Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jun 26/98) - SAMS students spent June 16 learning cycling rules of the road and how to be safe at a bicycle rodeo.

Topping the safety tips list is wearing a helmet, according to one of the instructors, Const. Paul Joy.

"We can't emphasize the importance of wearing helmets enough," he said.

"A good thing is this is the first year the majority of kids are in helmets."

Students also learned hand signals such as extending their right arm out straight if they are turning right, extending their left arm out straight if they are turning left and tilting either arm down if they intend to stop.

The kids were encouraged to think of their bicycles as vehicles and to drive on the right-hand side with traffic.

All students earned a certificate by the day's end, dozens won medals, 10 won helmets and two won bike locks.

But it was Shereen McLeod who won the big prize -- a $100 bike, donated by Home Hardware at a SAMS school assembly on June 22.

The names of all students who participated in the bike rodeo went into a box and McLeod's name was drawn.