Things parents say why kids not riding to school

User avatar
Aushiker
Posts: 22395
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
Location: Walyalup land
Contact:

Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby Aushiker » Sat Oct 06, 2012 2:18 pm

This is an American video but the stats on the number of kids actually riding to school are similar here in Australia. It seems we have a long way to go to change attitudes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WZPnFaz7jA&hd=1[/youtube]

Andrew

R12RT
Posts: 478
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 9:47 am
Location: Ballajura, Western Australia

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby R12RT » Sat Oct 06, 2012 2:49 pm

Despite the best attempts by my wife and myself to encourage our 12 year old to ride to school, he refuses.

We believe that it is peer pressure that is stopping him.

Times have changed. When I went to high school in the late 70's there would be a couple of hundred bikes parked in the bike racks. At my son's high school there would be less than thirty.
John Beaven
2010 Malvern Star Oppy C6
2014 Giant Propel Advanced 1

mitzikatzi
Posts: 1916
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Perth

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby mitzikatzi » Sat Oct 06, 2012 3:18 pm

R12RT wrote:Despite the best attempts by my wife and myself to encourage our 12 year old to ride to school, he refuses.

We believe that it is peer pressure that is stopping him.

...snip..
At least walking is still exercise. :wink:

User avatar
skull
Posts: 2087
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 9:48 pm

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby skull » Sat Oct 06, 2012 3:26 pm

Well if he doesn't ride make him walk

Sent from my not iDevice using Tapatalk 2

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby il padrone » Sat Oct 06, 2012 6:04 pm

A bit of a set-up really, but that cr#p is what so many parents will say.... when confronted with the crass-medja fear-mongered threats to their youngsters. The young kids were so much more believable.

I prefer the ideas presented in this:

Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
Aushiker
Posts: 22395
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:55 pm
Location: Walyalup land
Contact:

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby Aushiker » Sat Oct 06, 2012 6:13 pm

il padrone wrote:A bit of a set-up really, but that cr#p is what so many parents will say.... when confronted with the crass-medja fear-mongered threats to their youngsters. The young kids were so much more believable.
It is made this way deliberately as it is "mocking" the comments made in focus groups by parents on the topic. If you check the video on YouTube you can get the background on it.

Andrew

Crowz
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:37 am

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby Crowz » Sat Oct 06, 2012 6:18 pm

When I was at school (finished 09) there were maybe... 0 students who rode their bike. My situation is a lot different to others but I attended a school that made me wear long pants, tie etc and were particularly forceful making students wear the correct uniform in and out of the school grounds. Obviously no one wants to ride in 30 degrees in long pants and a button up shirt. Some schools need to take the blame here.

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby il padrone » Sat Oct 06, 2012 6:34 pm

Crowz wrote:I attended a school that made me wear long pants, tie etc and were particularly forceful making students wear the correct uniform in and out of the school grounds. Obviously no one wants to ride in 30 degrees in long pants and a button up shirt.
My 1972 form 3 (Year 9) photo, taken one February day. That's me in the top row, third from left. We rode bikes to school, and even in summer. Blazers were only mandatory in winter at our school though. Ties, always required (in and outside school), short pants were a summer choice but for most of 'the cool set' long pants were essential wear.

Image

Crowz wrote:Some schools need to take the blame here.
Suck it up kids!! :roll: :P
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

warthog1
Posts: 14305
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:40 pm
Location: Bendigo

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby warthog1 » Sat Oct 06, 2012 6:56 pm

il padrone wrote:My 1972 form 3 (Year 9) photo, taken one February day. That's me in the top row, third from left.
Image

Niice Mullet on the bloke directly in front of you and on the right. He was way ahead of his time :)
Dogs are the best people :wink:

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby il padrone » Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:09 pm

Binnsey always did it in style. However the mullet was a standard mid-70s thing - lots of others had it soon after.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

warthog1
Posts: 14305
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:40 pm
Location: Bendigo

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby warthog1 » Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:06 pm

It was around in the mid 80s when I went to high school. I figured that was its time. There you go, it hung around for a while.

I rode to school all through secondary. It was quicker than the crowded bloody bus by a long way. Must get my kids cracking this term.
Dogs are the best people :wink:

tamagojo
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:26 pm

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby tamagojo » Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:40 pm

When I was in the last two years of high school I either had to pay for the bus fee from my own money or ride the 7 km to school. Even back then I was a cheapskate.

