General Cycling Discussion - School won't let 11 year old cycle to school

This little story got to me, especially the part I'm going to quote right here.

"While UK schools cannot ban pupils from cycling they can ban them from bringing bikes onto their property, as in this case."

"School authorities continue to insist that cycling is too dangerous, and say Sam cannot bring his bike onto the premises. They have not taken up an offer from the council to provide cycle parking."

Here is the link to the article.
http://www.bikeradar.com/beginners/news/article/pupil-loses-fight-to-cycle-to-school-22380

Well, hopefully I'm grouchy enough now that I'll get a little bit more than usual done today.

best wishes,
the grouch

I'm shocked. You would expect this level of stupidity only in the States.

wow, that is so dumb. Wish that they would stop trying to make sure everyone is wrapped in cotton wool all the time. Soon it will be too dangerous to walk to school. I actually feel safer riding around than taking public transport (lots of low lifes on public transport in london).

I hope he gets insurance and locks his bike up outside school, and makes sure all the press are there to see him do so.

Stateside the schools won't touch that because it's an invitation to civil suits under assumed duty doctrines. It's the same reason they don't generally check insurance and licensing for students who drive to school. We do, however, enjoy thousands of local laws that target activities enjoyed by the young. Skateboarding first and foremost. Idiot cops are always screaming at kids on skateboards, sometimes on bikes as well. After all children should be at home playing video games and getting heart disease.

We do, however, enjoy thousands of local laws that target activities enjoyed by the young. Skateboarding first and foremost. Idiot cops are always screaming at kids on skateboards, sometimes on bikes as well.

That's because of the negative effects of skateboarding. We call the police to have skateboarders removed from our facility, where they scrape the paint off our metal railings and chip the concrete curbs. We had to have some hand rails removed to discourage them. Then there are the skateboard idiots that use the street through campus as their personal luge course. Then there are the punks that slalom between pedestrians on the sidewalks.... etc etc etc

Face it - The Catholics don't want anything between your legs.

There appears to be some kind of business about half a block away, ( google maps ) wonder if he could get permission to park there and walk in? I know if I was the father that's what I would do. Then dare them to do something.

Just another example of why we had to rip ourselves away from those folks over there.

Of course, crap like that happens here, too, as noted by others.

Just another example of why we had to rip ourselves away from those folks over there.

Of course, crap like that happens here, too, as noted by others.

Actually Catholicism is not the dominant religious body. The UK, unlike the USA, has a state-religion - the COE. Or Church of England. Old Henry VIII pulled England out of the Catholic's grasp and now they have the COE. Seems the Catholics wouldn't let him re-marry after he chopped off his ex's head.

That's because of the negative effects of skateboarding. We call the police to have skateboarders removed from our facility, where they scrape the paint off our metal railings and chip the concrete curbs. We had to have some hand rails removed to discourage them. Then there are the skateboard idiots that use the street through campus as their personal luge course. Then there are the punks that slalom between pedestrians on the sidewalks.... etc etc etc

And then there's the dope.

School bike racks are usually useless wheelbender type. He's better off locking to the parking meter on the sidewalk anyway.

And then there's the dope.

Well, at least we got some nice music like Suicidal Tendencies out of tha freak'n punks

School bike racks are usually useless wheelbender type. He's better off locking to the parking meter on the sidewalk anyway. +1. The school's actions are laughable and sad at the same time, but do not present a real problem to anyone who wants to ride. There must be a trillion places within walking distance to lock a bike to.

I'm shocked. You would expect this level of stupidity only in the States.

you should start paying attention to the police state that britain is becoming. by comparison, the united states almost appears to be the 'home of the free'.

I am based in the UK and I can assure you that UK roads are dangerous. Especially around schools where "Mums" insist on taking their little darlings the 1/2 mile to school in their 4x4's. I live 100 yards from a school out in a country town. I don't even feel safe walking past the school with the road blocked with cars and the standard of driving used by the parents dropping their kids off.

But saying that- I used to teach the cycling profiency at the local school. This is a comprehensive cycling scheme that does teach the Youngsters to ride properly and safely. I would trust any one that has gone through this scheme to be a good safe cyslist. I cannot say the same for car drivers though.

