Discussions

Now we are complaining how kids ride their bikes? Who are you wanting to listen, the kids? Nah, they are out having fun RIDING THEIR BIKES. Sheesh

All they were asking for was a little warning that someone was coming up behind them, for their safety AND the kids. If they wondered over a few inches they could knock the child off the bike and hurt both them. They weren't saying they shouldn't be there.

......the original poster was just asking for a little warning of them coming up behind her, I don't blame her, it can be dangerous if someone passes without the person's knowledge.

It is proper etiquette and an excellent safety precaution to use a bell and let pedestrians know you are coming up from behind.

I thought it was illegal to ride on the sidewalks or is that just for adults. I seen a little while ago where a person got a ticket for riding on the sidewalk.

What self respecting kid wants a bell ding-alinging along with them lol  
 
Parents, it's time to bring back the age old tradition of cards in the spokes, doesn't have to be sports cards, could be pokemon or magic or whatever they have nowadays.

When I was a kid they annually taught bike safety at school. We brought our bikes to school. They had stations set up outside with courses set up to demo hand signals, etc.

We had that at Meadows too, but I had to pretend to have a bike because I couldn’t get mine on the school bus lol That was a little embarrassing

Before COVID, our kids school had that program (JR Reid). I went a little further and taught them the principle rules and respect of the road. I also told them the sidewalk was for "kids with training wheels" and there's no excuse to be on the sidewalk after the age of ten or eleven, My belief is, when you treat it as a "right of passage" of becoming an responsible adult, they except it as a goal to achieve. Not as a rule that they must follow. Just like driving... If parents teach their kids the freedom of cycling is a privilege and not a right, usually the respect for rules & boundaries, autos and pedestrians easily follows. Where the problem often originates, many parents feel the world must look out for their kids, instead of the kids being taught to look out for the world. But not be afraid of it, but aware of it.  
 
Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

It's worth mentioning that this can be a problem on the shared bicycle / walking paths in our city. A quick ring of a bell or a "coming up from behind" warning can prevent an accident and possible injury. Lots of our older citizens use those walking paths: I know one person that was injured by a passing bicycle (coming without warning from behind) and spent quite a long time recovering from her injuries.

We are complaining about it and expecting parents to.........parent. Whenever a child is injured on a bike in this city there is a public outcry while over 80% of the situations are avoidable if the child was simply taught bike safety rules. Safety first, fun second.

I think it would be reasonable and a good safety precaution to require the passing of an enforced cycling proficiency test prior to allowing cyclists onto any public right of way.  
A bell or horn and the use of lights should also be compulsory.

However, I have complicated feelings about riding bikes on sidewalks being against the law. Won't get into it since that's not the topic of discussion.  
 
That said, people really should be teaching their children how to ride their bikes respectfully. I was out for a walk with a friend last summer when a kid came up from behind and ran into her on his bike, almost knocking them both over. We're lucky that the worst she suffered was a bruise, but if that kid ran into a senior he could have done a lot more damage.