I just pulled on shorts under the school dress in summer or wore the trouser version of the uniform in winter.

hkgts
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:00 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby hkgts » Sun Oct 07, 2012 11:36 pm

Finished high school in 99. I rode 10k round trip rain hale or shine from year 8 till the day I got my drivers license in year 12. We all rode for the freedom before/after school... didn't want yo mamma knowing what da boyz got up too!

AndrewBurns
Posts: 996
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 2:36 pm

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby AndrewBurns » Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:45 am

My school was only maybe 5 or 6km away but I got the train every day. I didn't have or ride bikes at the time but in retrospect if I had I would have ridden a lot more I think. We had to wear long pants, shirts and ties all year 'round too but it's not hard to put some clothes in a pannier and get changed like I do for work now. Same with uni, it's such a short ride (maybe 10km) I kick myself these days for taking a long bus trip there and back every time instead of riding, there was even a shower in my faculty building.
Image

User avatar
WestcoastPete
Posts: 911
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:59 pm
Location: Peoples Republic of Coburg, Victoria

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby WestcoastPete » Mon Oct 08, 2012 12:50 pm

Have you seem the new Ford Territory ad? It highlights the appeal of the entertainment system saying something like "the kids love the DVD player. They just want to put it on all the time, even for five minute trips." Pan to mind numbed kids not interfering with the grownup conversation. Easy parenting.

Five minute trip? Why are you driving? What are you possibly going to see on a DVD in that time? Why are you so scared to engage with your kids in person?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

User avatar
birdbrain
Posts: 811
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:16 pm
Location: tulla melb

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby birdbrain » Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:47 pm

Warthog wrote:

Niice Mullet on the bloke directly in front of you and on the right. He was way ahead of his time.
It was neat. Did you also notice that there was only one overweight kid in that photo.
Image

User avatar
PA
Posts: 1194
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:08 pm
Location: South Australia

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby PA » Mon Oct 08, 2012 4:41 pm

birdbrain wrote:
Warthog wrote:

Niice Mullet on the bloke directly in front of you and on the right. He was way ahead of his time.
It was neat. Did you also notice that there was only one overweight kid in that photo.
Back row, third from the left?

BigPete
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 4:49 pm

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby BigPete » Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:43 pm

In theory, parents can be charged for allowing their young children to ride or even walk to school. They are in effect not providing sufficient supervision for their children’s safety.
With this in mind why would anyone not drive their children to school?
They are supervised and the parent is the best driver in the world!

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby Mulger bill » Thu Oct 11, 2012 9:41 pm

BigPete wrote:In theory, parents can be charged for allowing their young children to ride or even walk to school.
Citation please.
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

BigPete
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 4:49 pm

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby BigPete » Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:47 pm

It is the responsibility of parents to ensure the safety of their children. Just as you can not leave a child alone in their home, in a car or play ground/park, it could also be argued that allowing a child to ride to school by themselves or unsupervised is also evading the duty of care that parents must give their children.
Unfortunately Australians consider it safer to be driven to school than to ride. This maybe due in part to the way we place the bulk of the responsibility of rider safety on the rider/supervisor when it should be on the motorised traffic. In addition the NSW Centre for Road Safety http://ols2.rta.nsw.gov.au/ebus/docs/re ... ls0409.pdf recommends that children up to 10 years of age not ride on a road, near vehicles or near driveways. This would suggest that they don’t ride to school.
While society thinks like that so too will courts and should some ‘do gooder’ decide to bring a case on this, there is the possibility of a parent being found guilty of neglect.

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby il padrone » Fri Oct 12, 2012 10:00 am

BigPete wrote:In theory, parents can be charged for allowing their young children to ride or even walk to school
You have got to be joking !! Forgot the TIC?

Allowing your children (at an appropriate age and situation) to ride a bike to school or walk, on residential streets along a well thought out route, is a part of good parenting to engender independence and confidence in your children.
BigPete wrote:They are supervised and the parent is the best driver in the world!
There are an awful lot of parents who definitely are not, judging by many motorists' behaviour.

