W.A.C.K.E.D.- Bicycles that Serve

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This Friday is going to be about not only a concept, but a practice that is being revisited and reinvigorated.  It seems foreign to some to see a bicycle used by anything more than a child, teenager or some health kook.  In American history bikes have served many functions in service, business and public protection.  Those uses are back on the rise and may even look familiar to you.

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When a fire is reported, we are all familiar with the sound of the big rig fire trucks, the sirens, the rumble of heavy diesel engines rushing a crew of heroes to save both man, beast, and property from the ravages of fire.  The equipment they use is state of the art and the obsession of grade school boys the world over.  Now imagine having a town that is too small for their own Fire Department.  It can take valuable time waiting for that first hose to hit the flames, so some communities had an innovative concept.  Mind you most of the ones I found were not recently implemented (1900's) and mostly European or in Asia, but the idea is stirring in the US with small communities in the face of smaller budgets.  As a Fire bike, it only brings a hose to the scene, but for some cases, that may make a big difference.

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The EMT's often related to the Fire Department is a much larger cycling force.  For reasons of effectiveness in areas with high traffic or are difficult to access with cars or EMT type vans or ambulances, First response bikes are becoming very popular.  Even in heavy tourist areas you can spot them pushing around crowds, or running along curbside to get somewhere fast.

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Much the same as with Police Bikes.  Even in towns very near to me are Police Bicycles weaving through traffic and darting into alleys after bad guys.  Its difficult to take an officer seriously while writing a ticket when he is in skin tight lycra, and only armed with a small taser gun.  I imagine the taser is less likely to go off in the event of crash.  Some officers do dress more "Cop-like" wearing merely the cop issue cargo shorts and short sleeve shirt.  Whatever the application, it is becoming a more popular alternative to $100,000+ service vehicles.  The Police officers look less donut powered, and more Gatorade than coffee.   Either way, it is a concept that is nice to see growing into more common practice, like it was in the old days.   

Photo Credit -NJ.com

Photo Credit-City of Tyler .org