Cycling Licence

j.r.hawkins

As a parent of 13- and 11-year olds, I am really appreciate the rule allowing kids 12 and under to ride the footpath.

Under 12, kids have zero road sense. It is a point relentlessly emphasised in literature we receive from the RTA. The lack of consideration and common sense other posters complain about as kids flash past on the footpath characterises *all* their cycling activity. Can you imagine the consequences if we forced them into the same space as 1-2 tonne hunks of metal travelling at 40-60km/hr with inattentive drivers at the wheel?

My 11-yo hates riding on the road. He doesn't understand how cars behave, and finds the experience of riding with *any* traffic very intimidating. He won't do it unless I am with him and absolutely insist (which is only when circumstances make the footpath a greater safety risk than the road, such as the driveways mentioned above, and low branches).

For this I'm grateful.

1id10t

Plenty of cyclists I see only have a single set of lights. However, I like to ensure that if one happened to stop working then I have another still visible. Also, I hope that multiple lights make me a little more visible to motorists. I'll usually have a combination of flashing and non-flashing lights. When using multiple lights though, be prepared for the 'Christmas tree' jibes.



It's not always so bad. During peak hours you can be moving apace with the traffic or sometimes faster. Also, cycling in the middle of the lane helps. It ensures motorists don't try squeezing past you. Doesn't always work though; there's always that one or two impatient types who will do so and sometimes even honk or abuse you. I just keep cycling and mentally entertain myself with thoughts of what I would do if I caught up with them.

wishes

my kids school refuse to let children ride to school unless they do a special bike 'license'.
They get a police officer to come in talk to them then teach them basic skills, make sure they can do xxx and yyy etc
Then they get a license. They can only do this once they are 10 years old or older.
It works well!

__________________
Homepage
Weightloss & Cycling Blog

Garyh_GONP07

Sounds a bit like BikeEd, which I was involved in during the early 1980s promoting it through the (then) Bicycle Institute of Victoria (now Bicycle Victoria). Some idea of it can be gleaned from the Queensland Cycle Strategy: http://tinyurl.com/37cmmq(abbreviated URL)

I think all children 8 to 13 should undergo school-based competency-based testing for on- and off-road (which means footpath) riding; previous posts have rightly highlighted the danger of reversing cars and even kids running out the driveway. I am not sure of the extent of BikeEd in schools now, though around where I live I often see groups of teacher-led children on bikes on 'skills development' (either BikeEd or something else), but that is in the relatively safe environment of a bike path with transit on busy suburban roads.

The teenage years are the 'red zone' when a lot of rules and sensible habits gleaned earlier are summarily tossed out in favour of peer pressure e.g failure to wear helmets, no lights at night or in the morning, lack of courtesy and tearing around on footpaths oblivious to the presence and requirements of others (pedestrians).

There is no easy solution with kids. Parents and schools are doing their best and right thing by starting bike/on-road education early and continuing it through the years.

__________________
I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it where I like."
—Freddie Mercury, 'Bicycle Race'

Laterider1958

Our small city has a road safety centre, which has been purpose built for educating young children on how to ride a bike safely. It was accessed by kindergartens and your primary schools. Unfortunately it closed down, I think due to insurance worries for the facility. Have heard a rumour that it may re-open, but the last time I rode past it had lots of weeds overtaking. It's a pity.

The grounds consist of a building where pre-riding instructions were given, tricycles and bicycles (child sized), sealed and marked roads with Stop and Give Way signs as well as flashing train lights (with the ding dongs). An adult would lead small groups of children around the circuit, taking different routes and demonstrating hand signals, keeping everybody to the left (or trying to) and observing the appropriate give way rules when encountering others at intersections. There were also pedestrians to complicate matters, so the riders had to learn what to do at pedestrian crossings. The kids had a great time and the experience was repeated once a term.

My concerns re children riding on footpaths mainly referred to residential areas where the roads and footpaths are narrow, where space to avoid a collision is minimal. I feel no young child should be riding on a busy road, competing with heavy traffic, without close adult supervision and even then surely an alternative safer route could be used.

Proteus2000

Hi Laterider 9158 6 months ago I was exiting Radio Spares carpark (Oakleigh) in my car. When a young boy was riding along a foot path, he hit my bumper bar and was not hurt but very shaken. I was more concern about the boy and his bike than my bumper bar. His father was 30 meters down the road. Luckly he was not hurt and his father apologized to me ... While I was just glad no body was hurt and bike and car were fine. I do not think there is a good solution for kids on bikes....Other than parents making sure they get a lot of riding first on bicycle paths with parents supervision. The earlier kids start the healthier the tend to be. Lets thank all our parents that spent time with us to learn to ride safely. Good luck to all road users young and old.

Cheers all
Proteus

scotty72

I'm a little concerned about your passive use of language here.

The boy hit me.

You said he was a young biy and therefore perfectly entitled to be on the path.

If you were crossing the path in your car then, it is your responsibility to make sure the path is clear. Too many drivers simply charge out of driveways etc and don't bother to check the footpath.

I would suggest that you hit the boy (no matter how careful you were) as it is your responsibility to avoid collisions (and assusme te path is occupied).

Therefore I hope you said sorry to the boy.

Scotty

__________________
www.bikenorth.org.au

2006 Scott Speedstar S10

artemidorus

+1.

__________________
"All that we see and seem is but a dream, within a dream..."

caferacerwanabe

Bike license would be a very bad idea, better idea is for riders to ostracise bad cyclists .

My longtime cycling friend was joking with me the other day that we should find some other sport because this cycling is becoming far too popular here in Oz, consequently we are going to see more & more bad cyclists.

So next time you see a bad cyclist make sure you tell 'him' , if he gets criticism from a fellow cyclist maybe he will start listening, well maybe

nerdag

Despite this, some riders will never learn nor comply. The last time I tried to give another rider some advice about using lights at night (it was about 7pm), I was told to "f*ck off and mind your own business, because its d!ckheads who ride to work like you that get hit".

He may have taken it better if I had been on a road bike (just like him - surely it means he's far more entitled to behave like a moron), but alas, I was on a roadified MTB commuter with flashing lights front and rear, so in his eyes, I wasn't riding a legitimate bicycle.

Anyway, my point is that sometimes, an idiot will always be an idiot, and its up to individual riders as well as the peak advocacy bodies to keep hitting the message home about safe riding.

n