Face it - The Catholics don't want anything between your legs.

Except if you're married and procreation is at least an outside possibility :)

That's because of the negative effects of skateboarding. We call the police to have skateboarders removed from our facility, where they scrape the paint off our metal railings and chip the concrete curbs. We had to have some hand rails removed to discourage them. Then there are the skateboard idiots that use the street through campus as their personal luge course. Then there are the punks that slalom between pedestrians on the sidewalks.... etc etc etcThe problems occur, because you adults are too cheap to build them a skate park.

A couple times a week, I drop by our skate park just to watch the boarders and BMXers. Some of those kids are amazing.

And ALL you adults b****ing about the kids; they cooperate much better at the skate parks, than most adults do on the roadways.

The problems occur, because you adults are too cheap to build them a skate park.

A couple times a week, I drop by our skate park just to watch the boarders and BMXers. Some of those kids are amazing.

And ALL you adults b****ing about the kids; they cooperate much better at the skate parks, than most adults do on the roadways.

D#*n adults!

I love our school. There is NO on property car parking, no 'drop-off' lane, and a narrow 2 lane road leading to the school. On cold rainy days 1/2 the kids walk/bike (most walk) on nie days 3/4 walk/bike. From my house at drop off time, by car it takes 5-10 minutes to get to the school, by bike 2 minutes, walking 5 minutes. Love it.

My neighbor built a skate-board park in our city. The city financed it after he made his pitch to the City Council. We are a progressive city where just about anything goes. People riding skateboards down the roads alongside traffic is commonplace. But old men - mostly - screamed and shook their canes at kids doing jumps off handrails wherever they were seen. The skate-park silenced the opposition and experts came out of the wood-work to teach the kids how to do it right.

There are still idiots who blow car-horns at boarders and cyclists - swearing we should all only be allowed on invisible bike-paths. That only their SUV's are allowable on streets. We have some truly rabid A-holes around. A cyclist was just killed a few weeks ago. Hit by a truck when he (cyclist-elderly) lost control. The jerks wrote into the paper that his family should buy the truck driver a new truck and how wonderful he was to kill that commie cyclist! Amazing.

The old guy on the bike was drafting another cyclist. But he lost his concentration for a moment and bumped tires and went down. I wrote an article on drafting and how to do it as safely as possible. Soon half the other writers were sanely discussing drafting and cyclist rights. The other half were talking about blowing bicyclists off the roadways. The other cyclist the guy was drafting had no idea he had company on his rear. He wasn't injured.

The problems occur, because you adults are too cheap to build them a skate park.

A couple times a week, I drop by our skate park just to watch the boarders and BMXers. Some of those kids are amazing.

And ALL you adults b****ing about the kids; they cooperate much better at the skate parks, than most adults do on the roadways.

Where I'm from (Louisville, Kentucky), there is a nice skate park. However, the city was having to spend so much money on repairing vandalized restrooms that officials decided to close the restrooms indefinitely. That seems to contradict your statement that "they cooperate much better at skate parks".

From Louisville Extreme Park's website (louisvilleextremepark.org):

"Restrooms to be closed indefinitely because of vandalism, the restrooms at the Louisville Extreme Park will be closed until further notice. Metro Parks will continue to close the park as necessary when graffiti and vandalism occurs."

The problems occur, because you adults are too cheap to build them a skate park.

A couple times a week, I drop by our skate park just to watch the boarders and BMXers. Some of those kids are amazing.

And ALL you adults b****ing about the kids; they cooperate much better at the skate parks, than most adults do on the roadways.

There is a threat of vandalism/actual vandalism unless money is spent on something the skateboarders desire. That sounds a lot like:

rack·e·teer·ing
Pronunciation: "ra-k&-'tir-i[ng]
Function: noun
1 : the extortion of money or advantage by threat or force

I guess when the adults are b****ing about the "racket" they are literally correct.

The problems occur, because you adults are too cheap to build them a skate park.

A couple times a week, I drop by our skate park just to watch the boarders and BMXers. Some of those kids are amazing.

