HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 06-30 People think a bike is a toy THE REVIEW Police officials react
People think a bike is toy'pa ;
3b; /q7&
by Kamy Ide of Police Association. He said Maplewood has had mostly
On Wednesday morning, July 16, In this program,a 20-inch bicycle with a single bicycle accidents this year."We've
Maplewood's Assistant Chief of Police siren is ridden into a classroom by a had nothing really serious as far as car-
Tom Hagen talked about bicycle safety. policeman.The bike,complete with tape bike accidents go.Knock on wood."
He said,"People think a bike is a toy.And recordings,presents the entire program He added, "Traffic laws apply to
it's not."And,he said,often a five-year to elementary school students. bicyclists. They must obey the same
old kid ends up on the street with a bicycle "We've always had some programs on traffic rules as auto drivers. But en-
too big for him to handle and with no safety," Hagen said, "but whether it forcement is difficult.Policemen have to
training."The kid is in competition with really helps is another matter. set priorities.It's tough to catch that 10-
5,000 pound cars.It doesn't add up does "For parents, a bicycle is a way to year-old kid who just ran through a stop
it?" pacify a youngster. Parents think its a sign.By the time they get the patrol car
Thursday morning,a report on Hagen's very positive thing to do.They don't give turned around,he's nowhere in sight."
desk told of a five-year-old boy who was it too much thought,but that bicycle is And,if the youngster is caught,"What
injured Wednesday when he rode his two- going to be on the same road as cars, do you do? Send him to court?" Hagen
wheeler from a driveway into the path of trucks and campers. said some communities may be able to
an oncoming car.The driver braked,but "We'll send a kid out on the street on a handle such a program,but that Ramsey
struck the boy. He was rushed to bicycle with no training at all,except how courts are"overloaded now."
Children's Hospital in St.Paul,and now to pedal the thing.He has to face the same
wears a cast on his right leg,helping to hazards as automobile drivers."
mend his broken fibula and tibula.
His mother, Mrs. Richard Cox of
Maplewood, explained that Jason was
being something of a naughty boy when
the accident occurred.He was traveling
from one driveway to another,something
he'd had his bike taken away for the
previous week.He had received safety
lessons from his parents,and had gone
riding with the family. ;it
Mrs.Cox said Jason won't be able to
ride for the rest of the summer because of
the broken leg, and that they will
probably wait until he is seven or eight
years old before allowing him to ride in
the street.
However, in many cases, youngsters
have not been taught better.They have
never had any instruction from their
parents, who buy the bicycle much as
they would buy Rub-A-Dub-Dolly or a
Matchbox car or any other"toy."Hagen
said"People don't realize that a bike isn't
a toy.They just don't think."
Bicycle safety has become a serious
problem for area law enforcement
agencies.Some have even gone so far as
to ticket offenders, but that isn't a
panacea either. Contacts with the
Maplewood,North St.Paul and Oakdale
police this week revealed these methods
for handling bike safety and the problems