For now you gotta listen to your parents, they are just trying to look out for you. It's not a bad idea to ride on the road with an adult who can teach you the rules of the road and how to ride safely...I am hoping that adult is one of your parents. I taught my kids and my GFs son when he was 13, he's now 14 and riding 5 miles to school on his own. Be patient.

About the same story with me. A bike was freedom to roam.

I think parents today, in general, are paranoid. I don't really think things are anymore dangerous when many of us were kids. Its just the information of the bad things is so readily reported. Bad things happened way back in the good ol days. Its just that it didn't necessarily make the 6 o'clock news. And a lot of companies are in business by preying up the fears of people. There's a lot of media coverage of bad things because it sells. Some parents look at you like you're crazy if you let your kid in the front yard without being there yourself.

It's part of being a parent. I've been riding on the roads since I was like 6 and taught my kids to ride...but that didn't keep me from worrying about them when they began riding to school...I even contemplated NOT allowing them to do so. It's hard to let your kids fly on their own even when you know you taught them the best you could - I'd never judge another parent for what they do with their own kids. Of course that doesn't mean I can't call them freakin stupid for telling other people that cycling on the roadways suicidal out of their own fear and ignorance.

thanks guys for this all, it'll help (I hope so) they alow me to ride on my street (it's a no-through road) but no further, I think I should be glad I'm alowed to even ride at all good things come to those who wait... speaking of that i've been waiting for three months for that guitar to come.. better be damn good.

I hear what you're saying. I'm a parent of one and gotta another due in June. I just think that there is more than enough to worry about, let alone having media and the commercial industry piling on. And for what its worth, I think its better to err on the side of caution. For every over rotective parent, there's one out there that has no clue as to what their kid is up to...

I am 40 and still get it....It wil never end.

thanks