Family and cycling

[TuKy_0302]

Hi,

I'm a design student working on a project with TFL on cycling in London and is interested in looking at cycling within families.
It would really help me out if you guys can help me answer some of my questions

Do you and your kids cycle? Is this for leisure/ to commute / to exercise ?
Would you allow your kids to cycle alone when they reach a certain age? what age would this be?
How often do you use your bike as a parent?

Would you want schools to teach your kids about cycling and road safety?
If not why do you not let your children cycle within London?
Do you think the new cycle infrastructures are adequate for families with children?
What do you feel about cycling versus other means of public transport?

Thank you so much in advance! If theres anything else you would want to add please do.

 

[Sharky]

Myself and my dad were long time cyclists. I still am. Of my children, the girls were more interested in ballet, but we did do a few family rides all together. My son, didn't really get the urge to cycle until he went to uni.

Roll onto my daughters family their two boys. Living in Streatham, my daughter and SIL bought bikes to cycle the short journey to the nearest station. With the covid, they are both considering commuting the whole way into the City, but for the moment, most working from home.
Our two grandsons, both learned to ride at the local parks. Age 9 and 14, they don't go out on their bikes alone. The eldest does walk to school by himself and to football training. As a family the 4 of them go out on rides together.
Apart from the risks of cycling, there was a fatal stabbing at the end of their road not long ago, so this is always on our minds.

I commuted into London in the days pre bus lanes and cycle paths and observing conditions now, I am glad I commuted when there was no cycle paths. Cycle paths are only present on the reasonably safe straight sections of the road. When it comes to junctions, roundabouts etc, where the are needed the most, they dissappear.

Hope your project is a success and please return with any outcomes.

 

[Fields Electric]

Started our son at around 5 1/2 years old. It teaches balance skills. He is now 7 years old. But still does not have any road sense skills. So I ride with him every day back and forth to school. I hope that it will teach him some road sense. We also take him out on rides to parks on safe cycle paths. I use my cycle to commute to office in a normal world.

 

[Drago]

1. Yes.
2. Yes, exercise and fun.
3. Yes.
4. That depends very much on their abilty and roadsense.
5. No. Im many levels better qualified to domit myself, somive opted my little girl out of it and trained her myself.
6, I dont live in London.
7. No.
8. I much prefer cycling, andnwhere possible prefermit to public transport. Its door to door, quicker, healthy, cheaper, less environmentally damaging. The only significant downside is it requires effort, and while i dont mind that it seems the majority of people do.