The response from various people to the unfortunate incident described in the Sept. 17 Press was laudable, starting with apologies from the young bicyclist and his family. Mixing bicyclists and pedestrians is a recipe for trouble, as we have seen. Most bicyclists should ride in the street; they are expected to behave as vehicles in all states.

Until they develop traffic skills, young children should probably ride on the sidewalk, but only at walking speed. Nevertheless, national and international data all point to the extreme hazard of bicyclists riding on sidewalks/side paths, due to the many possible conflicts with motor vehicles at driveways and intersections.

In my experience, most Jamestown drivers are cautious and considerate with bicyclists. A suitable education program in the schools would include teaching not only safety – using helmets, for example – but also riding and traffic skills, and courtesy.

A policy statement from the League of American Bicyclists concerning bicycle facility design may be of interest to those seeking additional resources. See cvrti.utah.edu/~macleod/bike/ mbac/lab-bikelanes.html.
Mike Suber
West Ferry