Where are all the kids on bikes? (http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/stories/index.ssf?/base/living/1195694742305620.xml&coll=7)
Friday, November 23, 2007
STEVE WOODWARD
The Oregonian
In a city renowned for its single-minded passion for bicycles, Jennifer Watkins belongs to an ever-shrinking minority:
Kids who ride bikes.
"Ever since fifth grade, I started asking if I could ride to school," says Jennifer, an 11-year-old sixth-grader at Lent Elementary School in Southeast Portland. "My parents, I think, were kind of afraid."
Parental worries, in fact, are a major factor in the decline of childhood cycling. But the decline has contributed to other woes -- traffic congestion around schools and childhood health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, a disease once seen mostly in adults. The disappearance of kids on bikes has grown so acute that community groups, schools and the city of Portland launched programs to give away kids bikes and helmets, teach bike safety and identify safe routes to schools.
Jennifer's parents once regularly drove her and her twin brother eight blocks to school. Now, on every nice day, they send her out the door on her mountain bike.
For every Jennifer who bikes or walks to school, Portland transportation studies show, nine other students go by car or bus. Compare that with the 1970s, when nearly seven out of 10 students biked or walked to school.
Signs of the decline are everywhere. As recently as 2004, one out of every four bicycles sold was a youth bike, according to the National Bicycle Dealers Association. By last year, only one of every six bikes sold was for a kid.
The most common reason: stranger danger.
"Truthfully, we know the statistics of how small that danger is," says Angela Koch, director of the nonprofit Bicycle Transportation Alliance's Safe Routes to School program. "But we just can't say to parents, 'You're wrong.' "
Even Koch's 9-year-daughter worries about being a victim of street crime while riding a bicycle. Koch allays those fears with context. "I said, 'When you leave the house, do you ever worry about getting struck by lightning?' "
In fact, cyclists are most likely to be injured near school by drivers dropping off kids.
Parents also worry about safety at intersections, traffic speed and volume, and a shortage of sidewalks and pathways.
But the No. 1 barrier -- distance -- is a peculiar side effect of Portland Public Schools' liberal school-selection policies. Magnet programs and transfers often put children miles away from their schools.
Patrik Martin, a 17-year-old Grant High School student, says distance usually stopped him from biking to grade and middle schools. Back then, he preferred to sleep in a little longer and catch rides from his mother.
For the past two years, however, he has biked to Grant, along with more than 30 other regular students and several teachers. Once Martin gets his driver's license, he'll try to buy a car and drive to school in winter.
"Once kids get their licenses, they stop biking," Martin says. "Even though I will get my license soon, I plan to bike a lot during the summer."
For kids too young to even think about driving, organizations such as the Community Cycling Center try to pump up enthusiasm. The center started 13 years ago in a Northeast Portland garage. Neighborhood kids could get flat tires and broken bikes repaired. Later, the center began giving away used bikes to children who couldn't afford them. Eventually, the center started classes, summer camps, earn-a-bike programs and after-school bike clubs for schools such as Lent Elementary.
Melani Norell, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Lent, joined the school's Bike Club to learn hand signals, bike repair and safe routes for her four-block commute. The club inspired her to ride every day during the first two months of school, until the weather turned bad.
"It's nice because it's exercise," says Melani, whose long brown locks hang in a ponytail, "and at the same time, you feel the wind in your hair. It's fun."
Adaysha Trevino, a 9-year-old fourth grader, loved bicycles so much -- she's had maybe five altogether -- that she sneaked into the Lent Bike Club last year, one year before she was eligible.
"They found out I was a third-grader." But she got to stay anyway -- perhaps because she rides her bike to school nearly every day, regardless of the weather.
Like the cycling center, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance teaches safety. The alliance is project manager for the city of Portland's Safe Routes to School program, which instructs second through sixth graders in 25 Portland-area schools.
