Suffolk Roadsafe I did go on one if their speeding courses and that was evangelical
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Bikeability Woes
- Thread starter reglard
- Start date
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Suffolk Roadsafe I did go on one if their speeding courses and that was evangelical
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
No, but I did service her bike before she did it in yr 5 or 6 .
Side with instructor even if some are asshats .
Side with instructor even if some are asshats .
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
You have my sympathy. I doubt they're quite as bad as Norfolk Road Safety (who are still teaching a dangerous outdated cycling-proficiency-style handbook as far as I know - not even Bikeability), but @smsm1 might know more, if we can entice him back on here ;-) If you're in Forest Heath district, then I'd be happy for you to join KLWNBUG and work with the members who have had some success persuading schools to move to better providers.
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
Blame the system. Obviously the op knows about bikes so I can see both POV.
subaqua
What’s the point
- Location
- Leytonstone
sounds like the backards eejit that was "teaching" ( i use the word very very loosely ) my daughters cohort . the one that was trying to get them to ride in the gutter ( funnily the segregated lanes proposed for CS 2 look ,like gutters, and the current lanes from stratford to bow certainly have enough water in them to qualify
) and the door zone. as i have posted previously she told him he was wrong .
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
If you set aside a day sometime before Bikeability starts to do bike checks, the cost of that would have to be paid for by someone. And then you're relying on the school actually bothering to communicate to parents. Bearing in mind it's a struggle to actually get the kids to turn up with bikes (working or not) on the day they start Bikeability (seriously), you're expecting miracles for them all to turn up a few days before with their bikes to get them checked. The organisation I'm with sets aside at least an hour beforehand to go over the bikes and try and get them roadworthy, but they ensure they also have at least 1 "loaner" bike, as it's generally required.
Puddles
Do I need to get the spray plaster out?
- Location
- Hamble, Southampton
We must have been lucky with out Bikeability Instructors from Pedal Power... it was a mare getting instructors to have a bit of sense and talk to "head bikeability" to allow all ages at the school do Bikeability 1 and if they were ready 2....
Pedal Power Training sorted all the grants to cover the cost and over several weekends using a classroom at the school and the playground for 1 (road for 2) they came in and took 146 children through it, they checked the bikes, found no faults, were a bit leery for some of the ages on the Level 1 AND 2 course and kept repeating they would make a decision on if they would do 2 after 1 and had their socks blown off by our kids. We are rural-ish area and lots of children starting "cycling to school" in some form or another at pre-school.
This company was the only company that understood "it is all very well you going on about average ages they do which bikeability course, but they are already cycling to school (okay with Mum/Dad at 4) but they are doing it so lets give them some training....
They even got every single one of the little ones that had stabilisers off them and pedalling independantly.. they didn't pass level 1 but they got a little bit of safety sense and also up on two wheels!
In short they were bloody marvellous... but as I say perhaps we were just lucky.
Oh and the only complaints we had from parents was that their children were correcting their riding styles with "don't ride in the door zone" "start off with your pedal in the power position" etc
Pedal Power Training sorted all the grants to cover the cost and over several weekends using a classroom at the school and the playground for 1 (road for 2) they came in and took 146 children through it, they checked the bikes, found no faults, were a bit leery for some of the ages on the Level 1 AND 2 course and kept repeating they would make a decision on if they would do 2 after 1 and had their socks blown off by our kids. We are rural-ish area and lots of children starting "cycling to school" in some form or another at pre-school.
This company was the only company that understood "it is all very well you going on about average ages they do which bikeability course, but they are already cycling to school (okay with Mum/Dad at 4) but they are doing it so lets give them some training....
They even got every single one of the little ones that had stabilisers off them and pedalling independantly.. they didn't pass level 1 but they got a little bit of safety sense and also up on two wheels!
In short they were bloody marvellous... but as I say perhaps we were just lucky.