:roll:
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

westab
Posts: 1703
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 5:05 pm
Location: Blacktown, NSW

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby westab » Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:27 am

I hear about the safety of our kids and agree - but not allowing our kids to develop independence and learn "safety" by taking reasonable risks is poor parenting. Yes this will mean different things for each and every one of our children.

With my no.1 kid going to high school next year we are looking to let her ride and finding a safe path and riding with her as an option. We will give her this as a way she can choose what is safe for her.

The way I see it (IMHO) is the price for no freedom is kids who don't take responsibility for themselves.
Not fast, no style, but still get there.

BigPete
Posts: 60
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 4:49 pm

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby BigPete » Sat Oct 13, 2012 12:20 am

il padrone wrote:
BigPete wrote:In theory, parents can be charged for allowing their young children to ride or even walk to school
You have got to be joking !! Forgot the TIC?
Joking I am not. I don’t see much difference between leaving a child alone in a car for a minute or two while the parent ducks into a shop to purchase something to allowing a child to cycle to school. If anything I would consider it safer for the child to be in the car than riding, however people have been charged for leaving children unattended in cars.

In Queensland, Section 364A of the Criminal Code makes it a crime to leave children under 12 years old alone for an unreasonable amount of time without supervision.
il padrone wrote:Allowing your children (at an appropriate age and situation) to ride a bike to school or walk, on residential streets along a well thought out route, is a part of good parenting to engender independence and confidence in your children.
Agree. However what one person may see as a short ride to school and using well thought out routes may appear to others as a long and dangerous ride. As the title of this thread suggests and the comments within it (the video of the OP), there are many people who consider riding to school dangerous. It appears to me that our society is ever more wanting to protect children and has got to the stage where some people feel children should not be out of sight for even a few seconds. As I said earlier in this thread, the justice system reflects societies thinking. It is just a matter of time before the police charge a parent for neglect.
il padrone wrote:
BigPete wrote:They are supervised and the parent is the best driver in the world!
There are an awful lot of parents who definitely are not, judging by many motorists' behaviour.
:roll:
This was said tongue in cheek.

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby il padrone » Sat Oct 13, 2012 8:24 am

BigPete wrote:I don’t see much difference between leaving a child alone in a car for a minute or two while the parent ducks into a shop to purchase something to allowing a child to cycle to school.
The key difference in this little comparison is age of the said child. The laws re children left in cars especially on warm/hot days concerns the safety of children who are mostly well below the age that a responsible parent would consider allowing to ride solo to school. Once the child is more than 5-6 years old they are pretty much able to open the door or wind the window down if they get too hot.


But your comparison is quite an ironic one to raise. It is just the sort of thing that our taxi-mums are so very likely to do :roll: :P
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

human909
Posts: 9810
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:48 am

Re: Things parents say why kids not riding to school

Postby human909 » Sat Oct 13, 2012 8:34 am

BigPete wrote: Joking I am not. I don’t see much difference between leaving a child alone in a car for a minute or two while the parent ducks into a shop to purchase something to allowing a child to cycle to school. If anything I would consider it safer for the child to be in the car than riding, however people have been charged for leaving children unattended in cars.

In Queensland, Section 364A of the Criminal Code makes it a crime to leave children under 12 years old alone for an unreasonable amount of time without supervision.
il padrone wrote:Allowing your children (at an appropriate age and situation) to ride a bike to school or walk, on residential streets along a well thought out route, is a part of good parenting to engender independence and confidence in your children.
Agree. However what one person may see as a short ride to school and using well thought out routes may appear to others as a long and dangerous ride. As the title of this thread suggests and the comments within it (the video of the OP), there are many people who consider riding to school dangerous. It appears to me that our society is ever more wanting to protect children and has got to the stage where some people feel children should not be out of sight for even a few seconds. As I said earlier in this thread, the justice system reflects societies thinking. It is just a matter of time before the police charge a parent for neglect.
I was a child in the 80s and 90s. It really wasn't that long ago. I would get myself to and from school by walking from the age of 7. By 10 I was attending a different school and took two buses to get there. On weekends I was riding my bicycle all around the nearby suburbs.

So was I neglected as a child?

I don't have kids. But when I do I will allow them the same independence that I had as a child.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Cyclophiliac