Bike To School Day - School says don't

[tbdean]

Wow. I don't know what to say. My daughter was excited about this. Walk & Bike to school day is tomorrow.

I checked the web site and my daughter's elementary school hasn't signed up. No big deal, it's Georgia, I was expecting that. So last week I emailed the principal and her assistant and asked if they were planning on doing anything. Will there be signs? Extra crossing guards? Will there be a place to lock up your bike?

My daughter has told me "no one" rides their bike to school and they don't even have a bike rack, but surely that can't be true.

No response to the emails so I just called. I asked the operator if they are planning anything and I get a quick "no". I ask if I ride with my daughter will there be a bike rack. No again. She asks if I want to talk to the secretary? Sure.

I ask my question again and she's puzzeld. "Are you sure you meant to call Jackson Elementary?" Yeah "Hold On". She comes back and explains that they aren't participating, "it's just not safe". (Not safe?!) "Okay, I'm going to ride with my daughter. I've been told there is no bike rack, can she just lock her bike to the fence."

"No, it's just not safe."

I didn't know what to say. I paused, and then, "wait, are you asking me not to ride on my own."

"Yes, I'm sorry. There's a lot of traffic, and busses..."

Wow. She was really nice about it. She offered to let me talk to the principal later (in a meeting now). I'm kinda tempted to do it anyway but I don't thinking upsetting the school administrators will do any good.

[recursive]

Wow. She was really nice about it. She offered to let me talk to the principal later (in a meeting now). I'm kinda tempted to do it anyway but I don't thinking upsetting the school administrators will do any good.

I would definitely ride. The actual upsetting might not directly do good, but riding usually does. And it might force someone to confront the issue rather than deferring to "safety considerations".

[maximusvt]

Wow. Don't worry about upsetting them. You owe it to your daughter and her classmates to set them straight! If I were you I would take them up on the opportunity to talk to the principal, you don't have to convince them to become 'bike to school' advocates or anything but don't they have a right to know that riding a bike to school is less dangerous than, say.... driving a car to school?
If they have any sort of commitment to education at all, they should be humbled by their own ignorance when you tell them this.

[genec]

You know while I fully agree that cycling to school is an important issue... it could well be that the roads around the school (or better yet the inconsiderate motorists) can make this a difficult challange for younger cyclists.

For instance the road leading to my son's school and the only thru road available is a 45MPH arterial. He took his skateboard... on the sidewalks.

Maybe we need to work to make these roads and others like them available again... instead of constantly letting motorists dictate how roads are used.

[tomcryar]

Parts of St. Petersburg has had those portable signs posted in different areas for about a week warning that this was going to happen here. They will have extra patrols and crossing guards ready. Maybe we're not so backwards after all, but I'll reserve judgement until I see how it goes.........

[genec]

Parts of St. Petersburg has had those portable signs posted in different areas for about a week warning that this was going to happen here. They will have extra patrols and crossing guards ready. Maybe we're not so backwards after all, but I'll reserve judgement until I see how it goes.........

I donno... sounds like they are taking back the streets to me.

[Keith99]

You know while I fully agree that cycling to school is an important issue... it could well be that the roads around the school (or better yet the inconsiderate motorists) can make this a difficult challange for younger cyclists.

For instance the road leading to my son's school and the only thru road available is a 45MPH arterial. He took his skateboard... on the sidewalks.

Maybe we need to work to make these roads and others like them available again... instead of constantly letting motorists dictate how roads are used.

Gene makes a vary important point. I'd like to make another. If you think this is importnat them work through the system in a non confrontational manner. If you get branded as a troublemaker it is your daughter that will bear the consequences not you. Your job is exactly the opposite, to protect your children, not to put them on in harms way. And by harms way I mean being a target for teachers, not cars.

On a pure cycling level I'd suggest seeing what the ride is like from your house to the school. If you are interested in more than your daughter riding to school then check out how it would be comming from other directions.

I never biked to school. I was always either too close (a short block, riding would have more than doubled my distance because of were the bike racks were) or too far. 7 or 8 miles involving some nasty highways. But when I was a kid many other did bike to school.

From what I've seen as an adult I have to question the wisdom of biking to school. In my previous job I had to pass 2 schools on hte way to work and it was a positive zoo near either of them. Alternate routes took me past 2 other schools and it was the same there. So before of even thinking of having your daughter bike to school see for yourself what it is like at the time your daughter would be on the road.

BTW I have a feeling that there is no way to do much. If the school puts in bike racks or encourages biking to school in any way then they can be blamed if someone gets hurt. If they do not they can not be blamed. Simply put unless there is a huge groundswell there is no reward for the school and only risk.

