On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 10:26:28 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


I was just thinking about a by-gone era. I lived in the small city of
Quincy, MA as a youngster in the 1950's. They had a program in which
kids under a certain age were required to get a "license plate" for
their bicycles. I remember getting one ... small, vertical plate that
you attached to the rear fender of the bicycle. The plates were issued
at the police station and they had a cop give a short driver's "course"
to the kids about safety, rules of the road for bicycles, etc., before
the license plate was issued.

The whole purpose of this program was to introduce youngsters to safety
issues. It was effective.


The closest thing I ever saw to that was a sticker the cops gave you
for a bike and it was only to get it back easier if it was stolen ...
or so the story went. I am not sure how many ever made it home.
The thief just scraped the sticker off and you were not required to
have a sticker.

On 12/15/2015 11:11 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 10:26:28 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


I was just thinking about a by-gone era. I lived in the small city of
Quincy, MA as a youngster in the 1950's. They had a program in which
kids under a certain age were required to get a "license plate" for
their bicycles. I remember getting one ... small, vertical plate that
you attached to the rear fender of the bicycle. The plates were issued
at the police station and they had a cop give a short driver's "course"
to the kids about safety, rules of the road for bicycles, etc., before
the license plate was issued.

The whole purpose of this program was to introduce youngsters to safety
issues. It was effective.


The closest thing I ever saw to that was a sticker the cops gave you
for a bike and it was only to get it back easier if it was stolen ...
or so the story went. I am not sure how many ever made it home.
The thief just scraped the sticker off and you were not required to
have a sticker.


Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat
twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous
Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except
it said "Quincy" instead of Concord:

http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg

On 12/15/2015 11:24 AM, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 12/15/2015 11:11 AM, wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 10:26:28 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


I was just thinking about a by-gone era. I lived in the small city of
Quincy, MA as a youngster in the 1950's. They had a program in which
kids under a certain age were required to get a "license plate" for
their bicycles. I remember getting one ... small, vertical plate that
you attached to the rear fender of the bicycle. The plates were issued
at the police station and they had a cop give a short driver's "course"
to the kids about safety, rules of the road for bicycles, etc., before
the license plate was issued.

The whole purpose of this program was to introduce youngsters to safety
issues. It was effective.


The closest thing I ever saw to that was a sticker the cops gave you
for a bike and it was only to get it back easier if it was stolen ...
or so the story went. I am not sure how many ever made it home.
The thief just scraped the sticker off and you were not required to
have a sticker.


Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat
twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous
Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except
it said "Quincy" instead of Concord:

http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg


Should have kept it. I see old bicycle plates like this are selling on
eBay for $45 and up. Probably cost 50 cents when issued in 1955.

Mr. Luddite
- show quoted text -
"Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat
twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous
Norman Rockwell paintings. * The bicycle plate looked like this, except
it said "Quincy" instead of Concord:

http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg"


WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular.

On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote:
Mr. Luddite
- show quoted text -
"Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat
twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous
Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except
it said "Quincy" instead of Concord:

http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg"


WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular.


One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five
years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run
beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got
going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a
visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember
the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also
had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very
impressionable experience for a five year old.

On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote:
Mr. Luddite
- show quoted text -
"Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat
twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous
Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except
it said "Quincy" instead of Concord:

http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg"


WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular.


One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five
years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run
beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got
going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a
visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember
the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also
had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very
impressionable experience for a five year old.

I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me
my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of
training wheels until I was older.
Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then
you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running
next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down.
The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds.
The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then.
I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to
the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said
"we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts.

On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote:
Mr. Luddite
- show quoted text -
"Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat
twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous
Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except
it said "Quincy" instead of Concord:

http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg"


WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular.


One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five
years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run
beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got
going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a
visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember
the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also
had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very
impressionable experience for a five year old.

I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me
my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of
training wheels until I was older.
Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then
you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running
next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down.
The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds.
The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then.
I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to
the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said
"we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts.


Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-)

wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 10:26:28 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:


I was just thinking about a by-gone era. I lived in the small city of
Quincy, MA as a youngster in the 1950's. They had a program in which
kids under a certain age were required to get a "license plate" for
their bicycles. I remember getting one ... small, vertical plate that
you attached to the rear fender of the bicycle. The plates were issued
at the police station and they had a cop give a short driver's "course"
to the kids about safety, rules of the road for bicycles, etc., before
the license plate was issued.

The whole purpose of this program was to introduce youngsters to safety
issues. It was effective.


The closest thing I ever saw to that was a sticker the cops gave you
for a bike and it was only to get it back easier if it was stolen ...
or so the story went. I am not sure how many ever made it home.
The thief just scraped the sticker off and you were not required to
have a sticker.


We actually got a ticket if no sticker. Got one at school one time. Had
to go to a bicycle court on Saturday. Run by students from the high
school. Do not know the criteria for court service.