Oct. 14, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan
Several local organizations will host a Kids Bike Rodeo Day event next weekend to celebrate bicycling in Queens while also encouraging safe biking habits.
Transportation Alternatives Queens, a local advocacy group, is organizing the event as part of its Campaign for Traffic Calming on 21st Street, which aims to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists on 21st Street through Astoria and Long Island City.
The event is being organized along with Make Queens Safer and the Variety Boys and Girls Club.
The free event will include lessons to teach kids how to ride a bike, as well as bike safety checks, bike ID etchings, and decorative reflective stickers for helmets and bikes. It will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on October 22 at the Variety Boys and Girls Club at 21st Street and 30th Road.
The aim of the day is to increase safety and awareness, and one of the activities it will include is using speed guns to monitor vehicular speeds as well as “observe street behavior,” according to the Facebook event page.
“21st Street is a popular commercial corridor and trucking route that lacks critical pedestrian and bicycle safety measures. The wide street encourages cars and trucks to speed through the densely-populated neighborhoods of Long Island City and Astoria,” reads the TA Queens petition to make 21st Street safer.
“T.A.’s Queens Activist Committee is calling for a Complete Street on 21st Street, which would include a comprehensive redesign to make the street safer for all road users. These improvements will save lives, boost local business and dramatically improve quality of life along the corridor,” reads the advocacy group’s website.
To learn more about the event visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1280564458642396/.
The full list of activities for the day is:
—Test your bike skills on the Bike Rodeo obstacle course (10:30am – 1pm)
—Upgrade your bike to the next size at Recycle- A-Bicycle Bike Swap (11am – 2pm) (For children accompanied by a parent/legal guardian who fit on a 24″ wheel bike or smaller.)
—Learn how to ride with lessons from Bike New York, ages 5 & up (12:30pm – 2:30 pm) (Parent/legal guardian must register their child for Learn to Ride classes at http://bit.ly/learn2ridevbgcq)
—Create reflective stickers for your bike or helmet and color streetscape pictures at the Creativity Table (11:30am – 2pm)
—Get your fit and safety checked with a Bike Inspection by mechanics of Nomad Cycle
—Mark your bike with Bicycle ID Etching from the NYPD 114th Precinct (11am-2:30pm)
—Use a speedgun to record car speeds on 21st Street and observe street behavior with a mentor (1:00pm – 2:30pm)
