Schools
Lane School 3rd Graders Licensed at Bike Rodeo
Hinsdale youngsters officially register their bikes to ride to school and guard against theft.
The rodeo came to The Lane Elementary School in Hinsdale, but the theme was not cowboy boots and lassos. It was third graders and bicycle safety.
The annual bike rodeo is a rite of passage, because students must be in the third grade to participate. All students have to pass the test before they can ride their bicycles to school.
"I'm excited about getting my license because now I can bike to school!" said Jessica Rost.
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The Bike Rodeo program visits all elementary schools in Hinsdale and is sponsored by Hartley's Bike Shop, State Farm Insurance agent Doug Kramer and the Hinsdale Police Department. Kramer has been working the rodeos for 12 years and he focuses on making sure young children wear their helmets properly.
"We try to demonstrate to the kids that a correct fit of the helmet is placed down over the forehead and we also tell them to pull their helmet straps tight," said Kramer.
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Volunteers at the rodeo inspected each bike for brakes, and wheel and chain alignment. Then, students were told to bike to six different stations in The Lane school parking lot, where they were instructed to weave, circle, change directions and stop quickly.
Most importantly, each bicycle was registered and given a license. Hinsdale Police Officer Mike Coughlin said although the rodeo is fun for the students, registering bikes is a serious precaution that helps police make recoveries if the bikes are lost or stolen.
"Over the years, we've been able to recover several bikes that have been stolen and we simply would not have that capability without registering these bicycles," said Coughlin.
Seventy-five to 80 students registered their bicycles at The Lane. Other local schools are slated to have their own rodeos in the next week.
Third-grader David Gust biked his way easily through the figure-eight manuevers, the quick-stop and the straight-line control. At the end of the day, however, Gust said the bike rodeo had only one purpose for him, "Getting my license!"