Some school-age cyclists, such as Jennifer Watkins, have skipped the safety classes and gone straight for old-fashioned, battle-tested experience. The Lent student remembers falling off her bike while learning to ride six or seven years ago, tearing her best pair of jeans. She recalls the family lore about her cousin, who, before Jennifer was born, was hit and injured by a car while riding his bike. Just the other day, she took a spill into a parked car when she looked back over her shoulder, inadvertently turning the handlebars. Her neighbor and commuting partner, 9-year-old Ben Darmody, snapped his last bike in half while doing stunts.
Jennifer wishes she could have a BMX bike to do her own stunts.
Her other wish: that more of her friends would come along for the ride.
Steve Woodward: 503-294-5134; stevewoodward@ news.oregonian.com
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.
Set up school bike trains - like walking buses. Train a few parents how to accompany small groups of children; put them all in hi-viz tabards, preferably with school badge/logo on them; put a few $k into secure bike storage; train all the kids in safe road cycling; record the likely improvement in kids' behaviour and achievements.
Then go back to city hall with the evidence and get more money to train, equip, monitor...etc.
Then go back to city hall with the evidence and get more money to train, equip, monitor...etc.
Sighhh
maddyfish
Here in my town we don't have buses. My daughters (5 and 7) ride their bikes to school 3 out of 5 days a week and walk the other 2 days, with me (I work there). I've never counted, but on nice days more than half our students walk/ride. Numbers go down when it is cold, or raining.
2 of the four people in my department don't drive to school. One walks, and I ride the bike.
closetbiker
If #1 reason is stranger danger, close behind @ #2 must be afraid of traffic
The media has done such a good job at scaring their viewers that they drove people right into real danger.
bmclaughlin807
If #1 reason is stranger danger, close behind @ #2 must be afraid of traffic
The media has done such a good job at scaring their viewers that they drove people right into real danger.
Yup.
Oh, and don't forget to never, EVER touch your bike without a helmet on. After all, it IS an extremely dangerous undertaking. ;)
Longfemur
Judging by most of the threads, the kids might be hanging out on bicycle forums pretending to be racers.
closetbiker
Yup.
Oh, and don't forget to never, EVER touch your bike without a helmet on. After all, it IS an extremely dangerous undertaking. ;)
Now, you know I'm going to agree with that!
when I went to school in the 60's and 70's, there were so many bikes that not only were the racks full, but the overflow leaned (some even locked 'em to) the fence that surrounded the school, so you couldn't even see the fence.
No one worried as much then. Now kids drive or are driven everywhere but no one seems to worry about hurting themselvs in a car. When I went to school, the odd guy who had a hot car was subject to speculation of some wreck he would get into.
How times have changed.
now we have kids who are developing a big health burden for future generations.
DieselDan
Three reasons:
Xbox 360
Playstation 3
Nintendo Wii
aMull
A really sad situation. So glad i wasn't born in america or at this particular period in time.
Boss Moniker
The high school I go to has around 3000 students, plus staff, and on a good day I'd estimate that about 30 people total bike to school. A measly 1%. To be fair, students can live up to like 8 miles from the school, but still a majority live in neighborhoods 0.5 miles, 1.5 miles, 0.5 miles (in the other direction), and 3 miles away. I live 6 miles away, and along my route I see a bunch of kids getting into their car even though they're two miles from school. One girl (who looks healthy enough) lives on the same road as the school, less than half a mile away, and every morning I see her walk the 40 feet from her condo to the city bus stop so she can get a ride to school.
For younger kids it's obvious that parental fears prohibit them from riding to school even if they live close, but in high school you'd think parents would let their kids cycle. I don't understand it very well, but there just isn't a culture that promotes activities like cycling to school nowadays. Not to say kids aren't fit (remember, 17% of youth are overweight or obese, compared to 66% of adults).. plenty of people my age engage in rigorous after school activities, but they have to be organized or else they're not interested. And the fact that parents didn't let kids bike as youngsters probably doesn't help much.