And ALL you adults b****ing about the kids; they cooperate much better at the skate parks, than most adults do on the roadways.

They built a skate park and a BMX park here on the grounds of a big city park after the kids asked for it and said they'd take care of the park and make sure there weren't any problems. They haven't had any vandalism yet, but I have had a kid on a skateboard and another one (who knows, it may have been the same kid) on a BMX bike ride straight at me in the dark while I was riding through the park with my lights on. I haven't had that much trouble anywhere else.

you should start paying attention to the police state that britain is becoming. by comparison, the united states almost appears to be the 'home of the free'.

Are you trying to say that they really should start to remember, remember the 5th of November?

Guy Fawkes would agree.:)

http://homepage.mac.com/ron_james/iblog/C897374579/E553761704/Media/Vendetta_mask.jpg

wow, that is so dumb. Wish that they would stop trying to make sure everyone is wrapped in cotton wool all the time. Soon it will be too dangerous to walk to school. I actually feel safer riding around than taking public transport (lots of low lifes on public transport in london).

I hope he gets insurance and locks his bike up outside school, and makes sure all the press are there to see him do so.

You can blame the idiot parents for blaming everyone but their son when he rides out into traffic, without looking, and gets flattened by a semi truck.

You can blame the idiot parents for blaming everyone but their son when he rides out into traffic, without looking, and gets flattened by a semi truck.

Can you name any parents who meet that description?

The middle school (350 students) parking lot near my house is below.

Can you name any parents who meet that description?

The middle school (350 students) parking lot near my house is below.


And one accident and one law suit and there will be zero bikes on that rack.

The problems occur, because you adults are too cheap to build them a skate park.

"Geee, that's a nice office facility you got there. It'd be a shame if someone was to, uh say, skateboard on it. You know, for a small recurring fee I could do something to make sure that doesn't happen..."

They're welcome to pay for their own skate park, and pay the insurance bill out of their own pockets. The Problem is inconsiderate juvenile punks. There's NO excuse for vandalism.

And one accident and one law suit and there will be zero bikes on that rack.

Baloney! Just like your straw man argument about the idiot parents blaming everyone else for their own children's fatal bicycle accidents.

Man, if there's one thing this society shouldn't do, it's cater to the physical exercise and social needs of our children. I mean, geez, next we'll be saying we shouldn't strip-search them when looking for ibuprofen tablets. That's the kind of wooly-headed liberal thinking that leads to being eaten.

uptight school.

I really like that "safe cycling" program you described? They should have that here.

There are too many stupid cyclists and too many stupid drivers around here. Both groups are stupid on the road. I will ride my bike to school, and I would take up the full lane. I break the speed limit when the traffic around me breaks the speed limit. Still, people don't seem to give me the right of way, ever. When I drive my truck to school, I have to make a right turn into the parking lot, as do many others. Still, you have the stupid kids riding and passing you on the right, tailgating you, or weaving in the lane making it difficult to pass.

I think roads around large schools should be one-way. 2000 kid population at my high school, the 2 lane road was a nightmare. Everybody was rushing in and out 'cause of the traffic. I figure if it were all one way, and they put in a set of lights for the pedestrians, everything would be a lot quicker, and much safer as there'd be less stress on the road.

That's just my opinion. A fairly cheap solution.

Baloney! Just like your straw man argument about the idiot parents blaming everyone else for their own children's fatal bicycle accidents.


Believe what you want.

Just one of many articles (http://www.cicle.org/cicle_content/pivot/entry.php?id=910). No lawsuit mentioned here but that is what the principal is thinking about.


Government and companies have to minimize their risk today for fear of lawsuits. It's why school buses have to go down both sides of a road, instead of having children just cross the street. It's why you have those stupid warnings on a coffee cup that contents are hot, and ladders have so many warnings. A spokesman for a ladder company once said that if they were to print every warning for everything they have been sued, they couldn't make a ladder long enough.

I vote this thread to be - Most Likely to be Condemned to the Politics and Religion Forum. There it will be soundly hashed and re-hashed until everyone agrees it's a Jewish Conspiracy to paint our navels orange.