Re: Bicycle helmet law in Lakewood??
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:46 am
Truly, I'm astonished that anyone would think it is a waste of time or effort to require bikes helmets to be worn by kids when out riding on the streets/sidewalks. This law (common sense) resulted from the efforts and advocacy of the Lakewood PTA and the Lakewood Council President at the time, Deb Sweeney, who is also a former Lakewood City Schools Board Member. Just like seat belt laws and child seats these laws are intended to protect children. In Lakewood, we have a significant amount of accidents involving cyclists. It is true, once they hit 18 they are on their own. I do support this law and have made my frustration with the mishandling of enforcement known several times with Mayor Summers, the planning department and a couple of council members.
When my kids were younger we were once stopped by a Lakewood police officer while out bike riding. He praised my kids for wearing their helmets and gave them a coupon for a free ice cream. This is "guardian" policing at it's best. Not to digress, but it is a good example based on what the country has gone through and stresses how important it is that our police force know it's community and to build relationships with the people they serve.
When the city planned the "Bike to School Day" last year and the year before PTA advocated that they do more outreach and education on the bike helmet law with students and parents. We also made it clear that we could only partner with the city if they took the bike law seriously and made wearing it a requirement for participation. They agreed with some annoyance; however, they only did the minimum that was required. When I talked to the Mayor about this the response that I got was that it was a parent's job to make sure their kids wore a helmet. Pointing out that this was a law on the books of the city he ran fell on deaf ears. I explained to him,and other members of the city, that we used to reward kids as a way enforcement. Honestly, it is frustrating to buy helmets for kids to have them ditch them because no one else is wearing them. I like the idea that an officer would remind my kids to get the helmet on. Parents need support from the city. This is an issue that the schools and city could do a better job of partnering together with parents. It would be a POSITIVE thing among all of the darkness we've all endured lately.
Overall, I felt like the city was more interested in the public relations and a Bike to School Day so that they could take lots of pictures of kids on bikes to help promote Lakewood as a bike-able city. Fine, but we still need to protect kids and promote safety. For instance, if you've ever been in the Independence Day Parade ( if you live in Lakewood who hasn't) it is clear on the forms that if a child is on a bike or something similar they must wear a helmet. In the second year of Bike to School Day, PTA was granted bike helmets that were distributed for free and in addition sold helmets at a low cost. Early Childhood PTA used to sponsor a bike helmet sale years ago. These are good helmets that really help out families with the cost. These days a good helmet can be very expensive and if you have a big family it is tough.
Right now, the city and the schools have serious problems to work out. However, bike safety (like hens, dogs on leashes, dog laws,noise, etc) that effect the quality of life in a city is also important. Teaching parents and kids how to be safe on a bike, and by the way, education drivers how to share the road with cyclists is a good thing. We have the ordinance the help frame the effort and to provide enforcement (however they might look) to save lives and to make this a good place to live.
When my kids were younger we were once stopped by a Lakewood police officer while out bike riding. He praised my kids for wearing their helmets and gave them a coupon for a free ice cream. This is "guardian" policing at it's best. Not to digress, but it is a good example based on what the country has gone through and stresses how important it is that our police force know it's community and to build relationships with the people they serve.
When the city planned the "Bike to School Day" last year and the year before PTA advocated that they do more outreach and education on the bike helmet law with students and parents. We also made it clear that we could only partner with the city if they took the bike law seriously and made wearing it a requirement for participation. They agreed with some annoyance; however, they only did the minimum that was required. When I talked to the Mayor about this the response that I got was that it was a parent's job to make sure their kids wore a helmet. Pointing out that this was a law on the books of the city he ran fell on deaf ears. I explained to him,and other members of the city, that we used to reward kids as a way enforcement. Honestly, it is frustrating to buy helmets for kids to have them ditch them because no one else is wearing them. I like the idea that an officer would remind my kids to get the helmet on. Parents need support from the city. This is an issue that the schools and city could do a better job of partnering together with parents. It would be a POSITIVE thing among all of the darkness we've all endured lately.
Overall, I felt like the city was more interested in the public relations and a Bike to School Day so that they could take lots of pictures of kids on bikes to help promote Lakewood as a bike-able city. Fine, but we still need to protect kids and promote safety. For instance, if you've ever been in the Independence Day Parade ( if you live in Lakewood who hasn't) it is clear on the forms that if a child is on a bike or something similar they must wear a helmet. In the second year of Bike to School Day, PTA was granted bike helmets that were distributed for free and in addition sold helmets at a low cost. Early Childhood PTA used to sponsor a bike helmet sale years ago. These are good helmets that really help out families with the cost. These days a good helmet can be very expensive and if you have a big family it is tough.
Right now, the city and the schools have serious problems to work out. However, bike safety (like hens, dogs on leashes, dog laws,noise, etc) that effect the quality of life in a city is also important. Teaching parents and kids how to be safe on a bike, and by the way, education drivers how to share the road with cyclists is a good thing. We have the ordinance the help frame the effort and to provide enforcement (however they might look) to save lives and to make this a good place to live.
