Kids cycling on roads

[Jonathan M]

I used a tag-a-long with Josh occasionally in previous years, but since September we've been forced into using a bike for school more regularly - usually twice a week, minimum. He's 9 years old & now to big for a T-a-L, so he's riding on his own bike. Our route is 3 miles or so one way, and in the morning we take a less direct way to avoid the local high school rush, but these are urban roads, not lanes. The way home we use the more direct route but often loiter after school time to avoid the 3.30pm peak, and gte going before the work home time rush develops.

Josh always rides in front of me, then I'm behind and further away from the kerb. I've heard rumblings from other parents that he is too young, but then these are the people who think riding a bike is for kids anyway. Josh has become much more confident on the bike, his handling has improved, as has his awareness of obvious road hazards, although he doesn't spot the sort of things an adult would, stuff like the driver doing a double take in the game of "shall I go, it's only a couple of bikes?". We were fortunate enough to practice this circuit a few times during the summer holidays, so as far as route Josh had that part sussed, he has noticed the increased traffic volume but appears to handle it well, still needs some prompts & coaching on road position at times.

Oddly his school does not do the cycle wise training until year 6 (he is yr 4), and the majority of that is done on the playground.

We've invested in kit to make the ride safer & more comfortable, so he's just got his Altura Nightvision jacket through the post, might get it wet tommorrow looking at the weather forecast! As the weather gets colder we'll add bits & pieces, he needs some decent winter gloves yet.


IMHO riding on pavements has far more potential dangers, and brings ped & cyclist into too many areas of conflict. Having to slow for peds also slows the commute down as well!

 

[summerdays]

....although he doesn't spot the sort of things an adult would, stuff like the driver doing a double take in the game of "shall I go, it's only a couple of bikes?".

Like you I'm behind and slightly further out than him - and if we get in that situation I ride 2 abreast at that point so they can't get by with the parked cars on their side or intimidate him.

 

[HJ]

There is some useful advice for riding with children on page 236-239 of Cyclecraft...

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

< snip> I've heard rumblings from other parents that he is too young, but then these are the people who think riding a bike is for kids anyway. <snip>

A nice bit of doublethink by those other parents!!

 

[Davidc]

Just to put things perspective, the fatality rate for cyclists on the road has fallen by about 60% since you were a kid. It is now far safer to cycle on the roads, but for some reason people are more frightened to do so

And when I started cycling on roads, aged about 9, in the early 60s, there were nearly 3 times as many cycling fatalities, over three times as many serious injuries, and next to no cyling facilities (such as paths).

I and most others weren't allowed to go on roads (did though) until we passed our cycling proficiency, after which it was a matter of pride to always use the road!

It's also worth remembering that pedestrians of all ages are much more at risk than cyclists on the road.

The problem is in the perception, not the reality. Like many other things this is in part the result of media representation. At one point (late 60s, early 70s) we were killing over 8000 people a year on UK roads, now it's 2500, and the distribution between road users is similar.

Yes, there are collisions, and it's very bad news if you're in one. The chance of that happening is lower now than at any time since the 1940s, so in most of our lifetimes. That is true for bikes, on foot, in a car, and on public transport.

 

[Jonathan M]

Like you I'm behind and slightly further out than him - and if we get in that situation I ride 2 abreast at that point so they can't get by with the parked cars on their side or intimidate him.

Ditto. I'm assuming that you are not 16 st, but I am, so tend to be either quite funny looking or intimidating on a bike! I'll also do that if i feel a car approaching from behind is getting too close, and there is one short insignificant downhill stretch where there is no pavement to our left, so Josh rides middle of the lane, I ride towards the white line, there is no room for a car to pass bike safely at that point, and I ride in a manner to ensure no-one squeezes past. They get past at the bottom, we catch them up at the junction in a few hundred yards and pass them again.