BICYCLE INSPECTION

Chronicle (Levin), 31 July 1947, Page 4

BICYCLE INSPECTION

Levin School Sets Record For - District Amazement at the large percentage of bicycles used by the pupils of the Levin Primary School which rnet the requirements of regulations was expressed by the Automobile Association patrol officers, following an inspection of the bikes yesterday. The -officers, Mr-. R. Keenan, of Levin, and Mr. E. Silverwood, of Wellington, are at present engaged in giving road safety talks to pupils of the district's schools and, follow--ing ingpections of bicycles, are issuing warrants of fitness to the owners of those which comply with the regulations. Yesterday's inspection at the Levin School revealed that. 66 per cent. of the machines were up to requirements, and * the balance needed only slight adjustments. This figure established a record for the district so far covered, said the officers, and was a credit to the school and its headmaster, Mr. H. F. McClune. Similar tests in many other parts Of the district had not been so heartening. In one school 30 per cent. of the bicycles had either no brakes or very . poor ones, and in another only three per cent. of the machines were up to standard. To obtain a certificate of fitness a bicycle must have effective brakes, a bell, reflector and a white strip on the rear mudguard. Other parts checked were the head cones, handlebars, axle cones, tyres and the height of the seats. One boy in [ the Levin school made doubly sure of the efficiency of his bike by fit- [ ting two bells on his handlebars. The department was quite satisfied if one good bell was fitted. Many machines they had inspected during the past few days, were equipped with only a front brake. To comply with the law a rear brake had to be fitted. Yesterday's tests were carried out in the school grounds, the district traffic inspector, Mr. M. Kehoe, assisting n the work. Some 136 machines were examined and 87 warran+s of fitness issued. Many minor adjustments were made by the officers on the spot, but where eertain fittings or other major adjus.ments were necessary, 'these were noted down by the officers and members of the school safety patrol, and when these have been made to the ' satisfaction of the local patrolman, he :'will issue the necessary warrant of fitness. So keen were. ihe pupils to secure these warrants* that, within a short period of returning to his office, the A.A. officer was besieged with a number of children who had apparently gone straight home, or to a repair shop, to have the adjustments made. "We are very pleased with today's inspection and would like to congratulate Mr. MeGlune [and the parents on the fine standard here," said the A.A. representatives yesterday afternoon. "We don't want to incur expense to the parents, but it is surely far better for a child to walk to school fhan to ride a mechanicall'y defective bicycle and end up in hospital. If we save one life in a year we feel we are doing something worthwhile." The fact that many of the machines examined were freshly painted and equipped with brand new fittings showed that the paren's and the headmaster realised the full significance of the campaign, and were out to help the association in its road safety drive.