Temple’s Bike Safety Course

Although it is not legally required in Philadelphia, Larson and Bike Temple recommend wearing a helmet while taking to the streets

Temple University engineering student, Blake Larson, 26, is part of Bike Temple, a branch of the Office of Sustainability that seeks to promote bike riding, safety, and education.

Temple University freshman Allie Wallace attends Bike Temple’s safety course to learn how to navigate Philly streets on two wheels.

Bike Temple began as a grassroots initiative but has since been incorporated into Temple University’s Office of Sustainability. The group is involved in many bike related activities around campus, such as working with the cycling team, and coordinating with Campus Safety about the issue of bike theft.

The safety courses not only provide information on how to safely ride a bike in the city, but it also spells out traffic laws often overlooked by bikers in Philadelphia.

Two classes into the semester, Bike Temple hopes to encourage bike riding while providing information on safety and laws Philadelphia bikers must know. The group is involved in many campus wide activities throughout the year.

Although not all the the classes are filled, Larson says there is usually a turn out to the safety classes and that Temple students are interested in learning to bike the city.

Although it is not legally required in Philadelphia, Larson and Bike Temple recommend wearing a helmet while taking to the streets.

Larson teaches 13 bike safety courses in October alone all over campus. In addition to the safety courses, Bike Temple offers free maintenance classes to give students a deeper understanding of their bicycle.