How can you tell.....

[kcmpls]

A lot of the "newbie" things mentioned I see in my neighborhood all the time. But not by newbies, but by a) Latinos b) Somalis and c) Mormon Missionaries. All three of these groups ride their bikes a lot, but they never learn the rules of the road. They (except the Mormons) never wear helmets, are always on the sidewalk, have 3 or more people on a bike, and are on bikes that clearly don't fit them. Lots of adults on kids bikes and kids on adult bikes.

Of course, I also see a lot of people, not the missionaries, on what appear to be stolen bikes that don't fit them. Like 12 year old girls on 56cm fixed gear Surlys. And that's not just the ethnicities listed above, that's the white and blacks in my neighborhood too.

Anyhoo...

I've mentioned numerous times to bike advocates and bike groups in town that those are the groups they should be targeting for bike safety and rules of the road type outreach. But they like to stick to their English only programs and don't target the real bike commuters around the city, the low income immigrants.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Of course, I also see a lot of people, not the missionaries, on what appear to be stolen bikes that don't fit them. Like 12 year old girls on 56cm fixed gear Surlys.

When I was 12 I used to ride my big brother's 10 speed that was way too big for me, when he wasn't around. It wasn't stolen.

[kcmpls]

When I was 12 I used to ride my big brother's 10 speed that was way too big for me, when he wasn't around. It wasn't stolen.

That's why I don't call the police or bother them. It could be a legit bike. But since most of the neighborhood are on bikes from Kmart and Target, when a little girl is riding at $1000 bike, it stands out.