The city of Toulon was chosen as a pilot city to experiment with the Knowing how to ride a bike system, which aims to make children independent on bikes and lead them towards a more environmentally friendly mode of travel in complete safety. More than 1,800 CM2 students attending school in Toulon took part. Ten schools were present for the graduation ceremony which began with a speech from Josée Massi, who came specially to congratulate the children: “ today you know how to ride! Knowing how to ride means respecting others and also using gentle movement, and it is for you that I am fighting to create cycle paths ».
“We learned the highway code by bike! »
Jessica Gucciardi, a primary school teacher at the Trois Quartiers, looks back on the training sessions organized with the support of the municipal police, the municipal civil security, the National Education representatives and the educators from the City’s Sports Department, as well as the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis (TPM) : « This took place over two full days. This allows all the students to be included in a project and some even learned to ride a bike! ” And his student Lorenzo added, not without pride: ” we learned the highway code by bike! “. Maylie and Rosette, who attend the Pont-du-Las school, specify: “ We were taught to raise our arm on the side we are turning to avoid accidents. “. Each school was then called to receive the Savoir roule à vélo diplomas from Laurent Bonnet, deputy mayor in charge of Sports and Amandine Layec, municipal councilor delegated to Youth.
A successful afternoon
The cherry on the cake was a snack offered by the City and shared by all the children. It was an opportunity to discuss their impressions of the Savoir roule à vélo program. Lorenzo continued: “it’s a shame it only lasts two days. I love cycling, I would have liked to do more!” The members of the Métropole Glisse association offered a multi-slide demonstration to the children. To the children’s applause, the freestylers, led by Anthony Avella, their president and four-time world freestyle roller champion, performed a series of tricks on roller skates, scooters and BMX bikes. All while reminding the children of the need to wear protective equipment, just like when riding a bike on the road. In any case, everyone agrees with Lyham, Mohamed and Alessandro that “the afternoon was great!”
