Advocacy & Safety - 14-year-old dies from injuries

This sad , targic story is in todays local newspaper.......

"Adam Gallegos, the 14-year-old struck by a car Tuesday, died of his injuries at University of California Medical Center in Davis.

The boy was injured when he rode his bicycle from a gravel road in front of a vehicle driving on McKinleyville Avenue. He was not wearing a helmet.

His funeral will be next Wednesday, 9 a.m."


Because he was transferred down to UC Davis, I suspect he suffered head injury. We must teach our children bicycle safety by instruction and by example.

Effective Cycling instruction is taught to cyclists Adam's age and younger. It has been reasonably demonstrated that proper cycling instruction can reduce accidents by a ratio of 5 to 1.
People who resist the central concepts of Effective Cycling instruction, namely teaching cyclists of all ages how to cycle safely ON THE ROAD, should realize that it saves lives.

Also, these same folks who resist cycling on the road because they believe it is "too dangerous," are hypocritical. What is the first thing they will buy for their kids? A bicycle. Will they go riding with their kids and teach them how?

No, it's "too dangerous."

(Helmets are of course, a great protection.)

Terry, That really is very sad :( My heart goes out to Adams family.

Pete, you bring up a good point, most police stations run a program once a year, to teach young people (any age, most under 12) how to ride on the streets safely. Two years ago i spent two weekends teaching 5year olds about stop signs, side walks, train tracks, and the buddy system. Not only was it great fun, but the pay was awesome, i ate like a king, eating nothing but rice crispy treats, brownies, cookies, cake, and 17 kinds of cool aid :)

Last year, i was riding my bike home from work, and passed a family with 3 or 4 kids, one of the kids yelled "Hi Joey!" as i passed. I had to stop and talk to the 6yr old kid, his mom just bought him a new 16" BMX bike, it was her end of the deal if he passed "cycling school".

Good for you, Joe! What a great way to pass on cycling to the next generation.

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: It sucks that stuff like that happens.

That is a very sad story. It made me think of something I observed last night while I was at REI.
A father was buying a bike for his daughter. She appeared to be about 13 or 14.
My ears perked up when the father asked to see the cheapest helmets they had.
I wanted to ask him if he was more concerned about his wallet or his daughter's safety. But he was not talking to me, and I didn't want to cause a scene. Maybe I should have.
At least she got a helmet.

Ron

I feel sorry for what happen to that kid, I could just imagine the feeling of his parents, because I almost lost my son Miguel, although what happen to my son was not cycling related, I know the grief his parents are suffering now.....