Riding bikes to school...

[LvMyLaxKid]

We're moving across country in a month, so Parker will be going to a different school. His new school is just a few blocks from the house we're renting, and Parker really wants to ride his bike. My DH said, "Well, we'll see......I always rode my bike....." Ummm.......not sure I'm on board with that! First of all, we haven't actually BEEN in the neighborhood, to see how busy the roads are, what the speed limits are, how narrow the roads are, if there are sidewalks, etc. (how kid friendly they are, if that makes sense) My parents looked at the house and they were there, so we know it's a decent house, and my Dad said the street is super quiet and not busy. But I don't know the other streets, or how far it REALLY is, etc.

No matter what, I'm not sure I like the idea of a 3rd grader riding his bike to school by himself.

Am I just being paranoid?? I DO think it's a decision to make once we get there and see, but most likely, it's not a good idea.

WDYT?

 

[TabascoNatalie]

Why don't you look around first?
Whats the roads like? Are there are cycle tracks or are cyclists allowed or not allowed on pavement?

 

[LvMyLaxKid]

Why don't you look around first?
Whats the roads like? Are there are cycle tracks or are cyclists allowed or not allowed on pavement?

See, that's why I'm still up in the air. I have no clue what the area looks like. I think we need to make a judgement call after we see for ourselves. But, even if the conditions ARE good, do I let an 8 yr old ride by himself? I think they need to learn, and we can't shelter them forever. But, I also worry about his safety........

 

[IADad]

I think you're right to be concerned, we were concerned about letting ours walk from the bus alone about this age. So, stay cautious, but don't rule it out until you have everything.

Take a look on google maps satellite view, se what you can see about the roads and the path to school, check out the sidewalks. It won't give you 100% answer but it might show you if there are any "red flags."

Another consideration is other kids, would there be neighbors along for the commute? In some ways I'd rather have a somewhat busy street that a completely quiet one, you know more witnessess less of a crime target. In the end you'll come donw to your comfort, and teaching about and testing his stranger danger contingency plans. It definitely is a different world, but it's also improtant for them to start having some independence, learning to handle the real world. It's not unlike letting them go to public restrooms alone, it's a slow process of assimilating them to it.

 

[LvMyLaxKid]

It definitely is a different world, but it's also improtant for them to start having some independence, learning to handle the real world. It's not unlike letting them go to public restrooms alone, it's a slow process of assimilating them to it.

EXACTLY! I want him to be independent, and they don't learn by NOT doing. We've have MANY stranger danger talks, what to do in certain situations, etc. When I was his age, I road my bike all over the neighborhood.

I think we need to let them learn, and slowly let them do things as appropriate, but don't want to "throw him to the wolves" so to speak either. I think we might let him, depending on the circumstances once we get there. The distance isn't as much of a concern as what's in between. I looked on mapquest, and it's 0.29 miles. That is nothing........But Pullman is also known for hills.....STEEP hills......he might not WANT to, if one of those is super steep. LOL

 

[TabascoNatalie]

I'd wait with a decision until i'm familiar with the area.
Myself i wouldn't allow my kid to cycle here alone. Cyclists are not allowed on pavement and there are almost no cycle tracks.
If we lived in Germany or Netherlands, then... Oh yes! Those countries are really cyclist friendly.

 

[cybele]

Another in the wait until you get there camp.

My kids don't but you have to be a pretty elite cyclist to ride your bike where we live. Our main road is actually used as a cycling challenge (giving me an intense dislike for anyone in lycra).

 

[LvMyLaxKid]

Well, scratch the whole idea. Turns out I looked up the wrong address. The school website is deceiving, and I actually saw the address of the school district main office, not the school. The school is pretty far away, at least for him to ride his bike. It's a mile and a half, but a lot of turns and few major streets. So, I guess it's a no go.........

 

[pwsowner]

That makes the decision easy.

 

[akmom]

A mile and half is not a long bike ride. If it's flat, he could probably make it in under 15 minutes. I can't speak for every neighborhood, but thought Pullman was pretty bike/walker friendly in general. Get him a bus route for starters, then practice the bike ride with him on a week-end. Maybe ride with him the first few times he actually goes to school, to gauge his pace and judgment. If you're satisfied, let him go alone.

My generation did that all the time (I'm 30). I don't think 8-year-olds are inherently incapable of riding a few miles by themselves, but our culture certainly shelters this generation more. (Though if you think about it, we have less reason. We have cell phones!)

