Hi All,

I thought of this one morning while watching all of the kids being dropped off one by one a at the local middle from school.

Problem: Single kids being driven ludicrously short distances to school because it is too dangerous to ride a bicycle to school.

Solution: Why not organize a "Kids Commute" to school. There is an adult in charge who would over see the commute. You'd ride from house to house like a bus, starting from the furthest kid, picking up kids and ending up at the intended school.

Sound simple? I "drives" me nuts when I ride past the chaos at schools when the day begins or ends. At our schools in the Comox Valley, BC, it is bananas. Get parents or whoever is willing to get involved. Might include having a meet before hand to ensure bikes are up to snuff before the school year.

Can it be done? Jamie Oliver changed the way kids eat in school, can this be not far off**********

I think you'd have some details to work out (for instance, I think two adults -- one at the front and one at the back -- would be better), but it sounds like a good idea. The problem would lie in convincing the parents. Jamie Oliver didn't have to deal with that angle of it (at least not as much as this would require).

not good idea

too much danger

crazy driver hit bus kids may be okay
crazy driver hit bike bus, kids died!

i in bus was hit before
was hit by non crazy driver, driver was teacher
child uninjured

I read something like this before, but it was called a walking bus. I don't remember what city it was in, but one city couldn't afford school buses, so some parents got together and arranged so that one or two parents would walk to kids' homes, pick them up, walk to the next kid's house, pick that one up, and so on until all the kids have been picked up, and then they all walk to school.

Elusor, I think you overstate the danger. Kids riding in a bike bus are no more likely to be hit than kids riding a bike at any other time. In fact, it would probably be less likely, just because they would attract more attention as a group. It wouldn't work everywhere, but could be a reasonable alternative in lower-traffic areas.

I thought you meant one of these:

Just imagine if they made it relatively lightweight and aerodynamic.

no biike bus hit kids die

bus steel bus yellopw protect and higher up from collisions from automobiles

Yep, if they made it out of titanium and put some trispokes on there it would fly. I wonder where the paniers go?

Walking School Buses and Bicycle Trains

Fantastic idea.
As a kid in school it was 18 miles each way so the bus was only option. I hated it and had no less than a little envy for my peers in town. My situation wouldn't have changed with this idea, but it would for lots of them in the 3-5 mile range.

they do it here.

The paranoia parents have lately drives me crazy.

My wife's business partner called my house this morning. Her daughter had missed her ride to school and they were trying to track down someone to drive her. She was potentially wanting my wife to drive about 15 minutes (each way) to her house and drive her daughter (7th-8th grade range) to school.

The catch? You can literally see the school from their home. It's about 300 yards.

No F'ing way?
Hell when I was in grade school, 6th grade, I lived 1.5 miles away from school.
I walked. Granted it was 1976 but today is really no different than 1976. It's just
that we have more ways to hear the bad crap that happens so it SEEMS like there
is more danger.
I WILL NOT LIVE IN OTHER'S FEAR!
(except when I'mm on my bike and someone spits on me. . .)
Anyway, my 12 year old rode public transportation to school this year, alone.
It was hard for me to let go, but she did well. Being a red belt in karate
makes it a bit easier to let her go.

300 yards. Geez. Do they have their kid implanted with a satellite tracking chip yet?