An accident waiting to happen! Be aware, prepared and safe | Letter

Published 5:07 pm Thursday, July 31, 2014

Recently in our housing community, I have noticed a lot more children riding around on their bikes. That’s good; at least they are not glued to the TV screen or computer. However, while these children are having fun, they are not aware of their surroundings and the dangers there. It is just an accident waiting to happen.

Cars back out of garages and drive through the housing complex, and although they are going at a slower speed than on the road, these children on bikes come out of nowhere. They do not stop or even look where they are going and this is what concerns me.

When I first learned to ride my bike it was with training wheels to help with balance, and it was a proud day for my parents when they came off and I was able to ride my bike. However, I was not allowed out on the open roads until I took my Cycling Proficiency Test, which has now been updated for the 21st century and is called Bikeability established in the UK.

This test prepared me to cycle on roads, be aware of traffic and obey traffic signs and ride to school safely. I know many children do not cycle to school in America as school buses are provided, but when kids are out and about on their bikes they should be aware of their surroundings and be prepared to stop and know the rules of the road.

Recently, I was driving out of the Safeway parking lot at Bear Creek in Redmond and two boys on bikes just appeared out of nowhere, causing me to hit the brakes. I was not driving fast, but they rode out from behind parked cars with no intention of stopping and no awareness of how dangerous this could have been.

As Redmond is the Bicycle Capital of the Northwest, there should be a way to implement a safety program and make children and teenagers more aware of their surroundings and how to deal with them safely. Please check out the Cascade Bicycle Club based in Seattle and see if we can bring a program here!

Teresa Osborn, Redmond