There but for the grace of God go I

I grew up skating that entire parking lot in the 90s - the only people getting into accidents there are people who are in a hurry or who are not from there and are driving out the gate way too fast. Who has ever heard had a reaction to getting hit in car - by jamming their foot on the gas pedal? In my experience - I have froze up and done the opposite. So in my business complex there is a sign that blocks the sidewalk on the right side when you are exiting the driveway - a couple months ago a driver from the business next door crashed into a guy on a scooter while trying to merge into the street. You know what happened? The driver was arrested and charged within a day. Because I gave the footage to the police on my camera. The law is on the driver to watch the sidewalk - they ALWAYS have the right of way. Why is everyone acting like a 19 year old is a child? This is an adult. Why hasn't she been identified? Why is she being protected? This is exactly why I avoid any liberal dirtball enclave like Burlingame - because even when a reckless 19 year old kills a 4 year old kid - because im sure she is in a protected class - her picture does not get shown - her name does not get released - she gets more respect than the dead kid. Disgusting. Like others have said - if it was me who killed that kid (a white/jewish guy) - I would be on all the news stations and paraded around the police precinct. Protect yourselves everyone - because like ive said time and time again - the losers at San Mateo County are not going to protect you. In fact - they will blame you for your own plight. Sound like Satan?

Culled and fact checked from DMV and Law Enforcement Manuals

Dangerous activity by children from the ages of 7 to 40, enabled, and encouraged, by well-meaning but possibly unaware parents. The

source of this hazard: e-bikes, gas bikes, old fashion bicycles, segues, skateboards, old fashion scooters, flexi etc.

There are some basic facts overlooked or never taught:

1). Any vehicles, motorized or not, need to be operated with care; an e-bike is a vehicle, not a toy;

2). A bicycle or a pedestrian will always lose the battle against a car, truck or other motor vehicle; and

3). Children, like adults, may have good intentions, but may make unsafe and hazardous decisions detrimental to their own health and

the health of others.

Putting it simply, e-bikes can be a hazard to our children and anyone on the road. Frequently we see children break basic traffic laws on

their e-bikes, riding their e-bikes in areas where they should not be, blowing through stop signs without stopping, carrying passengers

when it is not allowed, traveling at speeds that are faster than the traffic conditions permit, not wearing helmets and not adhering to

basic traffic laws. This could be lack of training, maturity or both.

Children / Students, must know the laws surrounding e-bikes and the different classes under state law.

• Class 1 e-bikes are distinguished as a pedal-assisted electric bicycle with a motor which assists the rider while peddling to reach speeds

of 20 mph.

• Class 2 e-bikes have a motor used exclusively to propel the bicycle and ceasing assistance when a speed of 20 MPH is reached.

• Class 3 e-bikes, on the other hand, are pedal-assisted electric bicycles equipped with a speedometer and a motor that provides

assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and ceases to provide assistance when a speed of 28 mph is reached.

Different classes of e-bikes come with different sets of rules. That is why, if you purchase an e-bike for your child-student, you need to be

mindful of reviewing the label listing to determine its classification number, top assisted speed and wattage.

Also, you need to make sure that their e-bike is street legal and rated for street use since there are many e-bikes on the market that are

off-road bikes and not meant for road travel.

There are additional restrictions:

Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes do not have age restrictions but, like a regular bicycle, an e-bike operator (a term that hints at the skill

required to ride an e-bike) under the age of 18, must wear a helmet.

Class 3 e-bikes have additional restrictions for operators, who must:

1). Be 16 years old or older;

2). Must wear a bicycle helmet regardless of age;

3). Must not transport passengers; and

4). May ride in a bicycle lane if authorized to do so by a local ordinance.

Lastly, e-bikes are considered bicycles, which means they are allowed in bike lanes, not sidewalks, not private property that doesn’t

belong to ‘them’ - and — if traveling with the flow of traffic — may also ride on the road.

E-bikes are generally prohibited in places like equestrian or hiking and recreational trails, so be aware of where your children-students,

may be taking their e-bike.

