Senior Constable Deb Hann – On the Beat
It has been great to see everyone enjoying the Aon Maadi Regatta this week. Town has definitely been busy and we have welcomed the visitors for the event.
One thing that has come to my attention this week is around our young cyclists. With many children riding their bikes to school, their road safety awareness and knowledge is sometimes lacking. While travelling off duty in the mornings, I have seen students on their way to school riding in the middle of the road, cutting corners in front of cars and barrelling straight across pedestrian crossings. I have also had reports again of students cycling down Victoria Street after school on pavements at speed. This puts pedestrians at risk as well as the cyclists and is against the road code.
I ask everyone to remind their children to use cycleways wherever possible and look out for traffic. This is for their own safety as well as that of other road users. Cyclists should also stop, dismount and walk their bikes across pedestrian crossings. If they ride straight from the footpath onto and over the crossing, there is a risk that vehicles may not have time to stop or pre-empt the cyclist’s actions. Collisions between bicycles and cars rarely occur without injury.
I spoke to one young cyclist who was riding on the footpath without his helmet the other day. Where was it? In his backpack. Laws around cycle helmets exist to prevent serious trauma. Parents, please set the example and also encourage your child to wear one. Let’s make cycle helmets cool again.
In good news, last week Cambridge police executed a search warrant in Orini following the theft of a set of golf clubs from Cambridge East. The owner spotted the golf clubs being sold on Trade Me and advised police. When we went to the seller’s address, as is often the case, it was not just golf clubs that were found. Two females now face charges relating to cannabis, methamphetamine and possession of restricted weapons as well as receiving stolen goods.
Receiving is the offence of being found in possession of stolen property, knowing the items were stolen or illegally obtained or having been reckless as to whether they had been stolen or illegally obtained.
Confirmation of ownership of the golf clubs was made possible due to specific identifying details known only by the owner. The golf club owner was understandably elated to get them back. A good result all round. Until next week, cycle safe.