FWIW, I've been verbally chastised for allowing my child to ride his bike. Word got to me of a complaint to SC Dept. of Social Services about my son riding with me, but a child engaged in physical activity is not abuse.
Halloween
I walked the 3.4 km to high school because...
a baritone saxophone in its case doesn't fit on a Schwinn Varsity, or any other bicycle known to humans... anywhere.
Curse you, clarinet and oboe-players!
A pox be upon all flutists and glockenspielers!
Sousaphonists!
Sousaphonists didn't have to take their instruments home! Lucky smucking sousaphonists!
That is just repulsive. Overfeeding your kid should be child abuse. People need to instill self control in their kids. Oh well I guess it goes back to survival of the fittest.
Bm7b5
Yes, but if kids wanted to ride their bikes to school we'd be telling them how dangerous it is to ride on sidewalks.
Wino Ryder
Sign of the times I guess. When I was a kid I rode bikes to school every day, on up until I was in the 10th grade. Back in those days all kids rode, or walked to school and that was just the way it was. Now you have real pillars of the community (child molestors, freaks, nut cases) at every corner, just waiting to snatch up some innocent little kid and kill them. Couple that with video games, myspace.com, and other sedentary activities its no wonder kids are becoming overweight and lazy.
syn0n
Back in high school, I was probably the only kid who rode a bike to school, but then again I lived really close (maybe 2 miles away) and I didn't have a car either. Naturally, when I got the car at 16, I stopped riding to school. But that also had to do with the fact that I had a nice, spacious land yacht, and people wanted to car pool with me.
derath
Yea Pete,
But in all honesty, in today's world do you think there are more kinds after school doing this:
You won't find mine doing this
[
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/04_02/fattv2404_468x312.jpg
Mine ride alot, play soccer, volleyball, softball, and basketball.
It is absolutely child abuse to let your children turn into fat, nasty hogs like those listed above.
derath
That's obviously highly dependent upon the area.
At this time of year I see many kids walking or riding home from the local schools. I also see many kids playing organized sports. Organized sports that are offered in a much wider array, than when I was that age.
I wouldn't expect to see the same level of walking/bike riding in upstate New York though...
Yes but the OP and the article are talking about the trend. And I would agree that in general it has been a downward trend. Sure there will be areas that buck the trend.
A perfect example. Where I grew up both my Elementary and High school were located inside the community I lived. Both were less than a mile and a half for the bulk of the school population. In addition you could walk/bike completely within the community, so the entire route was 25mph or less. A perfect location for walking/biking to school. I did both growing up. At the beginning and ends of the day the streets were practically clogged with kids.
My parents still live there, so I am down there plenty (we live less than an hour away). Today it is nothing like it used to be. Now the elementary school parking lot is clogged with parents picking up and dropping off. Far fewer walk/bike.
Same location downward trend.
-D
I-Like-To-Bike
My daughters (5 and 7) ride their bikes to school 3 out of 5 days a week and walk the other 2 days, with me (I work there).
You won't find mine doing this
Mine ride alot, play soccer, volleyball, softball, and basketball.
It is absolutely child abuse to let your children turn into fat, nasty hogs like those listed above.
It will be interesting to find out what you have to say about your daughters' activities in about 8 -10 years (or less) from now. Or do you think they are always going to be Daddy's little girls and forever heed your programing? I believe you may be in for a shock in a few years.
bmclaughlin807
Sign of the times I guess. When I was a kid I rode bikes to school every day, on up until I was in the 10th grade. Back in those days all kids rode, or walked to school and that was just the way it was. Now you have real pillars of the community (child molestors, freaks, nut cases) at every corner, just waiting to snatch up some innocent little kid and kill them. Couple that with video games, myspace.com, and other sedentary activities its no wonder kids are becoming overweight and lazy.
No, what you have these days is a media network that is more than willing to sensationalize every single little thing they can... anything for ratings, right?
