[Closed] Why don't Private school kids ride to school?

wobbliscott -
We had great cycle paths when I was a kid. Pavements. We always cycled on pavements - roads are dangerous places with all the cars, buses and lorries. I used to cycle all over the place via pavements as a kid, But these days it's frowned upon to cycle on pavements, even kids.

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Eldest son got the piss ripped when he cycled to school some 16yrs ago, got nicknamed bikeboy 🙁 - school was state grammar but might as well have been private the way it was run (fencing lessons and no competitive football) round here quite a few kids cycle to school but then there is a good shared path by the main road

Not just a Private school thing. the roads around schools in all the towns and villages near me are littered with SUV's and 4x4's dropping their kids off. For some reason parents do that these days.

I remember the complaints about all the cars fighting for parking spaces when I went to school (bog standard local state school), and that was the 1980s. I think it's changed less than we like to imagine.

Anyway, I cycled to school with my five year old today. She absolutely loves it, as do I.

At the private school I went to there were bike sheds, and they were fairly secure. It was quite far for a kid to ride though (I'm sure I could've done it with a bit of pushing, I did occasionally - probably would've done it more often if I'd stayed on into later years but parents ran out of money). I generally got a lift from my parents - that said the car access was great, to the degree that all cars would enter the car park to drop kids off, no clogging up local side roads.

We did have a great teacher that took us on MTB rides after school and on Saturday mornings, now sadly deceased.

The state school I went to was far closer, so I generally walked and occasionally cycled if I was off out on a ride with mates after school - but the bike sheds felt a lot less safe and were easier to access from outside the school.

From personal experience its mainly distance to school. Daughters school is 30 minutes drive away so its not practical. Most of her classmates live at least as far in scattered directions. The school puts on free buses which are well used though.

Also the school day is often longer so getting home quicker to start the large amounts of homework they have is attractive. Finally, a lot of their non-academic activities are based at school too so they have large amounts of sports kit/ music stuff as well as their books to port in and out - my daughter can hardly carry it onto the bus herself half the time let alone cycle anywhere.

plus it rains a lot in England!

There are lots of people who could cycle to work who don't!

When I got sent to private school the school didn't allow cycling in (a problem easily resolved by parking up around the corner). Just one of the many, many reasons I hated the place. Pointless rules made up by arseholes.

As much as I hate the traffic generated by all of the kids being dropped off by car, I don't blame anyone for not encouraging their child to cycle; I have ridden thousands of miles on the road and probably experienced dangerous driving that impacted my journey around one every ten miles ridden. Totally understandable that parents would not want an inexperienced child to have to deal with that.

I find riding on the roads scary these days; I'd rather have my 12 year-old son ride down a trail-centre black run on a shitty hardtail than have him ride to school.

[i]I remember the complaints about all the cars fighting for parking spaces when I went to school (bog standard local state school), and that was the 1980s[/i]

Maybe not the 80s... Its definitely changed since the 70s. I don't think any kids in my school got lifts. (About as far removed from a private school as is possible though! 🙂 )

And when I was at school, again far removed from a private one, 70's/80's I don't remember anyone cycling to school.

Me neither - I used to cycle everywhere else, but never to school.

"were even taken mountain biking a few times as an option in P.E. lessons. Doubt H&S would allow that these days"

(State) school I went to had a cycling team for many years, mainly TT, but also dabbled with road and track. Such things, of course, need an interested teacher, but it wasn't that isolated, there was a schools national champs.

One of the local primary schools has banned cycles from the premises, despite being next to a disused rail line/cycle path, meaning that children who cycle to school now need to chain bikes up wherever they can nearby (not allowed to chain them to the school fence).

And when I was at school, again far removed from a private one, 70's/80's I don't remember anyone cycling to school.

I cycled to my primary school but I only lived less than 0.5 mile. 5 minute walk, 2 min cycle. Time saving.

As above, used to cycle everywhere after school.

I'd love my boys to be able to bike to school and they are always asking if they can. Not letting them cycle up Pebble Hill (surrey boys will know it) though as I'm not even keen to cycle up that road myself to be fair. Not due its gradient but speed and quantity of cars and lorries.
I used to bike to secondary school but in those days there were by comparison hardly any cars around.

People give their kids a lift to school because it's too dangerous to cycle with all those cars on the road giving kids lifts to school.

[quote=ceepers ]plus it rains a lot in England!

No it doesn't. Not really. Sure it's been dry recently, but I don't think this year has been particularly unusual as a whole and I can only think of a handful of occasions when it's been wet going to school.

ceepers » plus it rains a lot in England!

No it doesn't.

was going to say similar, it really doesn't rain that much, I commute by bike every day, have done for years, on average I think I get a proper soaking less than 10 times a year, and mild drizzle isn't an issue if you have a coat.

Maybe it's worse up North 😉

On topic... I used to cycle to (secondary) School and 6th form (in the 90's), originally taking the bus but it was annoying and slow so from about 13 onwards I used the bike, ~5miles each way and I probably did 90% of it on the pavements until I was about 16/17 then used the roads more.