Oh and do consider what it might mean for your daughter to be teh only one to bike to school. Kids can be rather cruel.

[timmhaan]

i used to ride my bike to school, but that was partially through the desert and off any main roads. plus we had big 'ole bike lanes to use if we needed them.

what are the roads like around there?

[Map tester]

Here are some links to a Safe routes to school program in Georgia. The 2nd link has more links to national resources.

http://www.atlantabike.org/srtsGOALS.html

http://www.atlantabike.org/srtsHOWTOSTART.html

How to Start a Safe Routes to School Program for a Local School or Community (http://bikesbelong.org/page.cfm?PageID=294)

[markw]

My kids school has bike racks. Should I make them walk to school tomorrow, since it is walk/bike to school day. They normally ride anyway. :) One thing I'm thinking of doing is the full fender/rack thing, as her book/messenger bag is $#@$ heavy. I guess it'll make her strong. We live a mile from the school. The bike lockup/rack area is full of bmx and cheap mtb's, along with 1 80's road bike, which is her's.

[maximusvt]

Make her wear spandex!

[CyLowe97]

Wow. 25 years ago getting to ride your new bike to school was pretty much a rite of passage in my neighborhood. Riding was where it was at! The only other option was walking home, as our parents didn't feel the need to mollycoddle us by picking us up. Oh yeah, when you got home from school, you got a snack and ran back out the door to ride your bike to meet your friends to enjoy games and whatever before the sun went down.

When did we become such a nation of pansies?

[sbhikes]

Many schools have entrances in more places than just the front. When you are scouting out the route, be sure to check for "secret" back ways in.

[LCI_Brian]

In most cases, the school is legally responsible for the child not only at the school, but in transit to/from. So they may be able to legally restrict how the child gets to school.

[CyLowe97]

In most cases, the school is legally responsible for the child not only at the school, but in transit to/from. So they may be able to legally restrict how the child gets to school.

So what happened to the good old fashioned crossing guards, like we had to make sure we got across major streets safely?

Oh yeah.... nobody lets their kid walk to school anymore.

:(

[AndrewP]

You should have asked your daughter to find other children with bikes who would consider riding in. Then you could have figured routes where pupils could have taken the ride to school together - strength in numbers. Another safety measure you could campaign to achieve would be parking/stopping restrictions within 1/2 mile of school, at the beginning and end of the school day.

[tbdean]

work through the system in a non confrontational manner

That's the plan. I figure I've got a year until the next one. I'll see what resources are available to purchase racks, signs, etc. But mainly it's just showing them the statistics on how safe it really is.

Map tester - thanks for the links.

I have ridden the route she would take, it's the first 1.7 miles of my normal loop. A bit hilly for a 4th grader, but she could do it.

[Blue Order]

You know while I fully agree that cycling to school is an important issue... it could well be that the roads around the school (or better yet the inconsiderate motorists) can make this a difficult challange for younger cyclists.

For instance the road leading to my son's school and the only thru road available is a 45MPH arterial. He took his skateboard... on the sidewalks.

Maybe we need to work to make these roads and others like them available again... instead of constantly letting motorists dictate how roads are used.It's not the motorists who decide, it's the city. The Planning Departments decide which streets will be arterials; the city decides whether or not it will encourage cycling within the transportation mix. If the routes are unsafe for cyclists, it's possible that nobody asked the city to provide safe cycling routes.

The fact that the routes to this particular school are unsafe for children to ride demonstrates just how shortsighted city agencies and officials can be sometimes. That's why they need to hear from the citizens when there are problems like schools with no safe routes for children.

[Keith99]

That's the plan. I figure I've got a year until the next one. I'll see what resources are available to purchase racks, signs, etc. But mainly it's just showing them the statistics on how safe it really is.

Map tester - thanks for the links.

I have ridden the route she would take, it's the first 1.7 miles of my normal loop. A bit hilly for a 4th grader, but she could do it.

In general I would worry the MOST about the LAST 2 BLOCKS going to school. Other than that all teh schools I mentioned except one where there were problems have at least one decent way in for the majority of students. The one exception is a church school on a truely major street mid block. That would be a major problem, but since there the vast majority probably live too far away anyway it is a moot point.

Again check the school itself at the times student arrive and leave.

The grade school I went to until the 5th grade still has bike racks. I pass it on the way home most of the time (alternate route since the freeway is a parking lot). Perhaps I'll try to take that route to work sometime and see how things are. (I'll probably find school starts at 9 and learn nothing since I'd be going by at near 8). But thinking about it the bike racks are in a little entirely enclosed area where they would lock the gate once school starts, that to prevent theft of vandalism, something the school would get blamed for. Just one more thing to think about. If the school provides facilities they will have to maintain them as a safe area.

