Date :
My name is
Mark Horowitz, and bicycle safety is my business. It is
my job as the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator for the Broward
Metropolitian Planning Organization to make Broward County
Florida a safe place to ride a bicycle. To be quite frank
it is a daunting undertaking. Working with the engineers
to build more and better bicycle facilties we have seen
bicycle/motor vehicle crashes decline from over 1000 in
1991 to around 500 in 2002. We've been holding at this level
since then. I attribute this dramatic decline in crashes
to the increase in bicycle facilities which has lead to
less sidewalk riding.
One
thing I have always is that
we can build safe roads and bicycle facilities but, if people
don't know how to use they won't be safe.
As a bicycle
safety professional I have had the opportunity to review
thousands of pages of testimony from people involved in
bicycle crashes as well as, hundreds of bicycle crash reports.
One thing that stands out is that even with improved facilities
60% of all bicycle crashes are from
an error caused by bicyclists.
As part of
my job I have to observe how and where bicyclists ride. My observations have me convinced
that the average person on a bicycle unaware of the traffic
conditions and other hazards that could lead to personal
injury or even death. They casually go along not even aware
of the narrow escapes they have had with motor vehicles.
They continue along their merry way with only luck keeping
them out of the hospital. They are crashes waiting to happen
and based on the statistics it will happen.
My observations were validated
by a study conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The study found
“...
many of the bicycle-related injuries and deaths every year
are related to what the rider does and how the rider interacts
with environmental factors. Riding practices that are risky,
that reflect poor riding judgment, or that fail to account
for environmental conditions, play a major role in injury
and fatality scenarios. …”
Training
courses should also include some basic information on how
to maintain bicycles in good working order. “
What I discovered
early in my career is that bicycling courses needed to be
made available so people can learn where crashes happen,
how to avoid them, and how to maintain and safely use their
bicycle.I knew I had to teach people how to ride a bike
in and around traffic; so I became trained and certified
as an instructor.
As I taught classes I came to realize two things. Even
thogugh the course was develoepd for novice and intermediate
bicyclists there many club level bicyclists that lack
the skills to keep themselves safe riding in traffic. They
knew the lecture material presented in the class but had
difficulty with the bicycle handling skills and crash avoidance
techniques. Second teaching two or three courses a year
may make feel good but it wasn't getting the information
to enough people. There had to be better way to get the
needed bicycle safety information in the hands of those
who need it.
What are your chances of
crashing?
Do not become a crash statistic
Learn what mistakes bicyclists and motorists make!
It is estimated
that only about ten percent of bicycle crashes are reported.
The National
Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s “Traffic
Safety Facts 2008”
In
2008, 716 people on bicycles were killed in crashes with
motor vehicles.
In
2008, 52,000 people on bicycles were injured with injured
in crashes with motor vehicles.
in
2007, 701 people on bicycles were killed in crashes with
motor vehicles.
In
2007, 43,000 people on bicycles were injured with injured
in crashes with motor vehicles
Other
studies conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
have shown bicycle related hospital emergency room visits
to over 580,000 per year
According to the Federal Highway
Administration, report “Bicycle Safety Related Research
Synthesis”,
“Several
studies have found that most crashes were primarily due to
human error and very few were due to environmental
factors”
“Nationally, police reported one or
more bicyclist’s errors that may have contributed
to 64.6 percent of the bicycle/motor vehicle fatalities
in 1991”.
“Bicyclist
safety can be significantly compromised by motorist behavior…
factors includes motorist inexperience, fatigue, night vision
impairment, and failure to search for non-motorized traffic.”
Learn what you need to
prevent head and face injuries!
According to
the Consumer Product Safety Commission study”Bicycle
Use and Hazard Patterns in the United States”
“…
about 69 percent of the head/face injuries were lacerations,
contusions, and abrasions, relatively minor diagnoses. However,
about 27 percent were reported to be potentially serious
injuries such as fractures, internal injuries, and concussions.
