Editor, The News:
Re: Boy injured in longboard collision (The News, June 12).
With all hope for the young lad who was grievously injured while longboarding down the residential street, I feel compelled to underscore the obvious: the roadway is for vehicles, not for people playing on skate boards, roller blades, or for other games.
Those are meant to be deployed in parks or other such pedestrian-type protected areas.
It is ironic and so wrong when we encourage young people to play on the roadway that is the main stay of vehicular traffic, not children at play.
For parents to post signs warning that ‘children are at play’ on the road is paramount to stating that they are allowing their children to partake in activity that knowingly is inherently dangerous, and that it is the motorists responsibility to provide care for their child.
Our local government, and taxes, pay good money to provide children with recreational outlets.
Roads are for vehicles.
Parents should take children to a local park, skate park, or other such recreational protected area.
Don’t put up signs on the roadway, announcing that your children are put in harm’s way and we, as motorists, are responsible for their care.
As the parent of two, now fully grown children, we never considered allowing our children to play on the street.
We were well aware of the danger of putting our kids lives in the hands of motorists.
My heart goes out to the young child that was injured in the long boarding incident, and his parents, too.
However, the driver of the vehicle struck by that youth is a also victim.
Reg Dunlop
Maple Ridge