[oboeguy]

The word "just" is overused in this sort of situation. It's a one-word, catch-all cop-out. Drives me nuts.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

In most cases, the school is legally responsible for the child not only at the school, but in transit to/from. So they may be able to legally restrict how the child gets to school.
I doubt that the schools are legally responsible at all for transit, unless on a school bus. Where did you hear about "most cases"?

[genec]

It's not the motorists who decide, it's the city. The Planning Departments decide which streets will be arterials; the city decides whether or not it will encourage cycling within the transportation mix. If the routes are unsafe for cyclists, it's possible that nobody asked the city to provide safe cycling routes.

The fact that the routes to this particular school are unsafe for children to ride demonstrates just how shortsighted city agencies and officials can be sometimes. That's why they need to hear from the citizens when there are problems like schools with no safe routes for children.

Well generally I agree with you... but the other factor in play is how motorists would deal with reduced speed limits at certain times on arterial roads.

Of course enforcement should be called out to deal with that...

[genec]

When did we become such a nation of pansies?

About the time SUVs and Nintendo showed up...

[Jerseysbest]

In most cases, the school is legally responsible for the child not only at the school, but in transit to/from. So they may be able to legally restrict how the child gets to school.

Speaking from experience, when biking, schools are only responsible when you're on school property. But when riding a bus, the school is responsible for the entire ride. It may or may not apply to the bus stop as well. But I'm sure this varies from district to district, and state to state.

[Blue Order]

Well generally I agree with you... but the other factor in play is how motorists would deal with reduced speed limits at certain times on arterial roads.

Of course enforcement should be called out to deal with that...There should be signs announcing a reduced speed limit in school zones already. If the motorists don't like the school zone speed limits, they can choose a different route, or leave earlier. It would seem to me that the key would be to designate safe routes to school with school zone markings.

Then ticket the speeders till they bleed money.

[cc_rider]

So what happened to the good old fashioned crossing guards, like we had to make sure we got across major streets safely?

Oh yeah.... nobody lets their kid walk to school anymore.

:(
One afternoon last spring I was in my car in front of a local elementary school, in the left lane waiting to turn onto the road opposite the school. A crossing guard stopped traffic to let a school bus across to the road I was turning onto. I turned and followed the bus less than 500 feet where it stopped and let a half dozen kids off. :eek:

[deanp]

My daughter brought home a slip announcing "National Walk to School Day", they kind of leave out the bikes in the first few sentences. Later they mention you can ride your bike. My daughter's school does have bike racks and an active bike safety program. They have a bike rodeo that you must complete in or after the third grade and then you allowed to ride you bike to school.

I will ride my daughter to school tomorrow on the Mt. Train.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

The middle school 5th through 8th grade a mile from my house. 364 students.

One picture was taken last May the other a couple of weeks ago.

[joejack951]

I can see why you like living where you live, ILTB.

[genec]

The middle school 5th through 8th grade a mile from my house. 364 students.

One picture was taken last May the other a couple of weeks ago.

Very cool. Sadly none of the schools my son has gone to in the area had bike racks full of bikes like that... not a one.

Go you one further... when I was a student at San Diego State University, I rode a bike everywhere (did not own a car). Student bikes were everywhere on campus... in bike racks, chained to the fence around the library, anywhere.

The year after I graduated, they changed the policy for bikes on campus... "no bikes allowed." This was strictly enforced. (I rode on campus a few times just to visit the old place).

I know that bikes are now only allowed on bike racks at the edge of campus... this is an improvement over "no bikes allowed," but the bike "population" is no where near what it was when I was attending.

[genec]

The middle school 5th through 8th grade a mile from my house. 364 students.

One picture was taken last May the other a couple of weeks ago.

Just for grins... what are the streets like in the area of that school? Arterial, residential, hiway (like your commute)?

[Bikepacker67]

Wow. 25 years ago getting to ride your new bike to school was pretty much a rite of passage in my neighborhood. Riding was where it was at! The only other option was walking home, as our parents didn't feel the need to mollycoddle us by picking us up. Oh yeah, when you got home from school, you got a snack and ran back out the door to ride your bike to meet your friends to enjoy games and whatever before the sun went down.

When did we become such a nation of pansies?

You meant fatasses, right?

[I-Like-To-Bike]

Just for grins... what are the streets like in the area of that school? Arterial, residential, hiway (like your commute)?
Residential. The busiest street is 35 mph (20mph only in front of school). It is the street in this May 06 picture taken with the school to my back. There are parallel, quieter streets. I imagine when students arrive at that street from the quieter streets they ride on the sidewalk.

