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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2009)
NeWS 4 • The Southwest Portland Post June 2009 Bicycle rodeo teaches children to ride safe on Southwest streets By Allison Rupp The Southwest Portland Post Over 30 children from Southwest Portland gathered at Bridlemile El- ementary School with their parents May 16 to participate in a Bicycle Rodeo and Safety Fair. The event, sponsored by Southwest Neighbors Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee, was free to the public and featured safety training and inspec- tions, a bike and accessory swap, and bike obstacle courses. The committee had sponsored a smaller version of the event last fall at Capitol Hill Elementary School that drew only a handful of kids and parents. Kids practiced obeying traffic signals outside Bridlemile Elementary School during the bike rodeo. (Post photo by Al- lison Rupp) This spring, says Commit- tee Chair Nancy Hand, they committed greater resources to advertising to ensure the rodeo would be a success, especially since the approach of summer puts more kids on the road. Indeed the playground out- side Bridlemile Elementary was teeming with kids and bikes of all sizes on the hot af- ternoon, each rushing to com- plete the series of bike safety stations and fill a completion card with stickers. At one sta- tion, participants practiced yielding to one another while biking in circles. At another, they obeyed traffic signs di- recting them to “slow” or Participants in the Bicycle Rodeo and Safety Fair practiced yielding to other bikers with the instruc- “stop” when riding. One of the most popular tion of bicycle officers from the Portland Police Bureau. (Post photo by Allison Rupp) areas of the bike fair was the helmet fitting. Trauma nurses from kids brought with them, addressing 19 kids arriving at the station were wear- Legacy Emanuel Hospital partnered different questions like “Is the bike the ing helmets that were not tightened with Oregon Health & Science Uni- right size for the rider?” and “Does the enough, and some even had cracks versity (OHSU) to donate 30 helmets rider wear glasses?” forming—a sure sign that it is time to for the rodeo. OHSU nursing student Two bicycle officers from the Port- get a new helmet. Kevin Shores was on hand to ensure land Police Department also came to Shores volunteered at the bike ro- each child received the right size helmet the fair to teach safe biking practices deo as part of his Community Health for his head and demonstrate a proper and the rules of the road. Officer A. curriculum, which also includes ride- fit. Photos of bike crash victims in the Caspar from Central Precinct, who lives alongs with Loaves and Fishes (Meals- trauma unit were on display as very real in Southwest Portland with his own On-Wheels) drivers. Loaves and Fishes reminders of the danger of a collision. kids, has conducted a number of com- is a charity that delivers meals to home- When fitted correctly, a helmet should munity meetings in the area to teach bound seniors and the disabled. Shores even prevent a delicate object like a bike safety. said he is lucky to get to interact with watermelon from breaking, Shores “Now that the weather’s getting bet- the community in areas that interest explained while dropping a helmeted ter, kids are going to be on bikes. They him and have fun while doing it. melon onto the concrete. Many of the need to be knowledgeable about the Volunteers inspected the bikes that hazards in the area and know they’re not immune,” he said. The good news is that high-impact crashes between kids and cars are few; Sergeant Robert Voepel can’t remem- ber the last time he saw one. But even though kids ride at slower speeds than adults, their smaller size means that drivers don’t always see them. Luckily, 75 percent of fatalities can be avoided with a helmet. Southwest parent Jackie Waller at- tended the rodeo with her 7-year old daughter, who recently started to ride without training wheels, after reading about it in the Bridlemile Elementary bulletin. “We discovered that the chin strap was too loose on her helmet,” Waller said. “And she learned the different hand signals. I’m glad we came.” Thursdays 3pm to 7pm June 4th - September 24th From berries to corn to pumpkins fresh locally grown food right in the Village Meats, cheese, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and more! New and Returning vendors include: •DraperGirls’CountryFarm•GracefulBladesNursery •GreenleafFarm•GreenvilleFarms•Herr’sFamilyFarm •MissionaryChocolatesLLC•RedDragonNursery •RogueCreamery•SavoryetSweet•TheNewLeaf •UngerFarmsInc.•WanderingAengusCiderworks Debit/OregonTrailCardsAccepted WeparticipateintheWICandSeniorFarmDirectNutritionProgram Sponsors: phone: 503-475-6555 email: info@multnomahvillagefm.org web: www.multnomahvillagefm.org Trauma nurses from Legacy Emanuel Hos- pital donated 30 helmets for the bike rodeo in partnership with OHSU and ensured proper fit for the recipients. (Post photo by Allison Rupp)
