Winners! Bike Hero Award 2024
Winners! Bike Hero Award 2024
Marin Safe Routes to Schools is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 BIKE HERO awards. There were 164 nominations and 26 schools represented in our BIKE HERO 2024 contest! Teachers, parents, neighbors, and fellow students sent in testimonials of students leading their peers, climbing big hills, battling the weather – all while obeying the rules of the road on bike. Two students were selected from elementary and two students from middle for the 2024 award. Congratulations to them and to all the students who were nominated!
Here is what friends and family had to say about our
BIKE HEROES for 2024:
Katarina Moller, Venetia Valley, 4th grade:
Katarina deserves to be a Bike Hero because of her incredible determination getting to school. She rides to school every day in all weather. Through her daily commute, biking to school helps build a healthy lifestyle for herself and influences others amongst her. She cares about the environment and hopes everyone will learn to bike everywhere they want to go! Katarina is a great role model for others who push themselves to be at their best!
David Eddings, Pleasant Valley, 4th grade:
David is always ready to ride. He gets up early and completes morning ceremonies: breakfast, shower, brushing and flossing, a little gel in his hair-do and then its helmets on and ready to pick-up his bike buddies en route to school. This year started with just a single friend at his side and now they have a whole group of as many as eight riders all rolling down Vineyard making the trip to school pedal-powered and starting their day the right way!
Frankie Foster, Mill Valley Middle, 7th grade:
Frankie rides his bike 1.6 miles to school every day. He has a 10 pound backpack. To return home, he must ride up a very steep hill that is hard to walk up. He never complains and looks forward to spending time on his bike. His parents don’t have to spend their time and money taking him to school. Frankie Foster is as comfortable on his mountain bike as he is on his own two feet!
Sophie Poindexter, Kent Middle, 8th grade:
Since 5th grade, Sophie has biked to school every day without a single complaint. Despite having to conquer the challenging Wolfe Grade hill to Wolfe Canyon daily, she has never requested an electric bike. Her unwavering commitment to biking over the past four years is what makes her our hero.
Be E-Bike Safe
Guidelines to stay safe while riding e-bikes and what to know when buying one for your child.
Download this important information from Transportation Authority of Marin.
Wear a Helmet and Wear it Properly
You’re more likely to have a crash resulting in a brain injury when you ride a faster e-bike compared to a regular bike. Make sure your helmet fits and that it’s properly adjusted and attached before you ride. Helmets designed for increased speeds are ideal.
Practice Passenger Safety
E-bikes are heavier and harder to control with or without a passenger. Carrying a passenger is legal only if your e-bike has a seat for another person; regardless, the extra weight can make it difficult to maneuver, slow down, and stop. Passengers must also wear a helmet if they are under 18.
Be Responsible, Predictable,
and Visible
E-bike crashes are more likely to lead to severe injury and hospitalization compared to crashes involving regular bikes.
Be responsible: follow laws and stop at stop signs.
Be predictable: ride in the same direction as traffic.
Be visible: use bright clothing and use lights.
SLOW Your Speed
The higher the speed, the higher the risk of severe injury. At 20 MPH, it could take you almost four school bus lengths to fully stop to avoid an obstacle. Take your time when riding and don’t exceed the manufacturer’s top speeds.
E-Bikes Are Electrifying the Future!
What Parents Should Know
Update coming soon.
Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) administers the Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) Program, which works to relieve traffic congestion around schools by promoting alternatives to commuting to school, such as walking, biking, taking the bus and carpooling.
In addition, the program helps improve safety, promote a healthy lifestyle for youth and enhance the sense of community in neighborhoods.
It does this through classroom education, special events, infrastructure improvements, a crossing guard program, and other strategies.
The SR2S program has been in operation since 2000 and involves almost 60 schools and more than 26,500 students.
VETTED BY INDUSTRY LAWYERS
(March 12, 2024)
Any throttle motor that can be switched to go speeds beyond 20 mph on motor power alone, is considered “out of class” – it is not an e-bike, it is a motor vehicle and requires a student to be at least 16 years old with a driver’s license and registration. (Same as e-scooters)
Under the guidance of our insurers and legal counsel, there are many brands (e.g. Super73, Surron) that fall into the “out-of-class” category that can no longer be accepted in classes.
A bill pending in CA legislature would address “multiple mode” products, not leaving it up to the consumers to interpret. Other bills are pending to address a minimum age requirement of 16 for Class 2.
Find your Suggested Route Map!
Click graphic above to find Route Maps by School District.