Originally Posted by lsits
It's sad that these parents, who think they are doing the right thing and making their kids' lives safer by driving them everywhere they need to go, are actually contributing to the problem. That's part of the reason there's so much traffic. You want to see a traffic nightmare? Check out an elementary school when school lets out.
The same goes for a high school too. I used to commute past one in my old university days - occasionally I went past right on "the bell". Of course, the parents here have also overlooked the number of people killed in automobiles every year. It seems they're quite happy to subject their children to that particular risk.
Originally Posted by lsits
I think that part of the problem is that people have been brainwashed into thinking that cycling is more dangerous than it really is. Therefore, in order to ride they have to put their bikes on a car rack and drive five or 10 miles to the nearest bike path to ride a couple of miles. Too much trouble. Cycling should be a get up and go activity. Parents should take the time to ride with their kids and teach them the proper technique for riding in traffic.
Word up! When I was a kid growing up in Werris Creek, that's exactly what they taught us to do. I also noticed that people
did ride everywhere, and that aggression between drivers and cyclists was virtually non-existent. Granted, Werris Creek isn't exactly a major city, but I can't help thinking a little education would go a long long way.