Cycling proficiency teaching

[Ste T.]

Hi
My 9yr old daughter is about to take her proficiency test and I was wondering if anybody here knows what they teach kids with regards to cycling past a line of parked cars in heavytraffic.
I know what the perceived correct way is, in these forums, and I try to claim my space and stay out of the death zone most of the time, but I confess I sometimes bottle it.
I am 14 stone hairy arsed man and it intimidates me, so it must terrify some little ones, so I just wondered what the teach. Ta.

 

[jimboalee]

When my son was 9, I did not let him ride on the road in 'heavytraffic'.

He had a 20" MTB and it went on the footpath.

 

[RRCC]

My just 9 year old daughter, will not ride her Islabikes Beinne 26 on the pavement and has been taught to keep out of the door zone since she started ridding on the road 4 years ago.
I wouldn't let her out in really heavy/fast traffic without me blocking for her though.

 

[Mark_Robson]

My just 9 year old daughter, will not ride her Islabikes Beinne 26 on the pavement and has been taught to keep out of the door zone since she started ridding on the road 4 years ago.
I wouldn't let her out in really heavy/fast traffic without me blocking for her though.

I find the thought of a 5 year old taking primary in traffic quite unnerving, whether you block for her or not. You must have a naturally gifted daughter.

 

[Ste T.]

EEk.
Just before I get a bad parent of the year award, let me explain. I also would'nt let her ride in heavy traffic .We live in a semi-rural area and so this does'nt present a problem. We're lucky that 30yds from our front door starts a network of quiet lanes that she has so far done most of her riding on. The nearest she has come to heavy traffic is down a bypass but on a cyclepath set back from the road, so she has never had to deal with much. As I said ,we are lucky ,but many kids who live in inner cities aren't so fortuate and have to cope with traffic every day. I was wondering what cycling proficiency teaches in these situations

 

[RRCC]

I find the thought of a 5 year old taking primary in traffic quite unnerving, whether you block for her or not. You must have a naturally gifted daughter.

Stunningly gifted - at 5 we where riding on a cycle path and coming to a road crossing, she slowed down and shifted down so she didn't have stop to allow a car on the road to pass. I just told her to wait. I think this shows more anticipation that your average adult driver.

 

[summerdays]

My 9 year old held a strong secondary today when faced with an oncoming driver... on a road narrowed by parking on the car's side of the road... I was immediately behind holding primary position. He didn't leap for the gutter as I suspect many children would have done. So the car was forced to pull into the space between parked cars on his side much to his obvious annoyance which we had timed ourselves to arrive at about the same time. But we have got there through experience of cycling daily to school - he even knows how to deal with lorries and construction traffic. I haven't specifically taught him primary and secondary position yet as I wouldn't let him cycle on those roads on his own.

During her training they should teach them to move out of the door zone ... ask her and see if they do?

 

[ChrisKH]

They definitely teach them to stay out of the door zone and hold primary as part of Bikeability. Funniy enough my ten year old is re-doing his Bikeability 1 today (and 2 later in the summer) with the rest of his class. I felt it would be a good refresher, even though he has already done it once.

 

[HJ]

Hi
My 9yr old daughter is about to take her proficiency test and I was wondering if anybody here knows what they teach kids with regards to cycling past a line of parked cars in heavytraffic.
I know what the perceived correct way is, in these forums, and I try to claim my space and stay out of the death zone most of the time, but I confess I sometimes bottle it.
I am 14 stone hairy arsed man and it intimidates me, so it must terrify some little ones, so I just wondered what the teach. Ta.

If you read Cyclecraft pages 85 - 92, you will see the recommendation given for Bikeability 2 (The National Cycle Training Standard), correct road position is actually safer than gutter hugging or riding on the pavements, which is why we teach it. Although you might feel more vulnerable, by ride where you can be seen, it is safer because you are in the drivers sight-line. If you are not where the drivers are looking, then you can wear all the Hi-viz you like they are still not doing to see you, unlit it is too late.

The perception of risk is an odd thing, cycling is often perceived as being dangerous, when in actual fact it is safer then driving, per mile travelled.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Hi
My 9yr old daughter is about to take her proficiency test and I was wondering if anybody here knows what they teach kids with regards to cycling past a line of parked cars in heavytraffic.
I know what the perceived correct way is, in these forums, and I try to claim my space and stay out of the death zone most of the time, but I confess I sometimes bottle it.
I am 14 stone hairy arsed man and it intimidates me, so it must terrify some little ones, so I just wondered what the teach. Ta.

That'd be level 2 of bikeability at 9? Level 1 is the playground only sessions earlier in Primary school, level 2 is quiet roads over several weeks and is done in year 5 or 6.

Level 3 is where heavy traffic comes in, this is done when the child is older and is taken in much smaller groups so that the risk of the instructor being busy with 1 child whilse several more go under the wheels of a passing truck is minimised.

Theres talk of Government money and it being more widely available through secondary schools, but right now who knows.