I don't believe that crime is all that much more prevalent than it was... we just hear about it... sooner, louder, more often, and for far longer than 20 years ago.
Just like with bicycling... the accidents are so sensationalized that everyone thinks that cycling is dangerous... when it's a fact that the alternatives are MUCH more dangerous... obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.
Welcome to the age of TV hype. :(
Cyclaholic
It will be interesting to find out what you have to say about your daughters' activities in about 8 -10 years (or less) from now. Or do you think they are always going to be Daddy's little girls and forever heed your programing? I believe you may be in for a shock in a few years.
The research shows conclusively that life long eating habits are established early in life. In 8 - 10 years my girls (5 and 2 yrs old) will probably be listening to weird music and wearing weird fashions but I hope the healthy lifestyle habits we're establishing now will stay with them, and chanses are pretty high that they will.
The obese kids in those photos are a product of their upbringing. The adults responsible for the care of those children are responsible for their dysfunctional eating habits. It's not illegal right now but IMO it is undoubtedly child abuse, no different than if they actively encouraged those kids to smoke or drink alcohol.
If you want to know how bad the toxic garbage they're allowed to label 'food' really is just have a read of these articles in peer reviewed medical journals. There's plenty more material available if your local library has a pub-med subscription. This should be mandatory reading for all parents, but why let the truth get in the way of a profitable indistry? even at the cost of our children's health...
Ashton, D. (2004)
Food advertising and childhood obesity
Journal of the royal society of medicine, Vol. 97, No. 2
French, S.A., Story, M., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Fulkerson, J.A., Hannan, P. (2001)
Fast food restaurant use among adolescents: associations with nutrient intake, food choices and behavioral and psychosocial variables.
International Journal of Obesity, (2001) Vol. 25
Neville, L., Thomas, M., Bauman, A. (2005)
Food advertising on Australian television: the extent of children’s exposure.
Health Promotion International, Vol. 20, No. 2
Rolls, J. PhD (2003)
The supersizing of America: Portion size and the obesity epidemic.
Nutrition Today, Vol.38, No.2
nekohime
Where are all the kids on bikes? Not in my neighborhood, that's for sure.
I don't get it. We have great bike lanes (I'll take pics one of these days), bike crossing buttons for those lights that won't trip for bikes, not much traffic or slow moving traffic during rush hour, and ALL the schools are walking/biking distance from anywhere in the neighborhood. Yet everyday, on my ride to my bus stop, I see all these cars clogging up the road to drop off their kids. Heck, even my two youngest siblings get dropped off at school when they can bike or walk there quite easily (my younger sis in HS walks, and the kids' school is right behind it).
In fairness though, I see a lot of kids walking with their parents or older siblings, but these are the kids who live one or two blocks away from the school. It seems that once you have to walk more than four blocks, kids or parents will insist on using the car.
donnamb
FWIW, I've been verbally chastised for allowing my child to ride his bike. Word got to me of a complaint to SC Dept. of Social Services about my son riding with me, but a child engaged in physical activity is not abuse.
Jesu, Maria... :eek:
Yes, but if kids wanted to ride their bikes to school we'd be telling them how dangerous it is to ride on sidewalks.
Well, that's where I was hit when I was 12. The guy told my dad he wasn't expecting someone that fast on the sidewalk.
Sign of the times I guess. When I was a kid I rode bikes to school every day, on up until I was in the 10th grade. Back in those days all kids rode, or walked to school and that was just the way it was. Now you have real pillars of the community (child molestors, freaks, nut cases) at every corner, just waiting to snatch up some innocent little kid and kill them.
I don't have any publication to cite for this, but I was told by a local LEO that the number of people doing such things to children they are not related to or otherwise do not know has actually gone way down since I was a kid. (I was born in 1973.)
Cyclaholic
You cannot possibly know that by simply looking at some pictures.
Yes, obesity is a growing problem (pun intended). Much of it is diet/exercise related.
