that's when you're most at risk."

I think that's how Can-Bike helped me most. Riding on those serene bike trails is a far cry from rush hour in downtown Toronto. I was more mentally than physically tired after the course each day. Even so, I felt that if I wanted to commute to work or ride through the city, I could. I would probably still be overly cautious - I'm a big fan of turning into a pedestrian and walking my bike across an intersection - but I would know how to be an MVPC.

Buying and wearing a helmet
Buy your helmet at a store where the staff are knowledgeable about fitting bike helmets. Make sure you try it on. It should fit snugly - not tight enough to hurt and not loose enough to slide forward or backward. Adjust the straps so they are snug; you should be able to tug on the helmet without it coming off. Look for safety approval stickers (such as CSA, Snell, ANSI or ASTM) inside the helmet. Finally, don't buy a helmet secondhand because you can't tell if it has been in a collision. During a collision, the outer shell of the helmet spreads the force through the helmet, and the foam absorbs the impact. Helmets are not constructed to do this more than once and, therefore, won't protect you a second time.

Stop, look & lessons
There are Can-Bike courses for people of all ages and abilities. Kids Can-Bike, a 12-hour course for nine- to 13-year-olds who know how to ride a bike, teaches basic cycling skills. There are two three-hour Can-Bike Adult Learn-to-Ride courses, one for complete beginners and one for those who are too unsteady to ride on streets. Can-Bike 1 is a 12-hour course for cyclists who want to gain confidence in low-traffic situations. Can-Bike 2 - the one I took - is an 18-hour advanced course in defensive cycling. The cost of these courses ranges from $50 to $100, and they are available from spring through fall in most major cities in Canada. For more information, visit www.toronto.ca/cycling, contact your provincial cycling association or visit the Canadian Cycling Association's Web site at www.canadian-cycling.com.