Oh and the only complaints we had from parents was that their children were correcting their riding styles with "don't ride in the door zone" "start off with your pedal in the power position" etc
Pragmatism is what is needed , its important that kids have some road training and knowing the abuse the kids bikes get they will always be less than perfect , But as long as the bike goes and stops then there is not a lot of trouble they can get into, my god as a child of the 70s I did my cycling proficiency on a Raleigh Chopper with just the central axle of the pedal on one side.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
Had a similar mixed experience of bikeability at my sons school. As a cycling nut his bike was possibly one of the dearest there (Ridgeback MX24, definitely above the BSO category) and without doubt the best adjusted/maintained/set-up, even if it wasn't the cleanest as we use our bikes enthusiastically. He didn't really need to do Bikeability as he was well on his way from riding we me and has always shown great road sense and awareness and had done the course independently of the school during a holiday, but I figured it would be daft to turn down the chance of additional training/alternative POV.
During the bike checks the instructors kept trying to lower his saddle as it was a struggle for him to put both feet flat on the floor when sat on the saddle. Bless him, he might be great on a bike but tact isn't a strong point. He told them to leave it alone as his dad had set it and it was right and he knew what he was doing coz he's a professional (which I am not). He later disagreed with something else and let slip that it contradicted what he had been taught on the course the previous time....... The little know-it-all smart alec was sent to join his non-cycling classmates back in normal lessons at this point
His saddle height was spot on by the way.
During the bike checks the instructors kept trying to lower his saddle as it was a struggle for him to put both feet flat on the floor when sat on the saddle. Bless him, he might be great on a bike but tact isn't a strong point. He told them to leave it alone as his dad had set it and it was right and he knew what he was doing coz he's a professional (which I am not). He later disagreed with something else and let slip that it contradicted what he had been taught on the course the previous time....... The little know-it-all smart alec was sent to join his non-cycling classmates back in normal lessons at this point
His saddle height was spot on by the way.
Had a similar mixed experience of bikeability at my sons school. As a cycling nut his bike was possibly one of the dearest there (Ridgeback MX24, definitely above the BSO category) and without doubt the best adjusted/maintained/set-up, even if it wasn't the cleanest as we use our bikes enthusiastically. He didn't really need to do Bikeability as he was well on his way from riding we me and has always shown great road sense and awareness and had done the course independently of the school during a holiday, but I figured it would be daft to turn down the chance of additional training/alternative POV.
During the bike checks the instructors kept trying to lower his saddle as it was a struggle for him to put both feet flat on the floor when sat on the saddle. Bless him, he might be great on a bike but tact isn't a strong point. He told them to leave it alone as his dad had set it and it was right and he knew what he was doing coz he's a professional (which I am not). He later disagreed with something else and let slip that it contradicted what he had been taught on the course the previous time....... The little know-it-all smart alec was sent to join his non-cycling classmates back in normal lessons at this point
His saddle height was spot on by the way.
The school when I asked said the instructors for Bikeability are under instruction from Suffolk Council, and we all know how devoid of reality councils can be when it comes to H&S. My fear is that kids will be put off cycling by setting the expectation that everything has to be perfect, also non cycling parents will be spending on BSOs or stopping their kids riding in fear that the child is in danger. I have the telephone number of the coordinator in the council so will ask him to provide his specification. My daughter passed her level 2 today so of course I am a proud Dad as its a cycling milestone like the old cycling proficiency, I told her she can teach her old dad the right way, it might make me behave on the daily commute.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Insurers have never heard the word 'pragmatism'. They have heard the words "tough tit mucker."
Cp40Carl
Über Member
- Location
- Wirral, England
My son missed the Bikeability course when it was at his school due to illness. He does come out cycling regularly with me at weekends during the summer months and has done so for some time. Having long since passed my own Cycling Proficency, and spent a considerable amount of time cycling in traffic, I am conscious of the need for him to learn a lot of different road awareness skills; whilst I could try to teach him, those of you with teenagers will recognise that they do not always pay 100% attention to everything a parent tells them.
I thought, therefore that the best option would be to attend a Bikeability course with him. However, as he is 15yrs old, there aren't any Bikeability courses we could both attend; it's either adult or child only. Only option appears to be private Bikeability lesson for £50. The Bikeability people have helpfully been in touch about this and I will probably enroll the two of us (I'm sure a 'refresher' will be useful for me too!).
Just a shame that there aren't courses for adults and teenagers (who I would imagine are most likely to be involved in road accidents).
Interested to hear views on this or whether others have encountered this problem?
I thought, therefore that the best option would be to attend a Bikeability course with him. However, as he is 15yrs old, there aren't any Bikeability courses we could both attend; it's either adult or child only. Only option appears to be private Bikeability lesson for £50. The Bikeability people have helpfully been in touch about this and I will probably enroll the two of us (I'm sure a 'refresher' will be useful for me too!).
