Henry Thompson, 7, of Rock Island had no problem riding his bicycle through the figure eight exercise before he practically zoomed through the slalom course.

What was important to Henry was the chance to take a spin.

"I just like riding my bike," he said, as multicolored streamers tied to his helmet fluttered behind him as he pedaled through the course.

Thompson is one of about 40 children involved in the Rock Island Parks Department's Camp Lots Of Fun this summer. He and his fellow campers got a quick course in bicycle safety Thursday at a Bike Rodeo held at Lincoln Park.

Rock Island police and members of the Travelers Protective Association, a fraternal society that places emphasis on child safety, taught the course.

Kids who needed a bike helmet got one for free.

"Most of the people injured on bikes, and this is especially true of adults, ride against traffic," said Rock Island police Det. Sgt. Dan Knittle.

"That's the biggest problem. Bicyclists are required to obey the exact same traffic laws as cars," he said. "They have to obey traffic signs and traffic signals."

Knittle said the drivers' course was designed to teach the kids slow speed and braking skills.

Jack Michalski of Rock Island, a member of the Travelers Protective Association Post QC, said one of the biggest problems with children being hurt on bikes is they don't stop and look both ways before crossing streets.

He added that kids need to be taught how to brake properly. "Instead of using brakes, they put their feet down."

Donnie Corwin, a camp counselor, said the kids don't seem to grasp the fact that cars can't stop on a dime for them.

"They need to be made aware of what to do at intersections," he said. "They need not only to look both ways, but to learn to listen for cars."

Some kids didn't bring their bikes, but still got a lesson in safety. Donavin Carter, 6, of Rock Island said his bikes needed a bit of fixing. So he wore his inline skates along with his helmet. His two feet carried him through the course in quick fashion.

Natika Woods, 8, of Rock Island was quick to tell what she learned. "We learned to balance our bikes, and never to put our feet down to stop," she said. "It's also really fun to ride a bike."