All of it is diet/exercise related... it's a very simple equation, a sedate lifestyle + a diet of highly processed foods high in fat & cholesterol = obesity
I can clearly see from these pictures that these children are obese and are eating junk food. I presume that they have an adult paren or guardian that condones and enables their eating pattern. Without the consent and support of the adult these children would not have the means or sufficient opportunity to consume enough junk food to be obese. This is obviously not the result of the occasional burger, this is a situation where eating in fast food restaurants is an integral part of their lifestyle. The responsibility clearly lies at the feet of the adult.
The fact remains that there are many cases where obese children are not a product of their upbringing. Can you cite research to support this? From what I have read, the overwhelming majority are a produc of their lifestyle, as has been concluded by mediical studies numerous times.
Obesity can also influenced by genetics and/or a number of different diseases/conditions. There does not appear to be changes in the human genome between the time before the obesity pandemic and today which can possibly account for the increase in obesity rates in the past 30 years (I can try to find the study if you like, I don't have it at hand). While some diseases or conditions may contribute to obesity in rare cases (rare enough to be statistically insignificant) the vast majority of obesity is lifestyle & diet based.
I-Like-To-Bike
The research shows conclusively that life long eating habits are established early in life. In 8 - 10 years my girls (5 and 2 yrs old) will probably be listening to weird music and wearing weird fashions but I hope the healthy lifestyle habits we're establishing now will stay with them, and chanses are pretty high that they will.
Good Luck! I wouldn't bet even money on those "high chances." You do the best you can raising children but don't be so sure that you control their future.
Just don't jump off any bridges, or more likely, develop some sort of emotional problem (like an eating disorder) if your best laid plans don't develop along the course you are so sure is set by you.
Believe it or not. there may come a time when your children no longer accept your lifestyle guidance as Gospel. Might start about the time when they acquire role models and friends outside of your control.
maddyfish
It will be interesting to find out what you have to say about your daughters' activities in about 8 -10 years (or less) from now. Or do you think they are always going to be Daddy's little girls and forever heed your programing? I believe you may be in for a shock in a few years.
Maybe, but we have a dusty ninentdo Wii and games around here somewhere if they want to play it. They don't.
Right now each day I ask; ride bikes to school or walk they choose.
Right now what sports they play are up to them, my older daughter just in fact decided not to play basketball this year. It is completley up to them and they choose activity over sloth.
Anything is possible in the future, but they are being brought up in a very active, atheletic family, with strong values.
No programing- just parenting. Or they could grow up to be like you and just sit around attacking anything for no reason whatsoever.
maddyfish
Obesity can also influenced by genetics and/or a number of different diseases/conditions.
This is brought up too much when talking about fat lard-people. Most are fat because they eat too much and don't move enough. Very few have serious medical conditions to cause obesity.
dr. nate
I have to say that I have noticed a decline in the level of kids playing outside at any activity. I remember as achild, a bike was a symbol of freedom, and being outside was a must!
My teen years saw the bicycle as a way to get from my house to friends to play video games, to/from school, and to go to the store. By the time I had given up my bicycle.
I would love to see more family based cycling, more children cycling, and more options such as bike lanes for those of us who are faster, bike paths for slower riding,family riding, and more communities accepting bikes as a good thing.
There is no reanson why I should see morbidly obese children in the volume I do. In Houston we just built our first hospital dedicated to obese patients. That is not a good thing.
I know that if we as a nation don't take more responsibilty for our health, that we are going to face an economical burden that is going to push the limits of most chairty based healthcare programs.
I hope we can secure funding and help people see the error in our nations ways. Not only does exercise improve your phyiscal health, it does wonders for your mental health.
-Nate
closetbiker
I still think a lot of it has to do with the idea that has developed that cycling is "dangerous".
Some "advocacy" groups have put a great deal of effort to show how many people on bike have "injured" themselves without putting anything in context or considering the benefits to balance the "risk"
I-Like-To-Bike
Anything is possible in the future, but they are being brought up in a very active, atheletic family, with strong values.
