If you have a child............

[ComedyPilot]

Then teach them to ride a bike on the road safely.

I rode into town yesterday with Miss CP in her trailer. A yoof, about 10, on a bmx rode across in front of me on a ped crossing (I had green) and he had to stop with his feet as his brakes were non existant cos I wasn't stopping.

He then squeezed past me in the ASL at a set of traffic lights (RLJ) and was wobbling all over.

Traffic was quite busy.

He then turned left at a mini R/A with no indication.

I was about to pass him and he swerved out in front of me to miss a parked van, Due to the line he was riding I thought he was stopping behind the van.

He then swung in front of me turning right towards my mates LBS - exactly where I was going. Again with no looking or indicating.

I told him what I thought of his riding and he said he didn't normally ride like that.???

Yes, car drivers must have a lot of responsibility to drive on roads, but seeing how this lad rode (without supervision) I can sometimes see how collisions can occur, and to tar the motorist with the 'blame brush' would be wrong.

That lad should have his bike taken off him (for his own protection) and be made to attend cycle proficiency classes (for his own and motorists protection from his frankly shoot attitude to traffic)

 

[Suerdusty]

He's just practicing for when he gets his first BMW!

 

[fossyant]

See loads riding like that, wrong way down the road, wobbling all over - more worryingly is they do it in front of me on my bike as well, know full well I'm there.

I've crashed into one lad once, fortunately I stayed on, and so did he...he got a right earful, and I was blunt..."If I was a car, you would now be dead"..... don't suppose the parents would be too apreiative of a large repair bill for a decent bike....

Had a lad a few weeks ago weave all over, then tried racing me, I'd stopped to let a van out of a junction I wanted to tuen right, me waiting near the middle line...next second kid flies past, and straight infront of the van. Fortunately the van driver had spotted the kid, then let him have it with the horn....

My son has been taught to ride properly....I'll ground him if he doesn't.

 

[ComedyPilot]

See loads riding like that, wrong way down the road, wobbling all over - more worryingly is they do it in front of me on my bike as well, know full well I'm there.

I've crashed into one lad once, fortunately I stayed on, and so did he...he got a right earful, and I was blunt..."If I was a car, you would now be dead"..... don't suppose the parents would be too apreiative of a large repair bill for a decent bike....

Had a lad a few weeks ago weave all over, then tried racing me, I'd stopped to let a van out of a junction I wanted to tuen right, me waiting near the middle line...next second kid flies past, and straight infront of the van. Fortunately the van driver had spotted the kid, then let him have it with the horn....

My son has been taught to ride properly....I'll ground him if he doesn't.

Good post.

 

[jimboalee]

My offspring don't ride their bikes like that.

If other parent's allow their offspring to chance death, then so be it.

Once they're dead, they're dead and they won't harm anyone.

 

[2Loose]

I couldn't agree more.
I too have hit a child on a bike as he jumped off the path in front of me without looking at the traffic. Neither of us fell, but it was a hell of a test of reflexes and brakes. He also got the 'good job I wasn't a car' angry shout.

I can't help thinking that the culture of driving kids 300 yards to school culture has stopped children learning road dangers. When they are finally allowed out on their own, they tend to have no experience, but all the bravado and foolishness that causes situations like this.

 

[ufkacbln]

He's just practicing for when he gets his first BMW!

This is part of the problem... kids see their parents driving and parking on footpaths, forcing their way out of junctions, cutting other drivers up and think it is an acceptable behaviour. They then ride a bike in the same way!

 

[dav1d]

On Saturday, I was cycling near town slowly, the lights were on green at the ped crossing, so I went through as nobody was on it. But suddenly a kid rushes out into my path. I stop in time, but the father holds his hands up in a disbelief gesture at me as so I was in the wrong. I was going a reasonable speed (slow), stopped in time and everything. It's not my fault if he doesn't teach his kids the Green Cross Code!

 

[andyfromotley]

some may recall on here that my seven yo daughter had a nasty crash a couple of months ago wilst avoiding an oncoming car. This was due entirely to her poor positioning as she went round a bend.

She has been shown consistentlty, at length and repeatedly how to ride correctly. But like most kids she is forgetful, impulsive, daydreaming or just downwright careless. Occasionally we have to cut them some slack (even though i do of course appreciate that cars and lorries will do no such thing) and keep on ramming home the message about safe riding.

Mind you when i think back to what i did as a kid on a bike i think i might ground myself!!

 

[fossyant]

Andy, what your daughter did was perfectly 'normal' for a kid, I certainly take account of this when driving and riding, and take it cautiously especially where I know there will be kids...., but it's the deliberate weaving all over the road, head on into cars that is so down right dangerous. If you tell them to be careful, you usually get a mouthful of obscenities, even from under 10's...

 

[very-near]

This is part of the problem... kids see their parents driving and parking on footpaths, forcing their way out of junctions, cutting other drivers up and think it is an acceptable behaviour. They then ride a bike in the same way!

TBH, I rarely see cars being driven on footpaths.
Would you support compulsory training of these cyclists as their own parents cannot be trusted to demonstrate safe techniques ?

 

[purplepolly]

Those cars blocking the pavements don't park themselves or get craned into position. As for faster moving vehicles - on average 250 pedestrians are killed or injured on a pavement by cars each year.

 

[very-near]

Those cars blocking the pavements don't park themselves or get craned into position. As for faster moving vehicles - on average 250 pedestrians are killed or injured on a pavement by cars each year.

One in 10 of the deaths on the roads are caused by cars being driven on the pavements ?

 

[purplepolly]

One in 10 of the deaths on the roads are caused by cars being driven on the pavements ?

killed or injured

 

[Crankarm]

Darwin Awards for these eejits. Enough said.