Biker's Ed Class Debuts in NYC for Cycling Scofflaws

Of the 30 students initially entered in the class, the most common infractions were riding on the sidewalk and not using the bicycle lane, neither of which were deemed worthy of such punishment (which often includes a day of community service in addition to the class) by offenders. 

According to Goodman, "The class included slide presentations on bicycle law, hand signals and moving safely through traffic, as well as a discussion of cyclists' rights and how abiding by the law could help them curry good favor from the broader public."

"It [the class] comes amid broad agreement among bike advocates and the Transportation Department that compelling riders to obey traffic signals, go with traffic and stay off the sidewalk is critical to improving the image of cycling and ensuring the long-term health of New York City's expanding bicycle network. That mission will become even more important," writes Goodman, "once the city's bike-share program rolls out in the next month or so."