Students enjoying the class in the streets of Highland Park. Photo: Miguel Ramos/Multi-cultural Communities for Mobility (MCM)

Hurry up and register for bicycle safety classes this summer because spots are going fast! As part of ongoing efforts to educate all road users, Metro is offering free traffic safety classes through the end of September. Safety is a major concern for cyclists, so these workshops will teach skills needed for riding a bike safely and confidently with traffic, on city and residential streets, or just about anywhere in the Los Angeles County.

There are two different classes to choose from: Street Cycling Skills, an in-depth, eight-hour course, and Bicycling on the Road: Need to Know, a shorter, more basic three-hour course. The three hour course is also offered in Spanish called Seguridad en tu Bici. Metro has partnered with local bicycling organizations Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition, Bike San Gabriel Valley and Multi-Cultural Communities for Mobility to teach the classes. Registration is required and participants must be over 18 years old. All class members receive a free helmet, a set of front and rear bike lights and a safety manual.

If you cannot get into the class you want, be patient. New classes are being added every week — so check back to the website periodically to see new offerings. Metro will also train 12 new League Cycling Instructors (LCI) who will be qualified to teach future classes.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information about the Metro Bicycle Program and local bicycling resources, visit metro.net/bikes.