Friday, May 2, 2014
Bike to School Day is next Wednesday
To get you inspired for Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 7, here are a couple of Bike to School related stories: |
| Vienna ES bike parking |
Don't Be a Melon Head - Vienna Elementary School parent Sonya Marsden put together this video showing the benefits of wearing a helmet. Several kids demonstrate what happens when a watermelon is dropped inside a helmet vs. just being dropped. Melons were donated by Whole Foods Market and helmets were donated by Spokes, Etc. Don't Be a Melon Head.
Vienna Bike Rodeo - On Saturday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to noon at Vienna Volunteer Fire Department. Kids can learn more about bike safety at the Vienna Bike Rodeo on Saturday.
Ages: Preschool - 6th grade
Bike Rodeo will be held at the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department. Bring your bike and participate in the Bike Safety Course, Bike Inspections and Safe Riding Technique Demonstration.
Sponsored by the Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation Department, Town of Vienna Police Department and Safe Routes to School.
Reston Bike Rodeo - If you can't get to the Vienna Bike Rodeo you can always visit the Reston Bike Rodeo on Saturday, May 10 from 1-4 p.m. at Lake Newport Pool parking lot.
Children must bring their own bicycles and helmets in order to complete the course & earn their licences.• Reservations are NOT required. • This event is cancelled in the event of rain.
CHECK POINTS:
1. Bicycle Inspection
2. Mounting and Dismounting
3. Circling and Changing Direction
4. Straight Line Control
5. Weaving and Maneuvering
6. Stopping Ability
7. Short Radius Turning
8. Slow Speed Control
After completing eight checkpoint stations, kids are eligible to receive their bicyclist license. In addition to the Rodeo, if you have a bike you wish to donate for a child who may not have one, you can drop them off here. Bikes will be donated first to children who wish to participate in the Reston Kids Triathlon, co-sponsored by RA and the YMCA.
Labels: bike friday, bike rodeo, don't be a melon head, helmet, vienna elementary school
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Prevention is the key
This is just a portion of the graphic. Click on the image on the right to see the full image.
Labels: bikeyface, helmet, prevention
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Bike crash on Mt. Vernon Highway
The life of an 8-year-old boy on a bicycle may have been saved by his bike helmet, according to Fairfax County Police.
On Tuesday at about 6 p.m., police responded to a report of a crash on Mount Vernon Highway near Surrey Drive. A child riding his bike had veered into the path of an SUV. The driver was not able to avoid the boy, who was hit and injured. He was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The medics who responded to the accident as well as the officers on the scene credited the child's bike helmet as a key factor in helping to save his life. In Fairfax County, bicycle helmets are required by law.
The boy is recovering from a number of injuries; the photo of his mangled helmet was provided by those who responded to the scene of the accident.
In Fairfax County helmets are only required on children under the age of 15.On Tuesday at about 6 p.m., police responded to a report of a crash on Mount Vernon Highway near Surrey Drive. A child riding his bike had veered into the path of an SUV. The driver was not able to avoid the boy, who was hit and injured. He was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The medics who responded to the accident as well as the officers on the scene credited the child's bike helmet as a key factor in helping to save his life. In Fairfax County, bicycle helmets are required by law.
The boy is recovering from a number of injuries; the photo of his mangled helmet was provided by those who responded to the scene of the accident.
Labels: bike crash, helmet, mt. vernon
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
(1) comments
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Fairfax Police bike safety video
The latest bike safety video from Fairfax County police is entitled Bike Safety Equipment and Traffic Rules. The 2 1/2 minute video covers basic equipment used for safe bicycling. Helmet fit is stressed, taking up over a minute of the video. The helmet worn by the officer seems a bit loose to me.Rather than spend so much time on helmets and helmet fit I would prefer they stressed the importance of proper bike handling skills to avoid crashes in the first place. Under the 5 layers of bicycle safety, use of a helmet is listed last (Passive safety): "This is actually the least effective layer. Helmets and gloves protect your most vulnerable body parts as a last resort in case of the very rare failure of Layers 1 through 4, but they do nothing to help you avoid crashes."
The basics of the ABC Quick Check are briefly discussed. Following the rules of the road is the last segment. According to the officer, "If you're on a bicycle on the street you're a motor vehicle" which is incorrect. The definition of a bicycle in Virginia code states that "a bicycle shall be a vehicle while operated on the highway" not a motor vehicle. I know, picky, picky.
Labels: bicycle safety, fairfax county police, helmet
