I thought that this was rather sweet. Not only is it to encourage youngsters to cycle, but is also teaches them some road skills as well.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgk7p6pmg82o
There's one like that in Stapleford near us.
It’s not the youngsters that need to learn the rules of the road.
I quite agree but hopefully this will instill them into at least a few future drivers from an early age. A few more councils could do with that sort of approach.
I hope they are encouraged to claim their space, be bold and assertive and not cower in the gutter.
quite agree but hopefully this will instill them into at least a few future drivers from an early age.
To be fair to younger drivers, they tend to be more respectful to cyclists than old ****s with a superiority problem. Yeah, they're more likely to be speeding, but at least they give you a proper wide birth as they razz past! And wait behind if necessary.
We've got something similar locally ... except they got a bit carried away and put see-saws and spring-loaded skinnies on it as well! I'm amazed nobody has complained but it's been there for years.
We had this setup when I was growing up in the 80s.
My primary school playground had a bunch of road layout stuff, with white lines, junctions etc. I can remember doing some kind of official competency test on a bike on it. We also a had a local park that had a much more expansive setup similar to the stuff in the BBC article.
40+ years later I had no idea this kind of thing wasn't as common as it was back then!
Love it, that's great.
On a similar note how do people with young children handle them cycling when they are young? For me once they are 5 ish they are best on the road if possible but then the question is behind or in front of you? I see lots of people with children behind them but then you have no idea what they are doing or if they are following properly. I much prefer them in front where you can persuade them to take a good road position or alert them to risky situations so they can learn what to look for. It might come with an increased risk though and it really does depend on where you live
My kids learned to ride in that park. There's been a tarmac play road bit there for ages, but this looks like another level, its great.
It’s not the youngsters that need to learn the rules of the road.
Obviously true. This is more about play and confidence building than rule learning.
I hope they are encouraged to claim their space, be bold and assertive and not cower in the gutter.
Covered very well in Bikeability when our kids did it, was pleasantly surprised.
For me once they are 5 ish they are best on the road if possible but then the question is behind or in front of you?
Always in front with my kids, so I was behind and could see what they were doing/advise them, and also keep myself further out to protect them from traffic.
Adult social ride leader training has the ride leader "leading" from the back. Which is sod all use on a club ride ?
and also keep myself further out to protect them from traffic.
Is a good point, noted, although mine are well to old to need this now
Must have been a low news day - surely this is not that unusual?
On a similar note how do people with young children handle them cycling when they are young? For me once they are 5 ish they are best on the road if possible but then the question is behind or in front of you? I see lots of people with children behind them but then you have no idea what they are doing or if they are following properly. I much prefer them in front where you can persuade them to take a good road position or alert them to risky situations so they can learn what to look for. It might come with an increased risk though and it really does depend on where you live
I found (10-15 years ago) that you need to be able to do both! Sometimes you want to be behind and slightly out from them as a blocker for traffic, sometimes alongside, sometimes in front where the "threat" might be from that direction, where you want to guide them to follow a particular "route" etc. Most drivers are very courteous around young kids - so sometimes once you know the car behind has seem you and them its better to pass the kid and protect from the front or make sure they understand where to stop at a junction etc.
I always ride two abreast with me on the outside with my two primary school aged kids, stops them getting close passed.
Must have been a low news day – surely this is not that unusual?
Possibly not, but it was new to me (I don't have kids so don't spend much time in parks), I just thought it looked a great idea.
Occasionally when I'm out cycling I come across groups of young children out with adults (teachers?) learning to cycle, it's great to see. It was called the Cycling Proficiency Test when I did it (probably late 70s) but it sounds like it might be called Bikeability now. I remember getting a certificate & a little triangular badge. I also remember that we were taught, when stopping, to stick our right arms out and 'flap' for several yards; don't see folk (including myself) doing that now.
Anyway, anything that gets kids cycling & learning to do so safely has got to be a good thing, and as others have said, they'll be motorists themselves one day. Getting to know the rules of the road (and the potential vulnerability of cyclists) at such a formative age seems eminently sensible.
Schools used to have that painted on the playgrounds before the Tories sold them off.
I was a post-proficiency on-road trainer back in the day. One of the most terrifying things I ever did. Herding cats has nothing on being responsible for the most unpredictable creatures in existence. They just have no attention span.
And as for driver's behaviour when they see a group of children in hi-viz - they just seem to turn into psychopaths. I'd tend to be the sweeper so the usual MO was to nudge me off the road so they could attempt to score a strike on the crocodile of nippers in front. I wish we'd had cameras back then.
It’s not the youngsters that need to learn the rules of the road.
Well, tackling it from that end means that you won't have to tackle it from the other end, eventually (and they'll not be developing bad habits that need to be unlearned)
Yeah. lets not tackle the problem we have now, lets tackle the problem we might have in the future with the bare minimum of effort & zero evidence it will make any difference. As many people have pointed out, these kind of things have been around decades & yet we still have 14 kids killed or severely injured EVRY SINGLE DAY.