…
…Injuries
to the arm/hand area tended to be lacerations, contusions
or abrasions (42 percent), and fractures (40 percent). Injuries
to the leg/foot area were primarily lacerations, contusions,
and abrasions (72 percent). …
You will
learn what these people wished they knew before they crashed.
You will have the knowledge to be able to avoid the injuries,
as well as, the time off from work to recover from your
injuries
Even an proficient
bicyclist such as myself can be involved in a crash. The
difference isI know how to avoid serious injury. After close
to forty years of bicycling I have only had one crash with
a left turning car. At the last minute, I made my emergency
turn. I had no injuries except some minor bruising. I cracked
my helmet and dented the car. You will learn how to execute life saving
emergency maneuvers.
Do not be just a person a bike
become a bicyclist!
Learn from Someone Else's Experience
As the bicycle
program Coordinator for Broward County, Florida, the fifth
largest metropolitan area in the country it is my responsibility
to develop programs that will reduce injuries and fatalities
to bicyclists.
In 1987, I began developing bicycle
safety programs to decrease the number bicycle/motor vehicle
crashes and bicyclist fatalities. Since 1987, there
has been a forty- percent reduction in bicycle/motor vehicle
crashes and a fifty percent reduction in fatalities.
As trainer
for the Florida Traffic Safety Education Program was a member
of the team that wrote the Florida Dept. of Transportation's
bicycle safety curriculum, which is used throughout Florida
and has been copied nationwide.
I have been
tested and certified as a bicycling instructor by the League
of American Bicyclist. I have taught thousands of children
and hundreds of adults bicycle safety. Most recently, I
wrote and produced the award winning driver/bicycle education
video "Everyone has a Story: Road Sharing Tips for Bicyclists
and Motorists"
Bicycle
safety tips are helpful, but I will give you the opportunity
to see what I see as I ride through traffic.I will explain
to you what I am thinking and why as I do it. You
will learn to recognize traffic patterns and hazardous road
conditions so you can safely negotiate traffic and difficult
conditions with ease
.
Like
you when I first started venturing further from home I was
intimidated by the more complex traffic situations I encountered.
My lack of skills prevented me from going where I wanted.
Overtime I acquired the skills needed to bicycle safely
and confidently anywhere I wanted. I learned where the crashes
happen and what signs to look for to see if a crash is likley.
I learned how and where to postion myself to greatly
increase the motorists abilty to see me. This body
of knowledge took years and thousands of miles to acquire.
You will save yourself from the
anxiety of not knowing how to handle complex traffic situations
and increase you abilty to go where you want confidently
and safely.
Take the Mystery Out of Selecting the Equipment
That is Right for You
While
riding a bicycle is a reltively safe activity it is not
an activity without risks. Even if you don’t fall
or crash ill fitting equipment and clothing can lead to
injuries.
- Learn
how to decide what type of bicycle is right for you.
- Learn
how to determine if the bicycle is the right size and
how to adjust it so you do not get knee, neck or shoulder
pain.
- Learn
from an expert how to fit a bicycle helmet and how to
keep it adjusted so that it stays on when you need it.
- Learn
what other protective equipment you will want to have
when you ride a bike.
- Learn
what tools you need to maintain your bicycle
Learn eye-opening information
on where and how crashes happen and most
importantly how to avoid them
Unfortunately,
most adults are riding bicycles using the same skills and
advice they received when they were kids riding around the
neighborhood. Stay away from cars, stay on sidewalk, and
use hand signals. What worked then, won’t work now.
Once you leave your neighborhood streets the traffic gets
more complex, road conditions vary and the variety of crashes
you are exposed to increases. The time and road tested information
you will acquire is a prerequisite to safe bicycling. Knowledge
is power and you will have the power to be more in control
on your bicycle than ever before
- You
will learn what type crash with a
motor vehicle occurs whether you are riding on
the sidewalk or the street.
- You
will learn why it is more difficult to ride on the sidewalk
than in the street.
- You
will learn the one tip that can reduce the chance of getting
hit by car by approximately to thirty percent and what
you can do to reduce it by approximately another fifteen
percent.
- You
will gain valuable insight into the most common crashes
adult bicyclists are involved in and how you can avoid
them.
