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02-20-2004, 04:49 AM

"frkrygow" <"frkrygow"@omitcc.ysu.edu> wrote in message
news:40358294@news.ysu.edu...
> Here's an interesting article, vaguely related to the recent "Young
> Cyclist Killed" thread. Cycling is only part of it, of course, but it's
> in there. Note the bit about neighborhood design, near the end.
>
> http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundays...1a6619,00.html

I think Michael Moore got a lot of it right (Bowling for Columbine) when he
claimed media attention ("If it bleeds, it leads") is making everyone
paranoid. That said, while I had a relatively Tom Sawyer-ish childhood in the
50-60's, we took our lumps, one friend lost a kidney (sledding), another got a
skull plate (hockey), and there were several near-drownings.

I do think that cycling is more dangerous for today's kids, since bikes are
becoming so rare, drivers don't expect them. Driving habits, especially in
residential areas, seem to have gotten worse. The real shame of it is that
many of those drivers are parents with children. Despite that behavior, I
still think the benefits outweigh the risks, and I encourage my children to
bike, but I'm very much in the minority here (outside of Boston).

02-20-2004, 04:49 AM	#10 (permalink)
Peter Cole Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Article on kids' safety "frkrygow" <"frkrygow"@omitcc.ysu.edu> wrote in message news:40358294@news.ysu.edu... > Here's an interesting article, vaguely related to the recent "Young > Cyclist Killed" thread. Cycling is only part of it, of course, but it's > in there. Note the bit about neighborhood design, near the end. > > http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundays...1a6619,00.html I think Michael Moore got a lot of it right (Bowling for Columbine) when he claimed media attention ("If it bleeds, it leads") is making everyone paranoid. That said, while I had a relatively Tom Sawyer-ish childhood in the 50-60's, we took our lumps, one friend lost a kidney (sledding), another got a skull plate (hockey), and there were several near-drownings. I do think that cycling is more dangerous for today's kids, since bikes are becoming so rare, drivers don't expect them. Driving habits, especially in residential areas, seem to have gotten worse. The real shame of it is that many of those drivers are parents with children. Despite that behavior, I still think the benefits outweigh the risks, and I encourage my children to bike, but I'm very much in the minority here (outside of Boston).