Thurrock school children will be treated to a display of jaw dropping stunt cycling with a health and safety twist from mountain bike stunt rider Rich Johnson – as he aims to teach them the same lesson he gave Simon Cowell.
The ambassador for safe cycling reprimanded the Britain’s Got Talent judge and multi-millionaire in front of 5,000 people at London’s Hammersmith Apollo for claiming cyclists look stupid wearing helmets.
But Johnson says he is living proof of helmets’ life-saving capabilities as he could not have learnt his dazzling array of stunts without falling off and banging his head countless times.
The safety message will be central to Friday’s show at Woodside Primary School, where children are being inspired to cycle as part of Bike It – the nationwide project by sustainable transport charity Sustrans.
Johnson, whose skills have also led to appearances on Top Gear and Blue Peter, said: “Cycling is super-safe but accidents do happen so when children are developing their skills it’s particularly important they wear a helmet. The stunt show is a way of grabbing these youngsters’ attention to get this message across.
“It is much more rewarding to perform these skills for a purpose rather than purely as entertainment, especially when you get idiotic comments from the likes of Simon Cowell.
“Hopefully it will encourage youngsters to use their bike as an everyday form of transport, and perhaps even lead to cycling as a favourite sport or hobby.”
Woodside Primary is one of 10 Thurrock schools taking part in Bike It, which aims to boost children’s health, confidence and sense of independence by encouraging them to cycle to school.
After the show children will learn how to give their own bikes a road safety check with the help of a Dr Bike mechanic.
Thurrock Bike It Officer Katie van Dop said: “In the Netherlands where I grew up cycling is as much a part of everyone’s day as brushing your teeth in the morning; I’m aiming to encourage a similar pro-cycling culture in Thurrock that will last long after this Bike It project.
“I’m sure this event will inspire the children to take lots of pleasure from riding their bikes safely during the half-term holidays and again when school re-starts.”
For more info about Sustrans and Bike It visit www.sustrans.org.uk.
Radar tells me their closing speed, if they are slowing and how far away. Then I decide to say a prayer. The change of light pattern is incidental.
Quite so, which is why our village 20mph zone covers the whole residential extent. Of course, enforcement is another thing..
£4.
No, that's very doubtful while proper testing would be fully destructive.
In that £1000 exactly scenario, beginners should probably be made aware that pedals will be extra.
What's wrong with dropping down on to the Millenium Bridge, or the swing bridge, then the brief, but satisfying climb back up the hill? #training....
The relatives might of course disagree, but in general I'd countenance a relatively light sentence* if only we could fix it so that those who...
Id forgotten that I got a second hand set of project two's for my getting to work bike over twenty years back.
My bet is that all these tires popping off are from people with bad pressure gauges or they're simply just putting too much air in on purpose. ...
David9694 - you were right! These new autonomous vehicles really are conspiring to run out of control!...