national cycling proficiency scheme

[Cathryn]

As a kid I wasn’t allowed to ride on the road until I’d passed my national cycling proficiency. Ive not seen any groups of kids being trained to use the roads lately. My wife is extra carful around cyclists because she used to ride herself.

We do it every year in year 6.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I remember doing mine. I don't recall it being particularly arduous to pass. You got a very sharp edged badge to put on your handlebars.

 

[PeteXXX]

I still have my Cycling Proficiency badge from about 60 years ago... 🥇

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

We do it every year in year 6.

Around my area only one school does it that I know off, They cone off the road for the day.
I did mine when I was 9 years old. I was really worried I wouldn’t pass as I wanted to ride to school.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I still have my Cycling Proficiency badge.. 🥇

Lost mine 😥

 

[Dogtrousers]

I still have my Cycling Proficiency badge from about 60 years ago... 🥇

Mind you don't cut your fingers on it. Mine had razor sharp edges IIRC.

 

[ColinJ]

I took the CP test in 1965. (Where did those 59 years go!! )

Kids are often being given Bikeability training on the backstreets of Todmorden that I use for my shorter local rides. I make an effort to do everything in a very obvious fashion for them as I go past... Checks over my right shoulder, looking left and right up side streets and alleys, stopping at junctions, signalling properly and so on. I see the instructors watching me and I don't want them to use me as an example of how NOT to ride!

 

[Dadam]

My kids both did it at primary school. There were 2 parts, one in the school playground, round cones etc, the 2nd part was on quiet roads round the local housing estate. Neither of my two were able to get to part 2 because they couldn't actually ride. Still can't... despite my best efforts

 

[Ajax Bay]

We were permitted to ride to school only once we'd passed, with teaching/learning sessions and then testing all completed during lunch break(s).
My ride (aged 11-18) was along the South Circular (A205), including, in the morning, a right turn onto it and a right turn off it.
Moving on to this decade, I recently rode from J27 of the M5 towards the school above Uffculme along the A38. I was amazed and gratified to see a huge peloton (singled out, mind) of adolescents, with scattered adults, heading towards me. And then another lot (30+). And another!
I was informed by the local (to whom I was heading for tea and to finalise arrangements for a 600k ride) that the school had an annual 'start of summer hols' biking trip in NW France, with a criterion for participation that one had to ride to school 'x' number of times (over the term?). Brilliant.

 

[Paulus]

I still have my Cycling Proficiency badge from about 60 years ago...

I still have my certificates and badges. I took it twice, once at primary school in May 1969 before going to secondary school, and again in May 1971, I seem to remember signing up again just for sake of it.

 

[Paulus]

A couple of weeks back in Potters Bar I noticed a group of kids and an instructor waiting at a Junction near to the Royal veterinary college on a training course.

 

[presta]

I've got an idea.

Teach people to drive properly, not just the bare mininum required to scrape a test, introduce a national syllabus with separate modules that all drivers must lass before applying for a test, and then punish them ruthlessly for breaking the law, say a 28 day ban for minor speeding and the punishments get worse from there.

They'd soon start behaving themselves.

That'll just perpetuate the ignorance, and fuel more resentment rather than empathy.

 

[BrumJim]

My son still hasn't done bikeability. He can ride in a pack of 25 round a tight narrow cycle circuit at up to 30 mile/h without causing a crash, and has been on a couple of 100 mile rides with his Dad on real roads. And he rides home on his own from school every day, although mostly along cycle paths. So the point of doing it is diminishing, but I would still like him to at some point.

 

[cyberknight]

I remember cycling to school to do it , i was in primary school and it was about 3 miles away so my parents were worried but i survived .

 

[PeteXXX]

Lost mine 😥

Shame... 😔

Mind you don't cut your fingers on it. Mine had razor sharp edges IIRC.

The edges in mine are OK but it's got a pointy pin that wouldn't pass elfin safety now!

I still have my certificates and badges. I took it twice, once at primary school in May 1969 before going to secondary school, and again in May 1971, I seem to remember signing up again just for sake of it.
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😎 I don't remember having a certificate but i guess i must have done 🤔