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1998 Acura Bike Tour Child Safety Tips Bring Peace of Mind

26 March 1998

1998 Acura Bike Tour Child Safety Tips Bring Peace of Mind

    TORRANCE, Calif., March 26 -- With the 1998 Acura Bike Tour
coming this Sunday, March 29, more than 15,000 cyclists are preparing for the
scenic 26-mile course that will take bikers through the heart of Los Angeles.
For those local families that have made the Acura Bike Tour an annual
tradition, Acura and Team GT, a professional mountain bike team, have
developed several child safety tips for the bike tour on Sunday and throughout
the year.
    Remember, the learning skills listed below take time.  Be prepared to
repeat lessons until your child understands what you are trying to get across.
Your efforts will be rewarded, knowing that your child is aware of safe riding
skills.

    -- Fit:  Make sure the bike fits. A bike that's too big or too small for
the rider is more difficult to control and can be uncomfortable. To check for
safe stand over height, straddle the bike while wearing the kinds of shoes in
which you'll be riding, and bounce vigorously on your heels.  You should have
a minimum stand over height clearance of one to two inches.  In addition,
always do a mechanical safety check before you get on a bike and be thoroughly
familiar with the controls on your bicycle.

    -- Helmet: Acura and Team GT strongly recommend that you wear an ANSI or
Snell approved helmet when riding your bike.  Most serious bike injuries
involve head injuries, which might have been less severe if the rider had worn
a helmet.

    -- Reflectors: Reflectors are important safety devices, which are designed
as an integral part of your bicycle.  The reflectors are designed to pick-up
and reflect streetlights and car lights in a way that helps you be seen and
recognized as a moving bicyclist.

    -- Lights: Acura and Team GT also strongly recommend that children not
ride after dusk, before full daylight or any other time when visibility is
impaired.  If you must ride your bike after dusk or before full daylight, your
bicycle must be equipped with lights so that you can see the road and avoid
road hazards; and so that others can see you.

      -- Rules of the Road
      -- No playing on the road or in the street
      -- No riding on busy streets
      -- No riding at night
      -- Stop for all STOP signs

    Acura is the number-one-selling luxury import nameplate in the country and
the full-line of luxury performance vehicles are available at approximately
270 Acura dealers nationwide.  Acura is the title sponsor of the 1998 Los
Angeles Bike Tour and the official vehicle of Team GT.
    Team GT is a professional mountain bike team that competes in all primary
international events including the Olympic Games, World Championships, World
Cup Series, and various national series and championship events.

SOURCE  Acura