No programing- just parenting. Or they could grow up to be like you and just sit around attacking anything for no reason whatsoever.
No reason to think that you might just be shocked, shocked in the future if and when your values are not held in such high esteem by your teenagers? Even if they seem adored and followed without question by 5 and 7 year olds. Hope your future is as rosy as your dreams. Yeah, that's right every wayward teenager's behavior would have been set straight if they only had a parent with your "good values". Yeah, that's the ticket, Reverend.
Enjoy being the cocky perfect parent with perfect children, and the center of your children's universe while it lasts.
It's also quite possible thatyour good values and a dollar just might be good for a phone call from the emergency room or jail cell in the future.
maddyfish
^^^Maybe but not likely. Good parents raise good children, bad parents raise bad children.
I guess in your universe I could give up and let my children go bad right? I think I'll stick with my way thank you.
Let's hear about your children if you're so great.
donnamb
While I'm in no position to comment on parenting styles, how about some numbers from the National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm)? (United States)
Lifetime Odds of Dying
Heart Disease (1 in 5)
Cancer (1 in 7)
Stroke (1 in 24)
Motor Vehicle (1 in 84)
Suicide (1 in 119)
Falling (1 in 200)
Firearm Assault (1 in 324)
Drowning (1 in 1,140)
Fire/Smoke (1 in 1,167)
Bicycle Accident (1 in 4,472)
Air/Space Accident (1 in 5,552)
Lighting (1 in 81,949)
Earthquake (1 in 125,655)
Flood (1 in 171,348)
Firework Discharge (1 in 1,884,832)
Sharp Object Assault (1 in 1,183)
Assault by Means Other Than Firearm or Sharp Object (1 in 1,032)
Although there isn't precisely a category of "Assault and Death by Means of Scary Strangers", I interpret this sort of data as that a child is far more likely to die of complications associated with obesity than of Stranger Danger. I'd have to find some numbers from criminology research to be sure, though.
closetbiker
Yeah.
I just kills me that people who are running a 1 in 5 chance of dying tell me I'm taking my life in my hands when I'm running a 1 in 4400 chance of dying.
SunFlower
girls dont want to ride their bike to school because it will mess up their hair and sweat isnt lady like. its also hard to ride a bike when you are wearing a 4 inch mini denim skirt. school is about looking good, not being responsible.
when i was in elementary school i used to ride my bike all the time. however, kids werent allowed to ride their bikes to school for two reason. #1 the school didnt want to be responsible for bike thefts or damage. (even though i lived in one of the safest communties in america). # 2 - the school didnt want to deal with all the sue happy parents and lawyers if a kid got hurt while riding at or to school. therefore, no bikes for kids at school.
the result - fat kids and polluted air :)
I-Like-To-Bike
^^^Maybe but not likely. Good parents raise good children, bad parents raise bad children.
You really do believe life and parenting success is just that simple, donca? You are indeed a Simpleton.
I-Like-To-Bike
How are you able to screen for genetic/medical issues based upon a single photo of each child?
And posed pictures, staged for effect at that! A successful effect, I might add, as a catalyst for emotional responses from know-it-all medical experts as well as simple minded purveyors of generalities and Conventional Wisdom about other people's Health Problems.
SunFlower
While I'm in no position to comment on parenting styles, how about some numbers from the National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm)? (United States)
Lifetime Odds of Dying
Heart Disease (1 in 5)
Cancer (1 in 7)
Stroke (1 in 24)
Motor Vehicle (1 in 84)
Suicide (1 in 119)
Falling (1 in 200)
Firearm Assault (1 in 324)
Drowning (1 in 1,140)
Fire/Smoke (1 in 1,167)
Bicycle Accident (1 in 4,472)
Air/Space Accident (1 in 5,552)
Lighting (1 in 81,949)
Earthquake (1 in 125,655)
Flood (1 in 171,348)
Firework Discharge (1 in 1,884,832)
Sharp Object Assault (1 in 1,183)
Assault by Means Other Than Firearm or Sharp Object (1 in 1,032)
.
