Cycling to school

[gavintc]

I don't know that cycling was ever promoted when I was a kid, but few would risk the embarrassment of being dropped off outside by car (unless your mum/dad/brother or whoever had a really f***ing cool car)

I do not think any of the kids at my school were dropped off by car. We all walked, got the bus, or cycled. I really cannot remember parents queuing at the school gates in their cars. Interesting how in a generation, it has become the norm!

 

[dellzeqq]

McB - in my estimation you live in the part of the country that is least suited for cycling. Drivers in West Surrey, Berkshire and northeast Hampshire are the worst.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I do not think any of the kids at my school were dropped off by car. We all walked, got the bus, or cycled. I really cannot remember parents queuing at the school gates in their cars. Interesting how in a generation, it has become the norm!

It's because it's "not safe", gavin. There are two reasons often given:
1. There's a peedo - (C) any tabloid - lurking behind each and every bush on the way.
2. There's too much traffic.

Don't get me wrong on the first point .. I'm as protective of my daughters as the next dad, but I think the real risks need to be put into perspective: it always seems to me that most kids are abducted / abused by people they know.

And, for the second point, it's ironic that the irony is lost on people.

 

[MacB]

McB - in my estimation you live in the part of the country that is least suited for cycling. Drivers in West Surrey, Berkshire and northeast Hampshire are the worst.

I don't have enough experience of cycling elsewhere to compare. I certainly don't feel threatened when out riding generally but the school run times, and local roads, seem to be a different beast entirely.

Like others I knew very few people that were driven to school at any age. There was always a group that qualified, due to location, for a taxi, but that was very much the exception. We all know how empty the roads become during school holidays. It's a struggle against weight of opinion though.

 

[ChrisKH]

My son's just moved up a school (into what's now year 3). Glad to see they have a half decent bike shed (though it's faster for us to walk than ride).

First newsletter came round & again I'm pleased to see that year 4 are all doing bikeability training this term.

Whilst I think it is a good thing and made my year 4 son do it (under private instruction effectively) I personally think it's more useful when they're a bit older (year six, probably, just before they hit secondary school).

 

[Hilldodger]

That's Cyclemagic's Anna and Simon doing the training in Leicester

Taken a long while ago, though.

 

[byegad]

In 1962 I was bought a bike to get me to Grammar school.

On the first day there were so many bikes from the 360 pupils* that I estimate that over half of the school arrived by bike! As the school expanded (We had over 1000 by the time I left in 1969.) the proportion of cyclists fell.

I have no doubt that the increase in motor traffic and car ownership across the 1960s had a lot to do with this and now we find schools with cycle bans for pupils!

Progress???

* Yes 360 pupils across seven years!

 

[Jonathan M]

I do not think any of the kids at my school were dropped off by car. We all walked, got the bus, or cycled. I really cannot remember parents queuing at the school gates in their cars. Interesting how in a generation, it has become the norm!

As well as the "safety" issues, one factor is that the numbers of cars in a family has increased. So back in the 60's & 70's if a family owned a car it was either at work with father, or parked on the drive ready for use at weekends & holidays.

IMHO being driven to school became the norm of the back of wanting to be affluent - if your parents were rich enough/in debt enough to run two cars, they'd want everyone to know about it.