Biking program aims to teach kids how to ride safely

As the sun slowly melts away the last of the snow and the bears begin to come out of hibernation, so do the bike-riding Jasperites. To ensure the younger generation of bicyclists are well informed about the rules of the road, the Alberta Safety Council’s Pedal Pusher program will be held in Jasper on May 9.

Local hotel owner Chad Gulevhich has teamed up with Const. Amy Mills from the Jasper RCMP, Wendy Hall from FreeWheel Cycle, Fire Chief Greg Van Tighem, who’s also from the Rockhoppers MS Bike Tour team, and the town’s chief license inspector and enforcement manager Doug Rodwell, as well as some other local businesses to bring the program back to Jasper this year. They are committed to bringing it to Jasper annually.

 Gulevich, father of a 20 month-old baby, said he sees a lack of knowledge of the rules of the road amongst children in Jasper so he decided to bring the program which he enjoyed as a child back to Jasper in an effort to better educate the community.

“You kind of look at this stuff differently now,” Gulevich said. “Jasper is very much a bicycle community and I’m watching kids, with what I perceive as a lack of knowledge of the rules of the road and I’m just concerned that someone’s going to get hurt.”

Doug Rodwell said it was a fantastic idea to bring the program back to Jasper and that he would encourage people to send their kids down as it was important they know the rules of the road.

The program, which will run for most of the day on May 9, targets children between the ages of 5 and 12 and is free for parents to enroll them.

While there is an emphasis on the rules of the road there will also be lessons on bicycle maintenance, sizing, skills development and the instructors will take the children out for a road ride as well.

Gulevich said the program will also encompass some information about trail etiquette and rules for riding within a national park.

The only precursor for the program is that the child must be out of training wheels and the bicycle in good working order. Helmets are compulsory for this program, in accordance with the bylaw that states all cyclists under the age of 18 must wear a helmet.

Anybody wanting to sign their child up should stop by FreeWheel Cycle or Mount Robson Inn to register. 

Rules of the road, for bicycle

•Obey all the same rules as a motor vehicle

      •Stop signs

      •Traffic lights

•Hand signals or direction:

      •Left arm straight out - left turn

      •Left arm bent at elbow hand pointing up - right turn

      •Left arm bent at elbow hand pointing down - stop

•Ride in a single file on the right side of the road

•No riding on the sidewalks in the central business district (unless a child with adult supervision)

•Helmets on all heads younger than 18

•Same direction as traffic (east down Patricia Street)

What happens if you break the bylaw?

According to Doug Rodwell, it’s all to do with respect. Generally, for first-time offenders, the bylaw officer will have a quick discussion about what the rules are, but if you’re disrespectful, then expect a ticket along with a $50 fine.

If you’re under 18 and are caught riding a bike without a helmet, it’s a $30 fine.

Furthermore, if you’re repeatedly caught offending, the bylaw officers have the right to confiscate your bike. To get the bike back, you’ll have to pay the ticket or be found not guilty in court and if you don’t get it back within a year, then it’s goodbye bicycle.

But, Rodwell said this is a last resort scenario and there are probably less than four bikes seized in a year.