FWIW, no helmet nannyism restrictions apply.

[ItsJustMe]

A friend of mine had her son walk to school one day when he was moping around and intentionally missed the bus. It's about a mile, and there are sidewalks all the way, and a light at the one crossing. Totally easy and safe, and he got to school in plenty of time.
She got a call from the assistant principal, who said that all children were to show up at school in a vehicle, if she made him walk again he'd call the county and report her for endangerment.

It's no wonder the kids are all obese.

[Blue Order]

My first school, from kindergarten to partway through second grade, was too far for us to walk to, so they bussed us. Then, when the new school for our neighborhood was built, we ALL walked. It was at least a mile. Then we'd come home and ride bikes... :)

By the time I was in high school, I used to walk (again, more than a mile), probably more often than I took the bus, because I kind of used to miss the bus... :)

A friend of mine had her son walk to school one day when he was moping around and intentionally missed the bus. It's about a mile, and there are sidewalks all the way, and a light at the one crossing. Totally easy and safe, and he got to school in plenty of time.
She got a call from the assistant principal, who said that all children were to show up at school in a vehicle, if she made him walk again he'd call the county and report her for endangerment.Reminds me of the time I cut through an orchard on my way to high school, and nearly ran into an electric fence that was hidden by the tall grass... :lol:

By the time I was in college, I was commuting across town on my sort-of-trusty Raleigh Record. And the prof's used to let me park it in the classroom... :)

[donnamb]

Yes, ILTB, impressive in this day and age.

[donnamb]

That's the plan. I figure I've got a year until the next one. I'll see what resources are available to purchase racks, signs, etc. But mainly it's just showing them the statistics on how safe it really is.

See if you can meet with someone from your regional/state cycling advocacy organization. They may have been praying for a parent like you for some time now. :)

[tomcryar]

Actually, I think the organizers of walk/bike to school could help:

www.walktoschool.org (http://www.walktoschool.org)

I spent only a minute on the site, but it looks pretty good for advocacy--making sure kids have a safe way to walk or ride to school.

[LCI_Brian]

In most cases, the school is legally responsible for the child not only at the school, but in transit to/from. So they may be able to legally restrict how the child gets to school.
I doubt that the schools are legally responsible at all for transit, unless on a school bus. Where did you hear about "most cases"?
Speaking from experience, when biking, schools are only responsible when you're on school property. But when riding a bus, the school is responsible for the entire ride. It may or may not apply to the bus stop as well. But I'm sure this varies from district to district, and state to state.
The elementary school bus stop is in front of my vacation home. Having a short rock wall and a sloping front yard, I was concerned about any potential liability as a landowner, especially since I am not around daily to monitor the condition of the wall and the slope. I contacted a former school board member who told me that the school is responsible for the welfare of the students at the bus stop, as well as transit to/from the bus stop. Irrespective of whether or not he is correct on the latter point, I can see how the school system lawyers would be afraid of any potential lawsuits.

[chephy]

A friend of mine had her son walk to school one day when he was moping around and intentionally missed the bus. It's about a mile, and there are sidewalks all the way, and a light at the one crossing. Totally easy and safe, and he got to school in plenty of time.
She got a call from the assistant principal, who said that all children were to show up at school in a vehicle, if she made him walk again he'd call the county and report her for endangerment. The ass-ho.. I mean ass-istant principal and the whole school administration needs to be reported for something... Jail time for a requirement like this doesn't seem too harsh.

[CTAC]

My son and I are riding to his elementary school every day. Usually we have about 10 children riding bicycles out of 650.

I do not think I can allow him to ride on his own yet. School is the most dangerous place on my way.

[LCI_Brian]

A friend of mine had her son walk to school one day when he was moping around and intentionally missed the bus. It's about a mile, and there are sidewalks all the way, and a light at the one crossing. Totally easy and safe, and he got to school in plenty of time.
She got a call from the assistant principal, who said that all children were to show up at school in a vehicle, if she made him walk again he'd call the county and report her for endangerment.
I wonder how you'd fight something like this, assuming the assistant principal and county both consider it dangerous. If you call their bluff and have the kid walk to school a second time, you might win out in the end but having it cost $$$$ in lawyer's fees.

[CommuterRun]

"No, it's just not safe."
This is their excuse to do nothing. If you make them do something, they will fight your point out of spite.

If you think this is importnat them work through the system in a non confrontational manner.
This is the best course of action.

