Letters to the Editor

Bicycle safety

In response to April 14's article on bicycle safety ("Bike theft vexes students, police; Public Safety intensifies efforts"), I wanted to add that bicycle safety entails more than just locking your bike. Wearing a helmet is the most important element of bike safety – UC Berkeley reported that 96 percent of people who died from Bike accidents in 1996 were not wearing helmets.

Furthermore, the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute reports that "bicyclist death rates per trip or per person mile of travel greatly exceed the rates for car occupants." As bad as it is to lose a $300 bike, I think that a Princeton student paying more than $100,000 to improve his head would consider investing in a helmet to protect it. Evan Variano '00

Lovable creatures

In the April 15 issue of the 'Prince' Andrew Shtulman '01 wrote a very derogatory column ("Teletubbies take over nation's children, adults") about PBS's newest U.K. import for kids – Teletubbies. He claimed that "the show was actually created as an alternative to advanced shows such as 'Sesame Street' and 'Barney'" and that "'Teletubbies' omits anything even remotely educational, including words.' "

I have a number of problems with Mr. Shtulman's piece. "Teletubbies" is not meant to be an alternative to "Sesame Street" or even "Barney and Friends." These shows are designed for children of preschool age – children who are just beginning to read and interact with other children. Having watched the Teletubbies a few times as well as having read a number of articles about these creatures, it is very clear that the target audience of the show is children one to two years old.

Most one-year-olds, as far as I know, are entertained by things like bright red balls and mobiles hanging over their cribs. (Granted, their best entertainment is probably interaction with their parents, but that is an entirely different reason to criticize exposing them to television.)

I would venture to say that children are not missing "Sesame Street" to see the Teletubbies, but that they are watching "Teletubbies" until they are old enough to see "Sesame Street." The more important question, then, is not whether watching "Teletubbies" is better for one-year-olds than watching "Sesame Street" but whether watching "Teletubbies" is better than staring blankly at spinning critters above a crib.

I am not sure whether Mr. Shtulman has watched "Teletubbies" or not, but he is certainly wrong in saying that "'Teletubbies' omits anything even remotely educational, including words." There is a narrator that describes everything on the screen in plain English to the Teletubbies, often in response to the Teletubbies' demanding "What's that?" For kids just learning how to talk, this is their most important way of learning about their surroundings. If "Teletubbies" encourages this, who is complaining?

Mr. Shtulman also seems terribly upset that little children are being taught associations like "big hug = fun." I still think big hugs are fun, and I feel badly for anyone who thinks this association is poison to toddlers' minds. Jim Hunziker '98