Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (July 23/99) - The Fort Simpson RCMP held a bike rodeo last week for about 50 local kids and all who attended came away winners of a brand-new bike helmet.

The kids were put through their paces out on the course set up behind the rec centre. RCMP and volunteers tested the participants' knowledge of road safety, hand signals and manoeuvring their bikes through pylons and curves.

Following the rodeo, the kids were treated to hamburgers, hotdogs and pop supplied by T.J's and Northern.

It was only after the barbecue that the kids found out about the free helmets.

Sponsor Wolverine Air had purchased about 80 helmets to give away in the rodeo. Wolverine's Chris Pinckard said they were glad to help.

"(RCMP Sgt. Larry Wright) contacted me and asked if we'd like to get involved," Pinckard said. "We always like to get involved in things like that around the community -- especially when there are kids or anything to do with the schools are involved.

"It was a fun thing and the kids learned something and the whole idea was to get these kids wearing helmets," Pinckard added.

Each participant was also awarded a certificate for completing the safety course, by Sgt. Wright, who thought the turnout for the rodeo was "excellent."

"I think we gave out between 45 to 50," Wright said. "There was a total of 80 bought, so we have about 30 left."

Wright said the detachment will use the remainder of the helmets for prizes and giveaways throughout the year.

While there is no mandatory helmet law in Simpson, Wright said it's just a good practice to get into.

"Some communities have a bylaw where you have to wear a helmet -- like Yellowknife just re-enacted theirs," he said.

Wright said the enforcement of a helmet bylaw in Simpson would be a big job for bylaw officers to enforce.

"So there is no law, other than just good common sense," he said.