Gerron' Ya Bike!

[B00]

apparently not as easy to do nowadays.

Mini Boo is partaking in Bikeability this week at school.

https://bikeability.org.uk/

At the beginning of this week, they asked her class how many could ride a bike, Mini Boo stated that out of a class of 30 (approx) only about 5 put up their hands! I was stunned. I was daftly under the impression that by 10/11 pretty much all kids could ride a bike- well apparently not.

Isn't it sad?

[ummmm]

Very sad. I don't remember being taught how to ride a bike...but I was taught, that's how young I was.

I was shocked recently about the amount of people that can't swim.

[Bazile]

Well surely it depends on whether or not the kids have had access to a bike , in order to learn

[B00]

Yes! That too!
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but to me...childhood is all about being outside, that includes biking and yes, swimming.

[B00]

I get that Bazile, but considering a 2nd hand kid's bike can be got so cheaply, and the vast majority are given away as they grow out of them I wouldn't have thought it'd be that difficult to get hold of one- would it?

[Robinia]

Yes, it seems a shame but that's the way things are going. I wasn't taught, someone offered me a go on theirs and as we were a big group (ok, gang :)) I didn't dare say I couldn't ride it so off I went and I didn't fall off. Mum bought me a second hand one and I loved it. I still rode a bike up until a few years ago.

[Georgiesmum]

Roads are so much busier nowadays. Parents take their children to school by car. I never had access to a swimming lesson and Ive never had a bike. I walked everywhere. and my parents never had a car, they were too busy working to try and put food on the table.

[ummmm]

I live close by to a few primary schools and a senior school. Most kids are not taken to school by cars.

[237SJ]

I taught myself to ride on someone else`s bike when I was pretty small (as most kids did) but it was in a rural village where we could cycle around without worrying about traffic. It`s not so easy in urban areas though. There is a heck of a lot more traffic these days and people get *** off if kids cycle on the pavement so unless their parents take them and their bike to the park, cycling isn`t that much of a pleasure. Round here, I have seen kids cycling where there are garage blocks. Not only that, but their parents are watching over them, no doubt terrified that they are going to fall off. When I think about the freedom we had, I feel quite sorry for the poor little blighters.

[sherrardk]

All of my children can ride their bikes but thing 1 has to be closely supervised because she is so reckless.

[Booldawg]

I suppose its more of a social thing.

Kids don't play out like they used to. You had to have a bike to be part of that, else you'd get left behind.

Also not everyones parents had cars in the 60/70s so a bike was also a viable form of transport.

[-SharonA-]

Even now I wobble precariously on my bike.

[hellywelly4]

The roads are so dangerous, I don't think I'd want my kids on bikes these days.

[jno]

I can't ride one; I grew up on a steep hill and nobody had one. But even if I could I woudn't, not anywhere round London.

[woofgang]

I was born and brought up in sarf Lunnon too and never had or wanted a bike. Even then the roads were too busy for kids to be safe.

[B00]

See your point there jno, I wouldn't pedal power round London either. Guess we're lucky living in a small town, especially with lots of disused railway lines which have been made into cycle paths.

[DTCwordfan]

Goodness me, aged nine, that was the only way to go and see mates for me, a few at two miles away down the Lakes country lanes and two very good friends at about four miles, plenty of ups and downs too.

I learned about age 5 and can remember spectacularly going over the wall of a sand-pit, cutting myself, swimming - well for that, aged 7. My youngest, we had floating in a survival position at 1, and she was away at 2 , her sister 6....it's essential in the States with all the pools out there. There's a great protective system out there called 'Katch-a-Kid.'



They are now available in the UK and, as a customer Stateside, I would seriously encourage any ABer with a pool to seriously consider one......

[DTCwordfan]

2nd try....!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Kmg_FiElw

[shaneystar2]

I had my first bike aged about 6 and I'm now errrr...much older :)
Rode a bike for years.At one time I had a very posh one with basket style panniers on it .Couldn't ride one now though ,me knees are gone ..lol.
Like Ummm I was amazed at the amount of people who can't swim .I can't remember not being able to swim.

[jno]

cyclists are forever being killed by HGVs down here

http://www.london24.com/news/cycling/london_cycle_deaths_2015_1_3964719

They're creating "cycling superhighways" along main roads to try to deal with it, but as of now it's very dangerous. Same is probably true of most big cities but anywhere else it ought to be a pleasant way to get about.

[woofgang]

I can't swim either. I can get across the width of a swimming bath but I am one of those odd bods who don't naturally float.