Personally I would probably end up letting mine. We live 25 miles from my daughter's school, or else I would. Just the other day, we left earlier than usual, and I waited behind an SUV at the end of the road that wouldn't turn left or right, didn't have a blinker on, nothing. I thought, "Why are they just sitting there?" Then I realized... Oh yeah, parents drive their kids to the bus stop now. So ridiculous. It's summer! Can't you at least walk them to the bus stop?? I don't get it. My parents drove me to the bus stop exactly zero times as a kid!

 

[LvMyLaxKid]

A mile and half is not a long bike ride. If it's flat, he could probably make it in under 15 minutes. I can't speak for every neighborhood, but thought Pullman was pretty bike/walker friendly in general. Get him a bus route for starters, then practice the bike ride with him on a week-end. Maybe ride with him the first few times he actually goes to school, to gauge his pace and judgment. If you're satisfied, let him go alone.

My generation did that all the time (I'm 30). I don't think 8-year-olds are inherently incapable of riding a few miles by themselves, but our culture certainly shelters this generation more. (Though if you think about it, we have less reason. We have cell phones!)

Personally I would probably end up letting mine. We live 25 miles from my daughter's school, or else I would. Just the other day, we left earlier than usual, and I waited behind an SUV at the end of the road that wouldn't turn left or right, didn't have a blinker on, nothing. I thought, "Why are they just sitting there?" Then I realized... Oh yeah, parents drive their kids to the bus stop now. So ridiculous. It's summer! Can't you at least walk them to the bus stop?? I don't get it. My parents drove me to the bus stop exactly zero times as a kid!

When I was a kid, I was super lucky, because the school was just across from us, diagonally. I could see the school from our front yard, so of coarse I walked. I remember being disappointed that I couldn't ride my bike to school, because it was so close, there was no point. :laugh: But in middle school, I walked to the bus stop, and it was a 15 min walk! But, I did it, and always walked with my friend.

Pullman is actually VERY hilly, but I can't tell you HOW hilly that area is, where he'd be riding. I think it's a decision that we're going to have to make once we see it.

 

[cybele]

I wasn't allowed to ride my bike to school, I had to walk the seven blocks to the tram line because I had to wear a skirt and my mother would have had a heart attack if I were riding a bike wearing a skirt.
Wasn't so bad when I was little, but when I was in high school our uniform had heeled lace up ankle boots and they were not designed for walking in, let alone running in if I were about to miss the tram.

I used to get so annoyed because the younger nuns used to ride their bikes to the school, and heaven knows they wore skirts.

 

[babysitter]

I would wait till he's older.

 

[akmom]

I hated that about school uniforms too! Only the boys got to swing, and the swingset was my absolute favorite thing on the playground. But we girls were only allowed to go back and forth with our feet on the ground. We weren't allowed to swing high.

I found public school to be pretty awesome after that.

 

[cybele]

At least I got some small satisfaction from knowing that public schools are also uniformed here. Sure they didn't have to wear stockings, ties, hats, heels, pleated skirts and blazers, but they did share in the pain of starchy shirts.

Well, they used to, my older ones go/went to an alternative community school, so no uniforms for them, but Lux will be going to public high school next year and they have a hoodie with school emblem as part of their uniform. I am so jealous, I wish I got to wear a school hoodie.

 

[MamaRuthie]

My daughter lives too far to ride but the thought of it really brings back memories!

 

[babybibsplus]

Get familiar with the area and meet the neighbors and see if there are any other kid's that live in the area and go to the same school. Let your son make friends with other kid's in the area and if there are some that he can ride his bike to school with then I would let him, otherwise I would not let him do it alone. Unfortunately things are not a safe as they were when we were kids.

 

[janetdevlin72]

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[JamesAnodo]

Our daughter started biking at 3 and we actually were not sure if it was a right thing to do but considering how active and steady she was on her feet… we finally gave it a tryJ we didn’t want to buy too expensive model because you know, kids grow up so fast, also we were not sure she’d be excited with the whole idea of riding instead of walking J our choice fell on Joovy Bicycoo. It’s got low-rise handlebars and spread out wheels so it’s easier to achieve balance. Another advantage was a handbrake (though it took her a while to start using it). However, this model is designed for 2-year-olds and in about a year when our daughter gained weight we met the necessity to buy another bike. Again J https://cutelittledarling.com/best-bike-for-2-year-olds – this site was pretty much helpful, there’s a lot of information on bikes for kids of different age groups.

 

[moismfogs]

I would wait a bit more till he's older. I think it's abit unsafe now