Cycling to school

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gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
i'm shocked at how nearly half of the kids in the image aren't wearing helmets. surely when taking the bikability test there should be an example set and they should all be wearing helmets.

No doubt that facilites are poor for parking at schools, and as it is, if the numbers of cyclists are improved, it will no doubt get safer.
 

MartinC

Über Member
Location
Cheltenham
gaz said:
i'm shocked at how nearly half of the kids in the image aren't wearing helmets. surely when taking the bikability test there should be an example set and they should all be wearing helmets.

If cycling is so dangerous that helmets should be worn then they shouldn't be allowed to cycle to school.
 
Rather than helmets, I'd be worried about bike-shed security...


BTW, what's with that photo caption ?
Students are coached for the cycling proficiency test known as Bikeability at Queens Mead Primary School, Braunstone, Leicestershire.
- those aren't students, they look about 6. They are schoolchildren, not students.
 
U

User169

Guest
gaz said:
i'm shocked at how nearly half of the kids in the image aren't wearing helmets. surely when taking the bikability test there should be an example set and they should all be wearing helmets.

No doubt that facilites are poor for parking at schools, and as it is, if the numbers of cyclists are improved, it will no doubt get safer.

I'm surprised, but heartened by the fact that a least a few haven't felt the necessity to wear a helmet. It's good for them to set an example that cycling isn't dangerous.

I'm not sure exactly what facilities you need at a school for cycling. I counted in excess of 50 bicycles at my daughter's primary school yesterday. There are a few stands, but mostly they just line them up at the edge of the playground.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
Well they increased the size of our cycle sheds over the summer and added 4 stands? Why 4 either you admit that we currently fill the bike shed completely in summer and need to double the existing 20 stands or not. Even on the first day back at school we managed about 20 bikes. Also noticed quite a few parents on bikes dropping off their kids.
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
It depends on school and council for facilites, the school i went to didn't have any cycling faciliteis and no one was allowed to cycle.

I did try and argue the fact that this was an issue to the school, but nothing arose, and mainly due to the fact that the school only had one entrence, on an extreamly busy road, which was on the brow of a hill. all roads surrounding where either duel carraiage way or to dangerous to cycle on. The school allowing this to go forward would have damaged their reputation and no doubt put the life of kids in risk.
We also had kids traveling from over 20Miles away to get to school.

It does depend on the surround areas and the distance that pupils come from.
 

Bad Company

Very Old Person
Location
East Anglia
I think it's a great shame that schools no longer promote cycling. When I went to school back in the 1960's70's we were encouraged to take the cycling proficiency test and cycle to school (we also had a lot of fun behind the bike sheds).:biggrin:
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
I don't know that cycling was ever promoted when I was a kid, but few would risk the embarrassment of being dropped off outside by car (unless your mum/dad/brother or whoever had a really f***ing cool car)
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
gaz said:
i'm shocked at how nearly half of the kids in the image aren't wearing helmets. surely when taking the bikability test there should be an example set and they should all be wearing helmets.


WTF? Bikeability and the instructor insurance CTC have sourced thankfully don't require Magic Foam Hats (TM).
 

Bad Company

Very Old Person
Location
East Anglia
They do. Not as much as they could, but it's probably promoted as much as when I was at primary school in the seventies. And I did my proficiency test then.

I honestly believe that cycling to school and taking the cycling proficiency test helped me to become a better care driver later on.
 

Jonathan M

New Member
Location
Merseyside
What cycling schemes that are run in schools in my area are a farce. Biggest problem is most of the kids are still driven to school, and then the ****ing roads are congested with poncey parents who shouldn't have taken that front wheel out because they don't know how to put it back in the forks :smile:

There are no bike racks at my sons school, but then only him and a kid in the year above ride to school regularly. Josh is asking the school council (child led pseudo elected body) to ask fpr bike racks. Not that he needs one, his aged grandparents live opposite so he parks the bike there and walks the last 100 yards or so.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
My middle boy began secondary school recently and he rode to the new school for the first time last Friday. I rode with him and the other 2, we dropped the youngest en route at his school, he rides on the pavement. Then the rest of us carried on to the big school, with me insisting Josh ride on the road ahead of me. When I collected him in the afternoon I let him ride on the pavement, after the trauma of the morning.

The driving was appalling, despite being confident and holding a good road position I felt threatened, it was much worse for Josh. I also took the time to observe the other kids cycling. They all(including my eldest) seemed to use a mix of road and pavement and a mix of cycling and pushing, depending who was around. I sort of came to the conclusion that, as kids do, they'd sorted out the best way of getting themselves to school in one piece. With the driving from the school run parents I really struggle to see how I could persuade them otherwise. My boys have been, and will continue to be, shown how to ride properly. But, until the school run traffic is addressed, I think they're safer to tackle the route in their own way.
 

Bollo

Failed Tech Bro
Location
Winch
Welcome to the school run MacB. God's own right to drive your kids to school and f*** anyone else.

We're only around the corner from Bolletta's school, but after walking her to the gates I have to make my way to the station and its easily the riskiest mile I ever cycle. The only upside is that, as I'm "that cycling dad" (Winchester is a village with a population of 40,000) school run mum and dad are reluctant to wipe-out someone they vaguely know.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
yeah that's really weird, several times now I've had people I know change their attitudes when they realise it's me on the bike. Almost as if they'd cut me up/run me off the road etc if I wasn't someone they knew. Thankfully I get less beeping of the horn from friends now. I think my subtle hints about car horns making me wobble have sunk in.
 
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