Prescott Elementary in Northeast Portland.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Acting U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Steven K. Galson will be in North Portland on Wednesday (April 9) to promote the Department of Health and Human Services’ Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative and to recognize the work of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA).
The visit is part of a national tour for the “Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future” program. During his visit, Dr. Galson will meet with school officials and students from the Harriet Tubman Leadership Academy for Young Women in North Portland and will highlight that school’s bike safety education program.
Dr. Galson plans to take a short bike ride with students and will present an award to the BTA for their, “work in promoting physical activity.”
The bike safety education program at Tubman is taught by BTA staff and was funded by a seed grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in 1998. The BTA donated 20 bikes to Tubman last December.
Learn more about the BTA’s bike safety education program at BTA4Bikes.org.
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Interesting.
Will he offer any support for rebuilding our transportation infrastructure to remove barriers to cycling and walking?
Or will he just dump the burden on kids… by lecturing them to be more active; i.e. blaming the victims of decades of public spending that benefited cars instead of people.
If I were at that gathering, I would stress to the SG that promoting cycling for health reasons without promoting safe streets and paths is like a half of a scissor; not usable in its current form. It should be a health priority to promote safe facilities to encourage healthy activity.
Want people to commute under their own power?
Change employment law–ban firing for tardiness or not meeting an appearance standard.
Enforce limits to the selling or renting price of property–take a head-on approach to the need to live many miles from one\’s work to afford housing.
Dare to talk beyond half-assed, timid approaches to this issue, it\’s too important.
Well, I for one would ask: Would he support more effective penalties for dangerous drivers who kill 42,000 Americans a year, severely injure hundreds of thousands, and intimidate millions more out of the peaceful, low impact enjoyment of our nation\’s streets, roads, and other public places?
I would agree with Antonio. Bringing the force of law to bear on those who \”accidently\” kill others would go a long way.
Dave, why are you suggesting that riding your bike in any way makes you more susceptible to being late or being messy?? Way to buy into the paradigm that we cyclists are a bunch of unkempt misfits that can\’t manage to get to work on time.
I probably have a more consistent commute time as a bike rider than most people who drive. If I\’m late it\’s because I left late. And a little planning is all it takes to be more than presentable.
And you would take a \”head-on approach\” to your price/rent controls how? Before you could enforce limits, you would have to pass them.
Thank you but no thank you. When it comes time to sell or rent my house, I\’ll get what someone is willing to offer. If you\’d like to insert yourself into that transaction, I\’ll see you at the polling booth.
While I think getting elementary students excited about riding bikes is important, I am wondering if there is any follow up to this at older ages. I remember how excited I was to ditch my bike and get behind the wheel when I turned 16. \’Freedom!\’ I thought, little did I know what a trap that was.
Is there anything in the “Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future” tour for the 14-16 years olds of our country?
It took me 10 years to get back on a bike. If we could address this age gap, we might RETAIN more riders, instead of later trying to convince them to get back on a bike.
Coaster and all –
I\’d love to hear more ideas about working with older kids. We\’re exploring the expansion of our curriculum and/or programs to high school ages and just starting to put together some thoughts on what that might look like. I welcome response, please email me directly. Thanks!