Just a shame that there aren't courses for adults and teenagers (who I would imagine are most likely to be involved in road accidents).
Interested to hear views on this or whether others have encountered this problem?
Flying Dodo
It'll soon be summer
Any qualified cycling instructor should be able to tailor any training for you both to attend together. Try googling for cycle instructors locally, to get some other people to contact. The ones known by the CTC are shown here whilst the British Cycling ones are here. There's likely to be some overlap between the organisations.
Cp40Carl
Über Member
- Location
- Wirral, England
That's really helpful, thank you.
To be honest, the Bikeability people were very helpful and said they could arrange a private lesson for £50. It's just a shame that the local free Bikeability courses, usually run in local parks over the school holidays don't allow mixed groups of adults and children at times.
Appreciate your help.
Andy_R
Hard of hearing..I said Herd of Herring..oh FFS..
- Location
- County Durham
A bit of background:
The "free" bikeability courses are funded by central goverment to the tune of £40 per child trained. To get this funding the instructors have to teach to the National Standard which bears the Bikeability branding, and they have to be registered with and trained by an Instructor Training Organisation (ITO). The teaching is constantly audited and spot checks are carried out by representatives from Steer Davies Gleave on behalf of the DfT. If, during an inspection, it is felt that the Instructors are not working in line with the National Standard the possibility is there for SDG to recommend that funding to the Bikeability Provider (the organisation the instructor is working for) can be suspended. This covers not only the actual training of the young people, but the risk assessment of the instructor regarding bike suitability, training areas etc.
These "clowns" as you put it, are primarily responsible for the safety of the young people in their care (on road ratios of 1:6). As you put it "the tyres were starting to reach the end of their service life" so you knew they were a potential safety issue, but still allowed your daughter to go on a training course that would invovle cycling in traffic. So if that makes them "clowns" for looking out for your daughter's safety, that must make you a "muppet" for not doing the same.
Part of the course is aimed at getting the young people to recognise faults or potential issues with their own bikes, so to spot a tyre needs replacing, but to do nothing about it would be a tad hypocritical of the instructor wouldn't it.
@reglard Suffolk Council may be the Bikeability Provider, but they are NOT allowed to tell the instructors how to run courses or what content to teach. Only the Bikeability Provider's ITO is allowed to do that, and according to the July 2014 lists, Suffolk Council is not an ITO. If the Council is found to be in breach of that, it will lose all Bikeability funding.
And yes, before you ask, I am one of those "clowns". I am also an instructor trainer for an ITO, so I also train those "clowns".
The "free" bikeability courses are funded by central goverment to the tune of £40 per child trained. To get this funding the instructors have to teach to the National Standard which bears the Bikeability branding, and they have to be registered with and trained by an Instructor Training Organisation (ITO). The teaching is constantly audited and spot checks are carried out by representatives from Steer Davies Gleave on behalf of the DfT. If, during an inspection, it is felt that the Instructors are not working in line with the National Standard the possibility is there for SDG to recommend that funding to the Bikeability Provider (the organisation the instructor is working for) can be suspended. This covers not only the actual training of the young people, but the risk assessment of the instructor regarding bike suitability, training areas etc.
These "clowns" as you put it, are primarily responsible for the safety of the young people in their care (on road ratios of 1:6). As you put it "the tyres were starting to reach the end of their service life" so you knew they were a potential safety issue, but still allowed your daughter to go on a training course that would invovle cycling in traffic. So if that makes them "clowns" for looking out for your daughter's safety, that must make you a "muppet" for not doing the same.
Part of the course is aimed at getting the young people to recognise faults or potential issues with their own bikes, so to spot a tyre needs replacing, but to do nothing about it would be a tad hypocritical of the instructor wouldn't it.
@reglard Suffolk Council may be the Bikeability Provider, but they are NOT allowed to tell the instructors how to run courses or what content to teach. Only the Bikeability Provider's ITO is allowed to do that, and according to the July 2014 lists, Suffolk Council is not an ITO. If the Council is found to be in breach of that, it will lose all Bikeability funding.
And yes, before you ask, I am one of those "clowns". I am also an instructor trainer for an ITO, so I also train those "clowns".