Sorry, forgot the smiley wink for that line!

Another issue, that I don't think has been mentioned, is the need to carry bags of books backwards and forwards.
My three are always loaded down with loads of files, books, etc. for homework. Add PE kit into the mix and biking to school becomes fairly difficult/almost impossible.

Sorry, forgot the smiley wink for that line!

gotcha 😉

Surprising how many times I've heard that as a [i]genuine [/i]excuse from people though, it's hard to tell you're joking when so many others aren't 😥

Another issue, that I don't think has been mentioned, is the need to carry bags of books backwards and forwards.
My three are always loaded down with loads of files, books, etc. for homework. Add PE kit into the mix and biking to school becomes fairly difficult/almost impossible.

Isn't that just another excuse though? All pupils have the same book/kit requirements, some of them [b]do [/b]walk/use public transport, so if you can walk with it in a backpack you can cycle with it in a backpack?
Is it any different to how it's been in years gone by where people somehow managed to get to school and back with their books and PE kit without using a car?

Or are you seriously suggesting that it's now [i]necessary [/i]to travel to school by car due to the overwhelming weight of books?*

* Which if anything might be diminishing in the modern digital world of online resources...

loaded down with loads of files, books, etc. for homework. Add PE kit into the mix and biking to school becomes fairly difficult/almost impossible.

Yes, agreed; even at Primary level it's a logistic mission to get all the right kit on the right day to the right place.

Yes, agreed; even at Primary level it's a logistic mission to get all the right kit on the right day to the right place.

This is why I fitted a pannier rack to mini Ransos's Islabike.

I occasionally ride in with my kids to their state school, haven't seen anyone else on bikes, do get a fair few walking in but loooooooads being driven (as are ours if mrs is on way to work or weather is bad - or if she's feeling lazy in which case I'll have a moan about it)

People give their kids a lift to school because it's too dangerous to cycle with all those cars on the road giving kids lifts to school.

*for me as a parent, loads of cars whizzing by at or over the 30 limit only protected by a kerb, plus side roads and a few drive entrances to negotiate. Kids seem blissfully ignorant of it all

[i]loaded down with loads of files, books, etc. for homework. Add PE kit into the mix and biking to school becomes fairly difficult/almost impossible.[/i]

My kid manages ok - sometimes I pack his bag, trainers, PE kit, water bottle (for some reason won't carry in a bottle cage), books, lock for his bike. Can't believe he never moans. Moans about everything else... (dunno where he gets that from).

[i]books, etc. for homework.[/i] Most homework is done online these days.

Isn't that just another excuse though? All pupils have the same book/kit requirements, some of them do walk/use public transport, so if you can walk with it in a backpack you can cycle with it in a backpack?

Most kids at my sons school had 2 bags most days, one with a pile of books, folders, etc and the other with games kit.

Some days the kit they take is hard to walk with let alone cycle. My daughter (who catches a bus incidentally eco warriors! ;-)) on some days has a regular school rucksack which is FULL of books, a sports bag with a couple of Kits and pairs of trainers, a tennis racket, a flute and a music bag.

Private schools are often different in that lthe kids often do lots of non-academic activities at before/ after school rather than in local clubs etc so the kit for this stuff needs to be taken in and out on the school run.

The main reason though (rain or shine ;-)) is still the distance, expecting her to ride 26 miles a day with 2500 feet of climbing is a bit harsh for a twelve year old!

Isn't that just another excuse though?

so if you can walk with it in a backpack you can cycle with it in a backpack?

Most homework is done online these days.

a flute and a music bag.

Oh yeh I forgot about the guitar lesson days

Near where I grew up in Dulwich were several private schools.
Alleyn's and James Allen's Girls School almost next door to each other. Dulwich Colleg (other side of the village)
Dulwich Hamlet (the primary school) right in the centre of the village
Dulwich Hamlet Prep (infant school)

And then just off past North Dulwich was William Penn (now called Charter School).

Most of the kids at William Penn were from Peckham so they just got the train in to North Dulwich.

What's been fascinating though is seeing the shift in transport types. 4x4's were the big thing for quite a few years, Volvo XC90's usually with ascattering of Audi Q7s and Porche Cayennes.
Dulwich Village would be rammed solid with huge cars trying to get past gaps that didn't exist.
Suddenly there was a noticeable shift to Smart Cars, Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf etc as the 4x4 backlash began and they became unfashionable.

Now it's shifted again and there's actually a significant number of mothers using cargo bikes, tandems, tag-alongs etc for the younger kids and loads more older kids riding.
Still a lot of cars though...

[i]A sweeping statement there [/i]

I thank you.

What's been fascinating though is seeing the shift in transport types

I agree the 4x4 Chelsea Wagon is so last year.

The BMW M2/M4 is quite the rage at my sons school at the minute, a couple of Bentleys, and a lovely Merc AMG GT Coupe.

Isn't that just another excuse though?

Er, no.

So, theoretically speaking, if you had no car, how would you manage to transport the stuff?

so if you can walk with it in a backpack you can cycle with it in a backpack?

