There’s a lot of constant chatter and plenty of blame and shame being spread around about kids’ behaviors on e-bikes.
As a former kid myself, who grew up longing to be a perpetual kid, I’ve got to say that I think that the kids who ride e-bikes around Laguna are pretty darn good. They are well-mannered and observant of traffic and road rules.
But, could they be better? Are all kids just “hatched” with built-in knowledge? I think not. Therefore, I say that instead of carping about the kids, why not act like responsible adults, and do what should be done when your kid gets that shiny new freedom machine. Make sure that the first standard accessory is mandatory training. Should our kids just get that fancy new e-bike just handed to them without a suitable accompanying, required training session? (Even if they saved up themselves for it. They’re the riders, yes, but they’re not the parent. That’s us!)
There are still enough kids out there who lack that education. As a perpetual kid who’s spent a half-century riding bikes and motorcycles, my experienced eye tells me there are way more than enough inexperienced, untrained kids out there to justify mandatory training. Apparently, we all see them. They’re the ones most likely to be hurt, or worse.
An excellent model for training exists out there already in the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s beginners and experienced riders safety courses. See msf-usa.org.
So, parents, please don’t just liberate your kids. Make sure you educate them, too.
Jason Paransky, Laguna Beach
