W heels move you from birth to death.A basinet probably rolled you to your mother’s arms, after a special bed wheeled her to the delivery room where you were welcomed to the world. Then there were baby stroller trips.Kids Robin Read and Libby Smart chatted about that while riding their bikes with friends they were visiting in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma, relishing the pleasure of using just foot-powered wheels to go anywhere in town on a beautiful day.“Wheels were invented over 5,500 years ago in Mesopotamia, but the Greeks needed 20 centuries before discovering that wheels could move goods and people in wheel-and-axle carts, powered only by walking,” Libby said. “Before that, archeologists think, wheels just helped make pottery.”Robin suddenly slowed down exclaiming, “Look at that—cool, not ancient.”‘That’ was a super-modern electric bicycle a millionaire might ride. It had enough gadgets, gizmos, lights and trim to nearly hide the seat, pedals and chains. But the police of_icer and his vehicle moved silently.“The local newspaper said new Police Chief Jeremy Cantrell just bought three of the bikes using about $11,000 donated by the town’s largest furniture store, a major restaurant, and a family partnership.“They can see and respond to a burglary or car theft, silent and invisible so the thief can’t _lee, and is arrested, which solves a neighborhood problem. If of_icers have to move fast to an emergency, they use a complete light, siren, etc. package activated by just a _inger,” he said.Libby added, “The Chief likes having of-Photo courtesy City of Pryor Creek via The Paper._icers at the same level as citizens, near sidewalks walking dogs or babies, getting mail or shopping, so they can chat and get better acquainted. The of_icer tells me it is a great tool when some people have a bad feeling about cops.”The Kids are reading the Los Angeles Times, where America’s third largest police department has been named America’s third largest e-bike _leet, and Pryor’s info hub, The Paper, to track e-bikes there.“Reading the papers is fun. That’s why bikes and newspapers have such long histories,” Robin concluded.