- You
will learn two ways make a left turn while on a bike.
- You
will be able to ride your bicycle defensively.
- You
will learn how to effectively handle surface hazards so
you don’t hit the pavement.
- You
will learn valuable emergency maneuvers that can save
you from serious injury or worse.
Mistakes
happen
know how to minimize or avoid impact
Sometimes no
matter what you do, someone does something stupid and you
have to react. If you do not know how to react, the consequences
can be dire. It can mean the difference between going
through a windshield and completely avoiding the crash
Do
not become a crash statistic.
Save
yourself hundreds of hours and thousands of miles
of bicycling to become a safe bicyclist.
Obtaining knowledge
can be done by either first hand experience or following
in the footsteps of those who have already been there. As
you know, bicycling is not an activity without risks and
it makes common sense to minimize your risks.
You
could spend hours searching the Internet for information
and spend your time in the saddle trying to figure out what
is the safest thing to do at an intersection but you don't
need to. I have taken the time to write compile and produce
videos to create the first self-study bicycle safety course.
You will not only get life saving information, but also
a first person perspective of riding through traffic.
This
self-study course will let you develop your skills at your
you own pace. You will not be forced into traffic situations
that will intimidate you. You will be able to build your
skills at your own pace. As part of the course, you will
have access to the videos specially produced for this course
and have access to me via e-mail to answer your questions.
As
a consultant, I am paid $175.00/hour for my knowledge and
opinions. As an instructor, I get $400-$500/class and class
sizes are limited. For this Internet offiering I am making
this course available either online or on DVD.
Normally the online version of this course sells for $29.95.
However for a limited time you will receive
immediate access to the course and bonus offers two, three
and four described below. A total value $80.80. for
$24.95
Normally,
I sell the high resolution DVD alone for $39.95, but
for this Internet offering I am offering this two DVD course
and the four bonuses below for the low price of $39.95:
A $135.70 value.
BONUS #1
VALUE: $29.95 FREE
Access
to the downloadable version of the course so you can
get started right now
BONUS
#2
VALUE: $19.95 FREE
Access
to the downloadable version of "Bicycling is More the Balance";
the course text that complements to video course.
BONUS #3
VALUE: 15.95 FREE
Special Report: Tips on how to organize a bike rodeo.
Find out what you need to bring bicycle safety to your community.
BONUS #4
VALUE: 19.95 FREE
Special
Report: An interactive listing of the on-line bike maps
in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia
90
day risk free guarantee!
I am so sure
you will be satisfied with your self-study course that If
for any reason in the next 90 days, you are not satisfied
with your purchase you will get your money back no questions
ask.
These
offers are for a limited time only: You can get the online
version of the course video, immediate
access to the 48 page e-book
”Bicycling is More than Balance”,and
the special reports, and $80.80 value for only $24.95
or
the
course in high resolution on DVD, immediate access to the
48 page e-book
”Bicycling is More than Balance”, online access
to the course video and all the bonuses mentioned above,
A $135.70 value
for only $39.95
or
the
course on high resolution DVD for $21.97
Satisfy
your desire to learn and improve your bicycle safety skills.
To
order the online version of the course and the download
the e-book Bicycling is More than Balance, get immediate
access to the online videos and the special reports, click
on the button below
$24.95
Bicycling
is an activity that has brought me many hours of joy, a
great sense of independence, and many personal bests. It
is my hope that after taking this course you too will truly
discover what bicycling can do for you.
Tailwinds
Mark
Horowitz
Certified Cycling Instructor
LCI#371
P.S
- Get
more then two and half hours of video teaching you about
bicycling
- Learn
how to safely ride a bicycle from an experienced bicycle
safety professional
- Take
the mystery out of selecting the equipment that is right
for you.
- Learn
eye-opening Information on where and how crashes happen
and how to avoid them
- Mistakes
happen: know how to minimize their effect or avoid impact
- Save
yourself hundreds of hours and thousands of miles of bicycling
to become a safe bicyclist.
P.P.S.
Remember that this offer is only valid for a limited time.
