Serious about safety
You’re never to young to learn about cycle safety, as young Maximus Munro found out at New Plymouth’s BMX track.
The 5-year-old turned up to the track’s open day yesterday wearing only shorts and a T-shirt, but organisers said he couldn’t ride unless he was wearing clothing that covered his skin, such as long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt.
Parents Pim and Alistar Munro, who were unaware of the rule as it was their first time at the track, quickly popped home to get their boy a change of clothes.
The Munros then stayed at the track for two hours, while Maximus got a taste of BMXing.
Chairperson of the New Plymouth Sharks BMX Club Ruka Te Moana said the open day was all about teaching the public about safety on the track while in a supervised environment.
In the first 10 days of this year two people were seriously injured after coming off their bike without wearing the correct gear.
‘‘Our riders will come along and help new ones that want to give it a crack,’’ he said.
‘‘We know that these kids are probably coming down here on the weekend with their parents anyway so it’s another way of reminding them of the right gear and being a bit more responsible.’’
‘‘All of our kids fall off all the time and they only get cracking again because they have the right gear on. It’s the gear that saves them.’’
The only thing off limits for the open day was the five-metre start ramp, as often riders got up to speeds of 60km/h and it took even confident riders weeks to master. Club members Milla Ellis and Kaea Te Moana said it took them a few weeks to learn how to go down the ramp, even though they have both been riding for nearly five years.