Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
To be fair, was it just last year that the first pylons carrying electricity entered Yorkshire?
Cycling Proficiency
- Thread starter Cycleops
- Start date
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- cycling proficiency
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To be fair, was it just last year that the first pylons carrying electricity entered Yorkshire?
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
I remember doing mine, about 1970. Got the triangular badge but seem to have lost it. I think it's still a great idea for schoolchildren to do.
Also when I was a Cub Scout leader I was very keen on the cubs learning how to look after their bikes, mend punctures etc. Sometimes I bump into an ex cub of mine (they are all young men now) and a couple of years ago one of them said he'd taken up cycling and remembered some of the things I'd taught him. Brought a tear to my eye it did.
Also when I was a Cub Scout leader I was very keen on the cubs learning how to look after their bikes, mend punctures etc. Sometimes I bump into an ex cub of mine (they are all young men now) and a couple of years ago one of them said he'd taken up cycling and remembered some of the things I'd taught him. Brought a tear to my eye it did.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
The teacher's strikes of the 80s saw all extra curriculum stuff was cancelled, so technically I can't ride a bike 
SkipdiverJohn
Deplorable Brexiteer
- Location
- London
I can remember doing it in the late 70s, as did quite a lot of my classmates. Pretty much every kid with the full complement of arms and legs rode bikes back then anyway, so we tended to look on it as a good excuse to ride our bikes at school. It was done in the playground, but still drummed some road sense into you all the same. In the scheme of things the cost was peanuts in relation to the benefit. No hi-vis and helmet nonsense back then either, just a trouser clip if you wore longs so you didn't get dirty chain oil on your leg and a bollocking from your mum.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Yep failed mine, apparently you were supposed to look behind when setting off despite being on the School playground and there being no cars about, now I've never been an Actor so to me this was total BS and I'd bet that of the 25-30 kids that day I'm the only one that rides a bike daily.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
As part of the CP course, we were given a booklet called "Skilful Cycling". I was crestfallen to discover that it didn't explain how to ride no-hands or pull wheelies.
Here's one: Amazon product ASIN B001QXAMOYView: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skilful-Cycling-Roadcraft-Technique-Maintenance/dp/B001QXAMOY
Brave boy, taking a R20 to school. Anything less than a Chopper, Grifter or "racer" would have got you beaten up at my school.
Here's one: Amazon product ASIN B001QXAMOYView: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skilful-Cycling-Roadcraft-Technique-Maintenance/dp/B001QXAMOY
Brave boy, taking a R20 to school. Anything less than a Chopper, Grifter or "racer" would have got you beaten up at my school.
Lovacott
Über Member
We did it in our school back in 1966 along with a trip to the pool once a week for swimming lessons.
When I was nine, I was riding my bike on the road and giving hand signals etc and I wasn't drowning in the sea at Great Yarmouth either.
I also started doing woodwork when I was six using proper tools with sharp edges and pointy bits.
I don't remember anyone dying as a result?
School just ain't the same any more.
Lovacott
Über Member
Kids love certificates and badges.
I remember my huge pride at being awarded a Tufty Club badge for road safety when I was six.
One of my greatest moments.
newfhouse
Resolutely on topic
Maybe not in your experience, although I remember a boy lost the sight in one eye during a metalwork lesson at my school. I’m not saying that children shouldn’t be taught how to use tools correctly, but it is a risk. The same goes for cycling in traffic.
Fortunately, fewer children in the U.K. are dying from avoidable causes these days. A quick search reveals this. I’m sure there are more up to date figures out there somewhere, but you can clearly see a welcome downward trend - child deaths down from three/four a day to fewer than one every two days. That’s an awful lot of grief avoided.
http://www.makingthelink.net/deaths-child-accidents
Lovacott
Über Member
On the other hand, you have kids today who are destined to have heart attacks before they hit 30.
Instead of walking or cycling to school, they get taken in a car. Instead of going out on their bikes with their mates in the school holidays, they game online. Instead of having meat and three veg for tea, they have battered sausage and chips.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Decades later, there was a huge surge in UK adults becoming yiffies.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Indeed life expectancy is dropping for the first time in decades, despite those graphs above.
newfhouse
Resolutely on topic
I broadly agree with the cycling point, as you would expect on a cycling forum. Normalising cycling as transport is hugely important, but needs to be combined with driver training and enforcement, and infrastructure improvements.
LeetleGreyCells
Un rouleur infatigable
- Location
- Whitehaven Mansions
I did my cycling proficiency when at school many moons ago, and my son did his Bikeability Level 2 3 years ago. My daughter would have been doing her level 2 this year, and there is still hope she will be able to on the return to school (whenever that may be).
