For those of you looking for resources to use in bicycle education programs, just thought I'd let you know about the video series which we recently produced at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The series was funded with Office of Traffic Safety monies and was originally designed for the California schools. After receiving feedback from various national bicycling groups, we decided to increase the focus, so that other states can use the resource.

In terms of the focus, the series addresses both safe bicycling skills as well as bicycle friendly driving skills. The video series first screened at the Pro-Bike Conference in Portland last August. The series has won a Silver Apple at the National Educational Network Festival, a Merit Award from the Association of Commuter Transportation & a Transportation Award from the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission. The videos have sold widely amongst police agencies, health service agencies, employee education programs and bicycle groups/clubs.

LAB headquarters issued this quote on the series: "A well done, creative series.. The new approach taken by the series to bicycling education should help get the important message across."

The three videos, The Bicycle Zone (Elementary), Pedal Smarts (High School/Middle School), and Getting There By Bike (High School/Adult) are available in English and Spanish. All shows are accompanied with a study guide -- the elementary version being the most elaborate.

The Bicycle Zone is a 12-minute humorous piece which covers the fundamental bicycling skills. It teaches kids that safe bicycling is both fun and cool. Pedal Smarts is an 18-minute show which teaches both the fundamental bicycling skills as well as the skills to drive safely on the road with bicyclists. It is a fast paced, contemporary show with plenty of music and graphics. Getting There By Bike uses a documentary format to both advocate the use of the bicycle and demonstrate safe riding and driving basics. Various bicyclists comment on the reasons to bicycle as well as share safe cycling and driving tips.

Jeanne LePage
Series Producer
University of California
Santa Cruz, CA 95064

Jeanne LePage has since left her position at UC Santa Cruz. The info below was provided by David Takemoto-Weerts, the UC Davis Bicycle Program Coordinator, with info from Jule Tanner of UC Santa Cruz: jatanner@cats-po-1.ucsc.edu

The videos are available through Transit Media, 22-D Hollywood Ave, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423. Telephone: 201-652-1989.

This page was last revised on: November 13, 2003.

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