Is that a question or a statement? I think many would agree that cycling with a loaded backpack is harder/more dangerous than walking with the same load.

A bit of both, see above. My point being that if you have $STUFF to carry and it [i]can [/i]be done on foot then it can be done on a bike*, in a backpack if suitable, or panniers if not. If the amount of $STUFF actually [i]requires** [/i]a car then that's a different situation entirely

*A sweeping statement 😉 obviously there are edge cases where you might have a full backpack AND be lugging a cello around, but [i]in general[/i], what can be carried in a backpack while walking/using the bus can be easily carried on a bike.

I have the same discussion with people regularly about using a bike for transport and utility/errands, "Oh but I couldn't [i]cycle[/i], how would I carry my $STUFF...", er the same way people who walk do, in fact it's easier with a bike as it can carry the weight for you 😀

** I (and many of my school friends) managed to get to and from school without a car, as do many thousands of children every day, so my question really is what's changed? Is it the actual physical parameters of the problem (ie: amount and size of $STUFF) or is it the attitude that's changed?

We're very lucky to have a Post Office, cake shop, three mini market type places and an Aldi all within access on park roads and mixed use paths.

In fact, we can get into the centre of town entirely traffic free only crossing one road.

It's a no brainer really, specially with two of you as one can stay with the bikes.

I work in Cobham and commute once a week (all I can manage, as other days I need to take miniAnt to childcare).

In terms of the Chelsea end school I can see why there aren’t many cycling in. Have seen some sketchy overtake manoeuvres on adult cyclists, let alone kids. They could cycle along the path, dodging pedestrians heading toward the station, but would still need to cross the busy road to get in the school gates. I don’t often come in that way because people are too much in a hurry to get past and squeeze through where there isn’t space...

There’s an international school at the other end of town as well, and I often see kids on bikes heading there or back again. I think it’s the difference in road – Fairmile lane is wide, open and has a cycle-able path (though not a cycle path). Every day if I’m sat in traffic I’ll see a couple of bikes go past.
Or could it be the children are international and have more of a cycling heritage?

[i]I (and many of my school friends) managed to get to and from school without a car[/i]

All we needed was our ripped up exercise book, pencil, packet of Johnnys.

Depends so much on the attitude of the school.

Wife's school is a 'Sports Technology College' (soon to be Acadamy 😐 ) and had a very pro cycling/outdoors policy.

They have a small fleet of bikes available to pupils and to the local community which mostly get used on rides organised by staff.

Kids enjoy basic canal towpath pootling, pester their parents and turn up to school on older siblings old bikes.
But it's a semi rural area with lots of safe access routes.

Don't know if the question has already been asked but in general do children attending non private schools cycle to school?

From my experience they don't but I could be wrong.

So, theoretically speaking, if you had no car, how would you manage to transport the stuff?

Gary_M - Member
Don't know if the question has already been asked but in general do children attending non private schools cycle to school?

From my experience they don't but I could be wrong.

my youngest does, but very much in the minority. He's in P6 in a school of around 500 pupils, and there are less than 20 bikes daily 😯

School bus - which is what one of them takes but @ £800 each per year I'll take the other two in the car if you don't mind!

I think you're missing the point of my question.

I understand from your responses that [i]for you personally[/i], due to distance and cost of bus, that the car is your chosen method of transport. In your situation if all they had to take was a pencil case you would still use the car.

My original point was about using 'they have to carry stuff' as an excuse for using a car. If for example the school was closer* and had a nice safe traffic free route to it then would the amount of stuff to carry mean you still use the car?

*assume anywhere form 200 yards to 1 mile for example.

And I'm genuinely interested about the answer to if anything has physically changed, I don't have school age kids, but I do live near to 3 schools (one private) and my wife is an ex-teacher, and over the years of meeting her at work and watching activity in our neighbourhood I certainly haven't noticed the kids that do walk and cycle to our local schools being any more laden than I was when I was at school, so it's a valid question really.

Since those without cars do manage to get to school with all their stuff, and since we managed it in the past, is the amount of stuff they have to carry a genuine barrier to cycling or walking?

@crazy there is a big reduction in the congestion charge for hybrids. I suspect families still own those big cars for weekends / holidays.

The usual for this kind of thread, then.....

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This came to my mind recently. Not private schools but all schools. The easter hols were bliss and then back to rush hour hell right after. I live in a city with heaps of public transport and drive past several schools each morning choked with parents dropping their secondary/college age kids off. I walked, cycled or bused to school from primary age and i'm not so old that you would say I was born in a different time. Grrr.

I think it's an all types of school thing tbh.

My eldest is at a school with around 1200 puppies and the very small bike shed is always empty. Traffic chaos outside every single day, the barstewards don't even leave me a car parking space 👿

I'd love my boys to be able to bike to school and they are always asking if they can. Not letting them cycle up Pebble Hill (surrey boys will know it) though as I'm not even keen to cycle up that road myself to be fair. Not due its gradient but speed and quantity of cars and lorries.

I commute up and down pebble hill and the dangerous traffic is making me consider throwing the towel in with commuting. I would not want to see my son on a bike on that route!