A friend of mine had her son walk to school one day when he was moping around and intentionally missed the bus. It's about a mile, and there are sidewalks all the way, and a light at the one crossing. Totally easy and safe, and he got to school in plenty of time.
She got a call from the assistant principal, who said that all children were to show up at school in a vehicle, if she made him walk again he'd call the county and report her for endangerment.

It's no wonder the kids are all obese.
Presented with this, in this situation, I would go to the school and ask that assistant principal for a paper copy of the policy that states this. If it could not be produced, I would write a letter, highly critical of this administrator, to the school board. If it could be produced, I would write a letter, highly critical of the administrator and the policy.

I would also have my kids bike to school, since in Florida a bicycle is legally a vehicle.

[CyLowe97]

When did we become such a nation of pansies?

You meant fatasses, right?

There is a direct correlation between becoming a nation of pansies and the rise of obesity.

The more we protect little Dakota and Brittney from the hazards of the world, the fatter they will get from inactivity. In turn, the larger we become, the more scared we get to take back the outdoors for everyone.

Heck, do you realize that not only do kids in many Chicago Public Schools not get to walk to school or play outside after school due to irrational fears of our litigation gone wild society, but many of those kids don't even get to have recess during the school day! Nothing but sitting inside, getting antsy to let off some steam. Oh yeah, let's give that antsy behavior a name (ADHD) and start medicating the little chunks....

Ugh. Sorry.... nothing I have said above is backed by empirical data. Just a rant about how our scared society snowballs the problem of inactivity. It floors me to see how rotund some kids are these days.

<end rant>

:(

[I-Like-To-Bike]

The elementary school bus stop is in front of my vacation home. Having a short rock wall and a sloping front yard, I was concerned about any potential liability as a landowner, especially since I am not around daily to monitor the condition of the wall and the slope. I contacted a former school board member who told me that the school is responsible for the welfare of the students at the bus stop, as well as transit to/from the bus stop. Irrespective of whether or not he is correct on the latter point, I can see how the school system lawyers would be afraid of any potential lawsuits.
If I were you I'd worry more about any potential lawsuits against a landowner who may have an attractive nuisance on his property and the knowledge that children are in the area every day. Maybe you better contact a lawyer and not a "former school board member" to find out where potential liability could lie.

[LittleBigMan]

It's really sad, but nobody can prevent you from riding with your daughter to school. It's perfectly legal, isn't it?

I'm sure there is somebody who'd be interested to know that school is not participating, even trying to discourage students from doing it with their parents.

[sbhikes]

You need to get yourself on the school board. Maybe start with the PTA. Silly no bike rules are counter-productive toward turning out healthy, educated citizens.

[markf]

A friend of mine had her son walk to school one day when he was moping around and intentionally missed the bus. It's about a mile, and there are sidewalks all the way, and a light at the one crossing. Totally easy and safe, and he got to school in plenty of time.
She got a call from the assistant principal, who said that all children were to show up at school in a vehicle, if she made him walk again he'd call the county and report her for endangerment.

It's no wonder the kids are all obese.

Since most states classify bicycles as vehicles, it sounds like your friend should get the kid a bicycle and have him ride that to school.

It's truly a sad situation when making a child walk a mile to school is considered "endangerment". Has anybody pointed out to this assistant principal that we're facing a series of national and worldwide crises (obesity, climate change, resource depletion) because of our excessive use of motor vehicles?

[cooperwx]

My first school was too far for us to walk to, so they bussed us. Then, when the new school for our neighborhood was built, we ALL walked. It was at least a mile. Then we'd come home and ride bikes... :)

They built a new school for your neighborhood. Nice. I'm at the very edge of our school district, and thus it's too far for my kids to ride when the time comes. The district is growing, and plans are to add to the existing schools rather than split the district by building new ones.

This decreases green space at the schools and increases congestion, and usually class sizes. It seems building new schools costs $$ up front, but would be better in the long run by decreasing bus ride lengths, increasing community involvement, and allowing more to walk or bike to school.

Is this a school board issue or a county planning board issue?

[genec]

Residential. The busiest street is 35 mph (20mph only in front of school). It is the street in this May 06 picture taken with the school to my back. There are parallel, quieter streets. I imagine when students arrive at that street from the quieter streets they ride on the sidewalk.

FWIW, no helmet nannyism restrictions apply.

Yeah strict helmet laws in CA... that was probably what turned kids off of bikes. I feel naked without mine these days when I ride in traffic. But just around the local neighborhood and to the local strip mall... no way... I ride my cruiser and don't wear a helmet, or any other bike "gear." I rather enjoy that.

I know my son and his friends were all into skateboards and only would wear helmets when doing "tricks" in the skate parks.