Parents, be smart; wear helmets for your kids’ sake
Q I just returned from a splendid ride in Alum Rock Park, and spring has sprung. Numerous bicycling families now dot the paths, and the lines of various sized “ducklings” have been schooled well in the quintessential “rules of the road,” as they pedal in single-file, keeping good distance, and all wear colorful helmets. But the adults leading these groups sport baseball caps, or no head covering at all.
I am baffled. As an avid and experienced 64-yearold cyclist I have experienced three significant crashes, resulting in an ER visit to repair a mangled elbow, separate rotator cuff surgeries, and one cracked helmet.
Certainly not hyperbole to suggest that the crash that resulted in the cracked helmet could have caused a severe head injury had I been helmetless.
All crashes were on bike paths with no cars involved.
I applaud these adults for getting their kids outside and on their bikes, away from video games and the internet, but please implore them to wear helmets themselves lest some of these little ducklings end up caring for a parent with severe brain damage from the inevitable crash. Barry GoldmanHall San Jose A I agree, as parents, adults need to set a good example. There are studies that say helmeted adult riders tend to take more risks but putting a helmet on a kid is a no-brainer. And so is using one as a grownup. Q My husband and I were walking on the Bay Trail where bikes are allowed. Multiple young teens called out “on your left” as they carefully steered around the walkers.
Their parents are teaching them so well the proper way to ride in mixed-use space.
Chaplain Ellen Hoebeke A God bless parents like that as thousands prep for the 23rd Annual Bike to Work Day on Thursday.
On Monday, Joint Venture and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition will host experts from the Dutch Cycling Embassy at a free public forum on how Silicon Valley can model Amsterdam as one of the world’s great biking communities.
The forum will be held at LinkedIn, 950 W. Maude Avenue, in Sunnyvale from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Q Preparing to make a right turn, I moved in close to the curb just behind a bicycle. The light turned red and the bicycle stopped, not wanting to turn. Since I was directly behind him I waited for the light to turn green.
Meanwhile several cars behind me honked and then moved around to pass in front of me and the bicyclist to make a right turn.
Should I also have gone around the bicycle?
Linda Willis Soquel A No, what you did was correct. Drivers making a right turn behind a bicyclist need to treat the bicyclist as if it was a car ahead of them.
Drivers, do not speed up to try and get ahead of the bicyclist.
That’s the dreaded right-hook, a very dangerous maneuver.