On August 24, 2017 Nick Kroncke with Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC) hosted the organization’s first “How We Roll” ride with members of Portsmouth Connex. These educational bike rides are geared towards all levels of riders who want to learn more about bicycle riding safety, technique and Ohio law as it relates to bikes and roadways.
This ride was held on a beautiful evening with four engaged individuals who truly wanted to learn more about riding and what the law says are their rights on the roadway. These rides differ from a group ride in that the ride is tailored to be an individual experience at a gentle pace, with group discussion taking place during stops. Participants are also taught techniques about lane positioning, how to make oneself optimally visible in the roadway and how to steer clear of car doors or other road hazards. Also, riders encounter situations such as roads with high traffic volumes, one way streets and utilizing bicycle infrastructure.
The goal of these rides is to make individuals feel more comfortable riding, and even to start replacing trips traditionally taken by motor vehicle, to be taken by bicycle.
During this ride, we rode along a section of U.S. 23/Scioto Trail during rush hour, which led to higher than usual traffic volumes. The group handled it excellently and every driver that passed us politely used the adjacent lane and went by at a reasonable speed. During the entire ride, there were a number of motor vehicle drivers who waved or politely smiled at us, but zero drivers were honking or getting visibly upset with the group. This was reaffirming to everyone and instilled a confident feeling amongst the group. Stopping at various waypoints to discuss these experiences during the ride helped each individual realize and process what they experienced while riding.
The goal of these rides is to make individuals feel more comfortable riding, and even to start replacing trips traditionally taken by motor vehicle, to be taken by bicycle. This doesn’t have to be commuting to work every day, it can be as simple as biking to meet friends for coffee instead of driving. If you want to learn more about these rides or just to discuss alternative transportation options, contact OVRDC. Happy trails!