I dont want to turn this thread into anything political but the "National Safety Council" is a well known liberal anti-gun organization. The stat on "firearm assualt" is just absolutely absurd. There are over 300 million people living in America. In the year 2003 31,000 Americans died from a firearm. 16,000 were suicides and 12,000 were homocide. That would theoretically put your odds of of dying from a firearm at 1 in 9677, a far cry from 324. Also, if you are able to control yourself and somehow NOT commit suicide then your odds would be 1 out of 25,000.
I am sure that further analysis of the other means listed would show inaccuracies as well.
Here are some good stats : Despite the media telling you otherwise, the average number of students under the age of 18 killed in school shootings per year in the last 15 years is 11. The average number killed while drowning at school is 108.
I-Like-To-Bike
While I'm in no position to comment on parenting styles, how about some numbers from the National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm)? (United States)
Lifetime Odds of Dying
Heart Disease (1 in 5)
Cancer (1 in 7)
Stroke (1 in 24)
Motor Vehicle (1 in 84)
Suicide (1 in 119)
Falling (1 in 200)
Firearm Assault (1 in 324)
Drowning (1 in 1,140)
Fire/Smoke (1 in 1,167)
Bicycle Accident (1 in 4,472)
Air/Space Accident (1 in 5,552)
Lighting (1 in 81,949)
Earthquake (1 in 125,655)
Flood (1 in 171,348)
Firework Discharge (1 in 1,884,832)
Sharp Object Assault (1 in 1,183)
Assault by Means Other Than Firearm or Sharp Object (1 in 1,032)
Although there isn't precisely a category of "Assault and Death by Means of Scary Strangers", I interpret this sort of data as that a child is far more likely to die of complications associated with obesity than of Stranger Danger. I'd have to find some numbers from criminology research to be sure, though.
It might also take more research to show any significant relationship between bicycling (NOT obesity) and its effect on any of the other listed causes of death. Research other than the BF Conventional Wisdom, that is.
rando
^^^Maybe but not likely. Good parents raise good children, bad parents raise bad children.
this is not a certainty. there are plenty of bad kids from good parents and good kids from bad parents.
maddyfish
You really do believe life and parenting success is just that simple, donca? You are indeed a Simpleton.
When you have lost an arguement you resort to name calling. That is a compliment to me.
As far as life sucess. I am 34. I have been retired for 6 years. I have volunteer job at my children's school. Life sucess. Check.
How about you? What is your life like?
How are your kids doing?
No answer? Again?
maddyfish
this is not a certainty. there are plenty of bad kids from good parents and good kids from bad parents.
Again anything is possible, but not likely.
syn0n
^^^Maybe but not likely. Good parents raise good children, bad parents raise bad children.
I guess in your universe I could give up and let my children go bad right? I think I'll stick with my way thank you.
Let's hear about your children if you're so great.
Yeah, because you sound like a great parent to me. Remember this?
You'd be at a stop light in a long line of cars, I'd go by and you'd never see me again. And if by chance you did catch up, I'd show you a few handfulls of roofing nails.
Uh huh. Okay, Mr. Good Parent. Whatever you say.
closetbiker
girls dont want to ride their bike to school because it will mess up their hair and sweat isnt lady like...
there are less girls (women) who ride bikes than men, but when they do, studies have shown (just as they have in other activities) that when they do ride bikes, they have less injuries and fatalities than the men do. (in Australia men averaged 0.58 and 39, fatalities and injuries per 10 million km and women averaged 0.3 and 21) Big suprise, eh?
The percentage of girls (women) riding bike dropped more than guys riding dropped when a MHL starts up, maybe, because of the hair issue? (Before the helmet laws women comprised 30% of the total time cycling and after the helmet laws the number of females counted was 14%)
It seems the people who stand to benefit are discouraged by unfounded scare tactics from taking part in what benefits them.
