First week as a cycling instructor

[Dave Davenport]

Well that's my first week as a Bikeability instructor done;

Highlights;
How much all the kids progressed and grew in confidence through the week
The girl with impaired vision who didn't want to ride on the road on Monday but didn't want to get off it today
The girl with scoliosis who was whizzing round the playground within 15 minutes of me putting the forks the right way round on her new bike (her dad had assembled it)
The girl who's teacher told us was very quiet and in the bottom sets in school who turned into a sparky chatterbox on a bike

Lowlights;
A fair few drivers thought them getting where they wanted to go without delay was more important than being careful and slowing down around half a dozen ten year olds on bikes.
The bloke who came out of his house and berated me about the kids being 'in the middle of the road' and who phoned the school and the council to complain.

 

[cosmicbike]

Good work Dave, keep at it, always good to see youngsters out on their bikes.

 

[Andy_R]

Wait 'til you get one like I had a couple of years ago. Bikes were on the edge of the footpath (on the path, not the road) near the junction, when a local pulled up and demanded that we remove them as she wanted to park there. I pointed out that if she did park there she would be parking on the footpath, at the apex of the junction which could be a problem for other drivers. She insisted and demanded my name and what department I worked for at the local council. I put her through to our road safety office, and moved on. Went past her car later on with the kids and saw a FPN had been stuck to the windscreen. Oh, how I laughed.

 

[annedonnelly]

Well done. It's a great feeling giving kids a sense of achievement like that.

 

[ScotiaLass]

Well done!! I wish I had that experience at 10 years old...I'm a very nervous rider now

 

[Salad Dodger]

Well done Dave.

I used to teach kayaking at a couple of clubs, and one of them used to hold a one week kayaking/canoeing holiday each Summer. It was very rewarding to see kids who, at the start of the week couldn't paddle 10 yards in a straight line, finishing the week by doing a day trip of 4 or 5 miles....

 

[stephec]

Wait 'til you get one like I had a couple of years ago. Bikes were on the edge of the footpath (on the path, not the road) near the junction, when a local pulled up and demanded that we remove them as she wanted to park there. I pointed out that if she did park there she would be parking on the footpath, at the apex of the junction which could be a problem for other drivers. She insisted and demanded my name and what department I worked for at the local council. I put her through to our road safety office, and moved on. Went past her car later on with the kids and saw a FPN had been stuck to the windscreen. Oh, how I laughed.

Should have slashed her tyres and put her windscreen in for good measure.

 

[Andy_R]

Should have slashed her tyres and put her windscreen in for good measure.

errrmmm....no......was in fully logoed hiviz, and had a group of 6 kids with me. She didn't realise that the road safety team works very closely with the neighbourhood wardens and the local police......silly moo

 

[postman]

Well that's my first week as a Bikeability instructor done;

Highlights;
How much all the kids progressed and grew in confidence through the week
The girl with impaired vision who didn't want to ride on the road on Monday but didn't want to get off it today
The girl with scoliosis who was whizzing round the playground within 15 minutes of me putting the forks the right way round on her new bike (her dad had assembled it)
The girl who's teacher told us was very quiet and in the bottom sets in school who turned into a sparky chatterbox on a bike

Lowlights;
A fair few drivers thought them getting where they wanted to go without delay was more important than being careful and slowing down around half a dozen ten year olds on bikes.
The bloke who came out of his house and berated me about the kids being 'in the middle of the road' and who phoned the school and the council to complain.

My local school asked me two years running to help out,as a parent with children at school,i assisted Leeds City Council Cycle people.Two things one or two bikes were naff and we had to sort them out,and how the pupils loved it.

 

[Dave Davenport]

I walked away from the village idiot without saying much as I had six kids with me, but am tempted to ride up and down his road in primary on my own and explain the concept of road positioning via the medium of my forehead meeting his nose at considerable velocity,

 

[The Brewer]

Hats off to you sir, respect

 

[mr_cellophane]

Not had the mums who are ridiculous cautious around the kids then. Doesn't give them an accurate idea of how to behave around traffic.

 

[Dangermouse]

Sounds to me like a good job, well done by someone who has taken the time to show some kids some basics of cycling and road safety, well done Dave, keep up the great work.