Another Important Email—Principal of Bonita Vista Middle School Answers "Asking for Your Help with E-Bike Safety"
- Susan Heavilin
- Apr 8
- 3 min read
Image credit: inewsource
I recently wrote "Asking for Your Help with E-Bike Safety" and sent it to administrators at schools that our local e-bikers might attend.
Here is the contents of the email I sent to Bonita Valley Senior High, Bonita Valley Junior High, Allen Elementary, Sunnyside Elementary and Valley Vista Elementary staff:
Dear . . .
I live in Bonita-Sunnyside where many of your students also live. We are having a slight problem here with teenage e-bikers as many towns across San Diego County are.
I write a community newspaper/blog named Sunnyside Common Sense. I am also a former elementary school teacher. I know that when I had a classroom issue, I would often call in a resource person to talk to the class. One year I had a student lighting fires. I asked the Fire Department for someone to speak on arson. It corrected the problem and the student was never named.
I’m hoping that you could maybe do something like that at Bonita Vista Senior High, in the way of a general assembly. I don’t want to take away their fun, we just don’t want them playing in the middle of traffic where they—or an unsuspecting motorist—could be hurt.
The County is concerned about the amount of traffic and accidents on our streets and sent DPW Project Manager Robert Sanchez to speak at the 03.03.26 Sweetwater Community Planning Group Meeting. Our toll-avoidance traffic increased this year from 10,000 vehicles daily to 19,000 . . . almost double! The kids are riding in the midst of this, ignoring traffic signals and popping wheelies. They are just being kids.
I have contacted Trails representatives this past week to see if a trail or playground could be vacated for the e-bikers' sole use. That is in the early stages of discussion.
I wrote an article last week titled “Teenage E-Bikers Causing Some Recent Havoc in Bonita-Sunnyside.” It discusses a free injury prevention course available to the students. Maybe that could be your resource.
I’m also including a well-written article by John Branch titled “In Defense of Teenage Boys on E-Bikes Doing Wheelies Where They Probably Shouldn’t" that discusses the pros of riding e-bikes. You can see by the 800+ responses that the feelings are mixed.
Anything that you can do to help with this issue would be greatly appreciated. We don’t want to wait until someone gets badly injured or killed. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Susan Heavilin, Editor
Sunnyside Common Sense
A week ago, I received an email in return from Principal Salazar of Bonita Vista High School.
On April 6th, I received the following email from Principal Cruz at the Bonita Vista Middle School:
Good morning.
Thank you for your email. We have communicated information on e-bike safety on a few occasions this school year. Our CVPD School Resource Officers have provided information and discussion as well as our Student Support Services Office. We will continue to work with community partners to educate our students and parents. I will bring up the topic again at my Coffee with the Principal Meeting this week.
Thank you for the additional resources.
Ms. Cruz
BVM Principal
It is comforting to know that local principals share our community concerns and are working to create a safe environment, both for our neighborhoods and for all e-bikers.
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