We should be getting kids back on the bikes by setting the record straight.
SSP
In my neighborhood, I regularly see mom's driving their kids to the middle school that's half a mile away! :mad:
It's ridiculous...no wonder their kids are fatties. I remember when I was growing up you often had a hard time finding a spot in the bike racks because so many of us rode bikes to school.
It appears that parents are more fearful than in years past. Our local paper had an article about this topic, and when I posted about it in their comments sections, several parents chimed in that they drove their kids because they were worried about child sexual predators.
I blame it on the sensationalizing by Faux News...kids are much more likely to be molested by Uncle Albert than some stranger on the way to school, but because of Greta Van Sustren, et al, parents are inappropriately afraid of stranger abductions.
Unfortunately, this kind of "protection" on the part of parents will do nothing to help their kids grow up, and may be setting them up for a lifetime of health issues...just look at the skyrocketing rates of Type II diabetes in teens and 20-somethings.
bmclaughlin807
Really? So on your world genetics has no effect on obesity? How about thyroid disease?
How are you able to screen for genetic/medical issues based upon a single photo of each child?
My comment wasn't related to changes in the human genome. It was related to the simple fact that if your parents are of a larger size the chances are that the children will also be of a larger size.
Now you're contradicting yourself. I thought you were claiming that "all of it is diet/exercise related"?
Quite true. But 90%(or more?) of those are kids that developed poor nutrition and exercise habits from watching their parents. ;)
My wife has medical problems that affect her weight... but it comes down to a simple fact: even WITH medical complications at least 90% of the time you CAN do something to control the weight.
And people go to great lengths to point the blame... at fast food restaurants, at junk food companies, at medical problems, whatever...
It all really comes down to a lack of exercise. I eat a TON of junkfood... and I'm overall in great health.
It's all a question of balance... and yes, some people have genetic makeups that tip the balance out of their favor. Sometimes way out of their favor. It just means they have to be that much more mindful of what they eat and that they're getting the right amount of exercise.
Then again... it's easier to just give up and blame someone/something else, right?
maddyfish
Yeah, because you sound like a great parent to me. Remember this?
Uh huh. Okay, Mr. Good Parent. Whatever you say.
Nice gets you nowhere in life.
eubi
When you have lost an arguement you resort to name calling. That is a compliment to me.
A very good attitude to have, especially in this forum.
Nice gets you nowhere in life.
It's gotten me quite far, thank you. Anyway, back to topic...
I took 14 Scouts and three dads on a 25 mile bike ride yesterday. It was a great ride in spite of the wind.
They have one more 25 and then a 50.
The best thing was that three of the participants have gone through the Cycling Merit Badge progam already and were coming back for more.
Treespeed
Wow, this one got out of hand fast. How very BF.
I don't understand the issue here, especially with ILTB, kids who have active parents are more likely to grow up to be active adults. How is this in any way controversial or an illusion of perfect parenting. It's certainly more likely than the converse, that lazy parents lead to active children. I don't know why this has gotten ILTB so worked up, I haven't seen anyone claim that they're perfect parents raising perfect children. But I think it's pretty obvious that active parents will lead to active adults. Sure there's the whole rebellious teenage phase, but most kids come back around. At least that's been my experience with mine and my wife's family. When you take your kids skiing in the winter, running in the summer, and don't let them sit around the house anytime it's sunny outside you end up as an adult wanting to take your kids hiking, running, and cycling. I don't know any eight year olds that are buying their own video game systems. I hear from other parents that their kids (toddlers) have to have their own TV. Well if the kid has never seen the TV on then they're not very likely to want to watch it, though you do end up reading "Green Eggs and Ham" over and over. But you also spend a lot of time running around outside and watching your daughter ride her tricycle until it's too dark out to play. ILTB can talk all he wants about teenage rebelliousness, but instilling an active ethos in your child is not rocket science or unrealistic perfectionism.