SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Kids in kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to learn safe riding skills on their bicycles and scooters at a bike rodeo on Sunday, April 27 hosted by the California Highway Patrol Sacramento office and the GreenHaven Pocket Farmers Market (GHP).

The event is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Elks Lodge 6’s parking lot at 6446 Riverside Blvd.

The CHP will conduct a five-station bike rodeo focused on teaching safe riding skills, including proper stopping at stop signs and lights, rider balance, turning and maintaining a safe speed.

GHP’s event coordinator, Susan Riddell, said, “We’ve had the California Highway Patrol at our market before, and kids got to sit in a patrol car, but this is the first time we’ve ever hosted their rodeo. We are really happy to host this very worthwhile community event.”

Elk 6 President Rob Moore said, “In California, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities account for 20 percent of all traffic-related deaths within CHP jurisdiction.” As a parent of two small children, he is proud that the GreenHaven Pocket Farmers Market is sponsoring this important activity for children from seven local schools.

Riddell emphasized, “Bike rodeos are a great way for kids and their parents to learn about biking safety through hands-on practice.” Kids are encouraged to bring their bikes and develop skills that will help them become safer, more confident bicyclists and avoid common accidents.

No child should participate in the program without a properly fitted helmet.

This station helps adjust the bike to fit each child correctly.

Children will learn how to make simple adjustments and repairs to their bikes or scooters.

At this station, children learn how traffic works. They learn about yielding, passing, predicting traffic flow and the traffic laws that relate to cyclists. Children also learn the hand signals they should use to alert drivers to their actions, and the importance of riding with traffic.

At this station, children learn how to balance, start and stop, ride straight, ride slowly, scan and signal. Each child will practice these skills on the mini-road.

The California Highway Patrol’s John Ortega will be in charge of the rodeo, and he wants to remind everyone to bring their helmets and bikes. 

He also said, “It is often hard for drivers to see bicyclists and skaters.” 

One of the most common reasons drivers give after colliding with a cyclist is, “I didn’t see them.”