Need For ‘Smart’ Cycling Inspires Community Volunteer

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown resident Joe Kelly, a retired human resources manager, grandparent, and active Danbury Youth Services (DYS) volunteer, was surprised to learn a few years ago that, according to nonprofit organization Connecticut Safe Kids, 49 percent of all bicycle deaths occur to children age 16 and younger.

“I was also surprised to learn that while bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent, only about five percent [of children cyclists] use them,” he said.

The more Mr Kelly learned about bicycle safety, the more he wanted to know — including the ins and outs of bicycle maintenance.

“Since 1999, I have served as the program manager for DYS’s free Earn-a-Bike program,” he said.

He soon developed a second DYS program, Wheels for Kids, which repairs donated bicycles, bequeathing them to families in need.

He recently developed a program in which Henry Abbott Technical School students have the opportunity to refurbish used bikes for adults and children in need.

“This past year, we gave away about 125 bicycles, most with helmets, through the DYS programs,” Mr Kelly said.

The success of the DYS programs inspired Mr Kelly to begin his own program, Smart Cycling.

Using the information he primarily acquired through his work with DYS workshops, Mr Kelly patented two age-appropriate bicycle safety programs, ideal for presentations in the classroom, camp, or youth agency setting.

The Smart Cycling program for younger students, approximately for students in grades kindergarten through three, focuses on basic safety information.

“I use a lot of posters that illustrate different principles of bicycle safety,” Mr Kelly said, “such as the ‘one-on-a-bike’ concept. A lot of times kids will try to do elaborate tricks or try to have several of their friends on the bike at one time.”

He also emphasizes the importance of wearing helmets and gives tips on finding the proper fit.

Older students are treated to videos, including a bicycle safety film made by and for students and a bicycle safety film narrated by popular children’s educator Bill Nye the Science Guy.

They also learn the importance of obeying traffic signals and signs, which are identical for cyclists and motorists alike.

“If you teach children to become a defensive cyclists, they will learn to become defensive drivers,” Mr Kelly noted.

The older students also engage in various hands-on activities, including one in which they pretend they are on bicycles and are tested on their knowledge of appropriate traffic signals and signs in a simulated on-the-road environment. 

Smart Cycling even has an arrangement through the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute with Bell Helmets, a major purveyor of bicycle equipment, to give students their name-brand helmets, from toddler to adult size, at discounted prices.

“We can give students a Bell helmet for about $7.50,” Mr Kelly said. “Helmets generally range in price from 15 to 30 dollars.”

Mr Kelly said he also does free inspections of bicycles to make sure they are safe to operate.

“You would be surprised by the number of bicycles that can have problems,” he said.  Often the brakes and handlebars are not in line. Gears are rusty.

“It’s important to store the bicycle properly and maintain it,” he said. “Never keep bicycles too long in a dank cellar and forget about them, or leave them outside.”

If properly cared for, however, a bicycle can last up to 15 years or more. 

The cost of a Smart Cycling presentation, Mr Kelly assured, is “very reasonable” and especially targets nonprofit organizations.

“I’ve done a lot of schools and camps in the region, especially New York [state],” Mr Kelly said. “I’ve also worked with Danbury and Bethel schools.”

Mr Kelly said he discovered a connection between helmet-wearing children from affluent suburban communities and more urban ones.

“You would be more likely to see kids wearing helmets in a suburb around this [Fairfield County] area than in a city,” he said. “But even in the suburban neighborhood, you will often see adults not wearing helmets while their children are. It is very, very important to set an example. Everyone needs to wear helmets!”

In addition, Mr Kelly keeps a book of coupons for free Friendly’s ice cream he can give to children cyclists he spots wearing their helmets.

Friendly’s has the arrangement with the Kiwanis Pediatric Institute.

“It’s a wonderful experience,” he said, smiling. “It really makes their day! It’s a great feeling.”

Mr Kelly also continues enjoying his own bicycling experiences. “My bicycling activities include 25 years of both road and mountain bikes with memberships in Hat City Cyclists, Sound Cyclists, and the Westchester Cycle Club,” he said. “I was a ride leader for the Appalachian Mountain Club and Danbury Ski Club.”

For more information on Smart Cycling, contact Mr Kelly at 270-1252.