Comments on: What’s Really Dangerous for Kids? Hint: It Has Four Wheels and a Tailpipe. http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/06/what%e2%80%99s-really-dangerous-for-kids-hint-it-has-four-wheels-and-a-tailpipe/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brent http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/06/what%e2%80%99s-really-dangerous-for-kids-hint-it-has-four-wheels-and-a-tailpipe/comment-page-1/#comment-5599 Brent Wed, 06 May 2009 19:01:30 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2106#comment-5599 In this video, http://vimeo.com/4381805 , which has been making the rounds on bicycle blogs, one Dutch official talks about how parents had a vital role in the widespread roll out of bicycle lanes in Holland. This perspective may give us in Los Angeles a powerful insight in how to improve bicycling on our streets. There be no more powerful lobby than parents concerned about their children, nor any group of individuals more willing to act in hopes of making their children safer. In watching the "Storm the Bastille" L.A. City Council videos from the other day, I was struck at the marked difference in culture from the riders and the council members. The riders did a great job, and did spark some action, but the council members seemed more to patronize than understand the problems facing cyclists. Imagine if we could get parents lobbying for bike lanes and paths safe enough for their children to ride to school. What a difference that would make! It would no longer be a "bicycle culture" issue, but instead a child safety issue, and that could make a huge difference. One can dream... In this video, http://vimeo.com/4381805 , which has been making the rounds on bicycle blogs, one Dutch official talks about how parents had a vital role in the widespread roll out of bicycle lanes in Holland.

This perspective may give us in Los Angeles a powerful insight in how to improve bicycling on our streets. There be no more powerful lobby than parents concerned about their children, nor any group of individuals more willing to act in hopes of making their children safer.

In watching the “Storm the Bastille” L.A. City Council videos from the other day, I was struck at the marked difference in culture from the riders and the council members. The riders did a great job, and did spark some action, but the council members seemed more to patronize than understand the problems facing cyclists.

Imagine if we could get parents lobbying for bike lanes and paths safe enough for their children to ride to school. What a difference that would make! It would no longer be a “bicycle culture” issue, but instead a child safety issue, and that could make a huge difference.

One can dream…

]]> By: Spokker http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/06/what%e2%80%99s-really-dangerous-for-kids-hint-it-has-four-wheels-and-a-tailpipe/comment-page-1/#comment-5598 Spokker Wed, 06 May 2009 16:37:03 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2106#comment-5598 People mistakenly believe they are in control in a car. While your driving skills (such as defensive driving) can certainly help you avoid accidents, you are not the master of your destiny on a freeway as any number of things outside of your control can happen to kill you and your precious. Parents are worried about their kids, and rightly so, but it causes them to act in irrational ways, behaviors that are then passed on to their kids. People mistakenly believe they are in control in a car. While your driving skills (such as defensive driving) can certainly help you avoid accidents, you are not the master of your destiny on a freeway as any number of things outside of your control can happen to kill you and your precious.

Parents are worried about their kids, and rightly so, but it causes them to act in irrational ways, behaviors that are then passed on to their kids.

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