Changes to Toy Run have bikers worried about safety

OFF THE WIRE
WICHITA, Kansas – After three decades of making sure Kansas kids get a toy on Christmas, some major changes are coming to the Wichita Toy Run – changes bikers say will make the event dangerous.

More than 3,000 bikers were expected to roll through the streets of Wichita this weekend – all of them hauling toys to the Kansas Coliseum to give to children in need this Christmas. Normally, streets are shut down for the parade, but this year they won’t be and many bikers are worried about their safety as well as the success of the event.

“It’s an unreal site to see all these bikes leaving and what they're doing for the kids,” said Kurt Oswald with Roll Easy Magazine.

This year, though, the popular parade has been canceled. The route between Lawrence Dumont Stadium and the Kansas Coliseum had to be changed because of construction on Broadway and rules restricting closing ramps to expressways, which are keeping organizers from obtaining the proper permits. So, organizers are warning bikers traffic won’t be closed and they’ll have to obey all the traffic rules.

“It just doesn't make sense to ride without a police escort and without roads being blocked,” said Staci Addison, a Wichita resident. “It’s just too dangerous. You just never know what’s going to happen.”

A group of bikers met up at KSN to say the change in plans puts their safety at risk and are concerned that thousands of motorcycles trying to carry toys to the Coliseum while dodging cars and onlookers is a recipe for disaster.

“This way we'll be sharing lanes with cars -- cars coming up to intersections really paying more attention to the bikes than driving,” Oswald said.

Organizers say, “We are disappointed, but feel that in order for the Toy Run to accomplish its mission, which is to assist the Salvation Army and the USMC Toys for Tots Christmas programs with bringing Christmas to the least fortunate children of our community, we must make these adjustments and carry them out to the best of our ability.”

According to Toy Run organizers, 20 percent of the toys donated to the Salvation Army and the Toys for Tots programs come from the annual bike run. Organizers hope bikers aren’t swayed by the changes and take part of the event anyway to make sure kids in Kansas have the merriest Christmas possible.

http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/Changes-to-Toy-Run-have-bikers-worried-about/Q061KWSJ1UWMBVoyTL9XUg.cspx