PAGE 6, WHITBY FREE PRESS, THURSDAY JUNE 7, 1973, BIRD 'S EYE VIEW by >1. Qoii. Like a Plague It's somewhat like a swarm ot iocusts the way the streets have been suddenly infested with bicycles. The conservationists are happy about the bicycle trend because they say it's much healthier for you if you ride a bicycle. The conservationists obviously haven't ridden on heavily travelled streets. They also haven't watêhed how some of our bike riders are going about their new pastimes. Judging by the prowess of some riders it looks like they are bent on suicide. Statistics seem to bear out the f4gt that most of the riders who violate traffic laws and ride in a careless manner are kids below the age of 19 years old. Just watching the local kids I can heartily agree with those statistics. I have seen young riders sail through stop signs like they were invisible. I have seen those same kids riding either on the sidewalk, inconveniencing pedestrians, or riding on the wrong side of the road and scaring the you-know-what out of drivers. - There are just too many bicycles on the road these days to ignore safe rules of bicycle riding. There are more and more bike riders becoming involved in accidents and fatalities and it's time parents started getting alarmed about the situation. The police departments know what is happening and they are doing their best to educate riders as to the dangers of mixing bicycles and cars on the same roads but the police departments only have so many men and they need help elsewhere from the parents. While we're on the subject of bicycles and pedalling, I'd like to mention about our new editor's marriage which took place last Friday in Oshawa. It's a well known fact that our editor only reads the first paragraph and the last paragraph of my column so by telling you what happened in the middle of my .column it's a sure bet Mike won't see this notice until it's in print. For some years our new editor has been known as the roving batchelor of Oshawa and surrounding districts, but recently lie met his match - a gai who took him serious - ly. Actually she took him ail the way down the aisle. A last minute change in my schedule prevented me from attending the wedding so I can't give you a blow by blow description of what actually happened but our advertising executive, Ron, tells me there was a lot of crying and tears. Funny, I've never seen Mike reduced to tears, but I guess it happens to the best of us. In all fairness to Marge, the lucky girl, I think Mike came out the best on the deal but I guess it was quite a blow for Mike to finally meet his match. Ron tells me it was a lovely wedding even though he too can only describe part of it because he missed the the first round which happened in the church. I give a lot of credit to Marge because she has known Mike for as long as I can remember and she always told me she would get the **censored** down the aisle someday and I could tell by her determined look that she would do just that. Well, congratulations Marge, the Free Press is behind you all the way and if our new editor gets out of hand you just let us know and we'll go on a writing strike or something. Mike would probably be happy if that happen- ed so he could go out and hire some decent writers. Of course, then he would have to pay theni money and that might upset him. But like I was saying about bicycle riding I think it's time parents and the population in general took a good look at how many bicycles are on the streets these days and just how badly some riders are going about with a hobby that's supposed to be heaithy. It's not fair for drivers to have to suddenly swerve to avoid a bike rider who is weaving ail over the road with his or her new ten speed. Another suggestion would be for the bicycle shops to start a course in bicycle riding so that when somebody purchases a new bike and obviously haven't ridden a bike of that type, or may even be a new rider, they can be properly trained not only about the bike but the rules of the road as weil. I don't think anybody wants to be in the position of getting out of his car someday after screeching to a hait to find the mangled body of a bicycle rider under the front wheels. And if that doesn't bother you think of what it would be like to be the parent of a bike rider and have a policeman come to the door to tell you your son or daugh- ter was just taken to the hospital in critical condition. I hope you keep it in mind. MIIDLETONS B00K STORE WEDDING INVITATIONS & PRINTED WHUTOV STATIONEKY 668-2492 C N derailment between Pickering and Ajax last Thursday brought one injury as eight boxcars jumped the tracks. It took two days to clear the tracks, using high powered cranes. At one time, close to 50 workmen were at the scene. Photos show boxcars strewn about shortly after the derailment. Many motorists driving eastbound on the 401 caused traffic jams while slowing down for a closer look. Photo by Alex Kainins. TOWN OF WHITBY PROCLAMATION TAKE NOTICE that by a resolution of the Council of the Town of Whitby, the week of June 10th to 16th, 1973, has been proclaimed as "Whitby Minor Soccer Week" in and for the Town of Whitby. Dated at Whitby, this day-ofJune, 1973. Desmond G. Newman Mayor Town of Whitby. 7th P.U.C. 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