And, just like regular bicycles, depending on the local city ordinance, there are prohibitions on riding a bicycle and an e-bike on

sidewalks.

E-bike operators are expected to follow all the rules of the road. That is why it is unsettling to see young e-bike operators ignoring basic

traffic laws, like NOT coming to a complete stop at a stop sign.

As parents, neighbors and citizens of the Peninsula, it is our obligation to make sure our children are educated on the proper use of e-

bikes.

There also needs to be accountability for both parent and child if a child does not, at a basic level, follow the rules of the road. Please take

steps to ensure that your child is safe while riding his or her e-bike, for their safety and for the peace of mind of everyone in our

community.

As a community, we MUST do better by our children than just offer the typical "Thoughts and Prayers".

The last time Burlingame offered "Thoughts and Prayers" - in the case of Arlene OÇampo - Donna Colson only offered a policy of "Incremental Progress" and then didn't suggested to go backwards.

This time she just blamed innocent children on a bicycle.

This would not have happened, if the street had bike lanes and was "daylighted", which is what the law and common sense would suggest now for a parking lot exit.

Thank you Jon for mentioning at least that the children on a bicycle were victims and not the culprit council member Donna Colson, City of Burlingame, the Police, and Social Media made them out to be.

That was a despicable performance by the leadership of Burlingame, which is why this is not the time of "thoughts and prayers".

The blame is clearly with Burlingame, the police, and a reckless driver. There is no DMV tester in the world who wouldn't call it "reckless" if your drive ends up in a restaurant.

A city that wants pedestrians, bicycles, and cars to "Share The Road" to make money from on-street parking instead of providing real safety is always at fault when things like this go predictably wrong.

That has to be acknowledged and we should not try to sweep it under the rug with "thoughts and prayers". Actions by the city would speak louder than words.

Jon - I am probably going against the grain but I am not sure about this vigil and what it will do for the bereaved parents. What is frustrating about these preventable "accidents" is that we read about them but that there is never any follow up about the perpetrators and any related action by the authorities. We are still in the dark about the person who killed the young mother on the HWY 92 overpass, and we still don't know what happened with the 19 year old driver. Were either driver licenses suspended and their vehicles impounded? It seems these horrific tragedies are swept under the rug under the guise of police investigation. I believe that the public is entitled to disclosure. As a parent or husband besides being devasted, I would be seething at the lack of timely accountability.

Thank you for your column today Jon. I was having dinner outside on a lovely Friday night a block away when the accident occurred. I have thought about Ayden and his family daily since then. I am tired of so many using this terrible tragedy to push their pet issues.

I share in your grief for a child lost way too soon, and others that were injured or impacted mentally as a result of this crash. Visibility exiting the garage on Donnelly is very poor, with cars parked right up to where cars are exiting. The gift of sight is a game changer for safety. With daylighting, the driver could have seen the bicyclist, who was traveling legally in the right of way. This concept is called daylighting, and is a state law (AB413) to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety. Daylighting is a cost-effective safety strategy at crosswalks, intersections, and at entrances/exits like this one. Let's make some changes. Additionally calling the bicyclist an e-biker, is like calling a driver a truck driver. The e-bike is limited at 20mph, which is a normal speed for non e-bikes, to me the distinction is irrelevant. Thinking of Ayden's family and all of those impacted by the driver who struck and killed a child who was just trying to enjoy an evening out with family.

As always, thanks for the good sense, Jon.

In our money focused and litigious society (particularly in California) we tend to emphasize blame in order to shift the cost, both emotionally and financially. But even the police and the courts seem for forget the basic definition of "accident", which assigns blame only to the fates, and there are plenty of accidents for which no one in particular was negligent or intentional in causing harm: ac·ci·dent

/ˈaksədnt/

noun

1.

an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.

"he had an accident at the factory"

Similar:

mishap

misfortune

misadventure

mischance

unfortunate incident

injury

disaster

tragedy

catastrophe

contretemps

calamity

blow

trouble

problem

difficulty

casualty

2.

an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause.

"the pregnancy was an accident"