- Bruce Buffington, PWTC's Helmet Committee Coordinator and President of the Northwest Bicycle Safety Council, gives us a brief history of PWTC's helmet and bike safety program.
The PWTC Bike Safety and Helmet Program has its genesis in the Beaverton Bicycle Safety Fair, which was conceived in 1995 when Dee Real was the PWTC president. Dee’s PWTC administration and the ones that have followed said yes to helping save lives through a viable helmet program, and helmets are still offered at numerous events thought greater Portland at no cost, because PWTC cares enough to lead the way with this vital program.
As founder and first volunteer chairman of the City of Beaverton Police Department and the Beaverton Optimist Club Bicycle Safety Fair program, I was responsible for putting on the Bike Safety Awareness Week in May 1996. This historic week-long bicycle safety program coincided with National Bicycle Safety Week, and included several different activities – and, eventually, our helmet program. Early on, there was a criterium bike race held for five consecutive years. The U.S. Cycling Federation-sanctioned race always kicked off the Bicycle Safety Fair.
The fair also included a self-guided tour past numbered stops that began and ended at the old Beaverton Library (now occupied by the Beaverton Police Activities League club), where the event still takes place today. The Old Town route was a 2-1/2 mile easy ride through an area bounded by Allen Boulevard, Lombard Avenue, Canyon Road and Main Avenue. The more strenuous, 8-1/2 mile South Beaverton route followed Fanno Creek to Scholls Ferry Road and included a stop at the oldest building in the city, the Fanno House. Free maps and brochures offering historic highlights were available at the city Planning Department.
A PWTC Safety Awareness Ride called the Kansas City Loop was also offered. Options were for 33 miles and 54 miles, leaving from Beaverton High School. Terry Sherbeck (PWTC member) led the ride. A bicycle skills rodeo was offered to kids under 12 years of age. Prizes were available for events that included mounting and balance, balancing at slow speeds, riding controlled in a straight line, stopping in emergencies, maneuvering and weaving, circling, signaling in traffic and making tight turns.
Ray Thomas, a Portland attorney most of us know and the editor for Oregon Cycling magazine, conducted a legal clinic offering tips on how cyclists can take motorists to court, the rules of the road, how to document accidents or injury and how to compile evidence. The free legal clinic was held at the Elsie Stuhr Adult Leisure Center. Many Beaverton residents registered their bikes at the event, at no charge, with the police waiving the usual $3 fee. Serial numbers and identifying information were entered into the police computer to aid in recovery in the event the bike was stolen. Bicycle helmets also were checked for safety requirements, and education materials were provided free of charge. The concept of giving free helmets to the needy on a regular basis was fairly new to the event. The Beaverton Police Department offered the helmets free to Beaverton residents; however, the helmets received through the OHSU Think First program required that a $5 donation be collected for each helmet in order to offset the cost.
This set things in motion for what became our helmet program.
Some time in 1998 or ‘99, when Nikki Hilton was president of the PWTC, the club formed the PWTC Helmet Committee, and the era of giving a free helmet to those in need was born. The subsequent Beaverton Bicycle Safety Fair program was the proud recipient of donated helmets. PWTC was among several organizations that donated helmets to the events. The Beaverton Optimist Club and Beaverton Police Department and Beaverton Fire Department also continued to donate helmets.
The first PWTC Helmet Committee coordinator was Jerry Smith, who, over eight years ago, really got the ball rolling for this vital program. After Jerry, I had the privilege of working with Clive Miller, and then I took over after Howard Reid married and moved out of the state.
What a wonderful testament to be able to say that the program continues to serve a large number of people in need, supporting West Side and East Side residents alike through the various safety fairs throughout the year.
Ray Thomas said recently that “Oregon is showing the nation how creating a bike-friendly community is done.” I’d like to add that “PWTC is showing Oregon how to run a greatly effective free helmet program.”
My special thanks to Mike Morrison, RN, of the Legacy Emanuel Trauma Nurses Talk Tough program for providing a special outlet for everyone to obtain good-quality helmets.