Cycling to school

[honesty]

My daughter is 6. She currently gets to school in a cycle trailer, but has suddenly come along leaps and bounds on her own bike and wants to cycle to school. I am happy to let her cycle in with me but my question, on the road or on the footpath? We've got to go through 1 junction which has combined foot/cycle crossings, along a relatively busy road for 1 mile (wide, not busy usually, 30mph, clogs up at rush hour) then turn right at a T junction at the end. There is a footpath the whole way along, but it can be quite narrow and I'd have to cycle with her on the footpath.

[[XAP]Bob]

I don't trust my 8 year old on the roads (have tried on quiet back of the estate style roads, which only confirms my position)
I usually have her on the pavement, and I ride the road at her speed.

[foxyrider]

Nice that she wants to ride.

My gut feeling is ride on the path but that does have issues - legally whilst your daughter can ride quite legally there if her bike has 20" or smaller wheels you can't. So you could be fingered for riding there. It also is telling your daughter that she shouldn't be on the road and encouraging car drivers in that belief. She will grow in confidence quickly on the road but of course there are dangers involved.

At the end of the day only you can make the call, I wouldn't even think of telling you what to do.

Good luck

[Si]

Depends on the child. Ive ridden with four year olds who were fine...not because they were especially good at cycling or aware of what was happening around them but because they did exactly what they were told and werent panicked by traffic. And ive ridden with adults who i thought shouldnt be allowed near a road without some more training.

You know your child best so you have the best idea of how they would handle it. Maybe introduce them to the road in small easy chunks, once you are sure they can handle the really easy stuff move up to the next level etc.

[Vorpal]

I'd say it depends on the child. Not many children are traffic / risk aware enough to ride on the road in traffic at that age, even with a parent.

I let Mini V do stuff like that from about 7 years old. She had been cycling independently and on the back of the tandem for 3 years then, and listened well. Also, I don't know the junctions and things. I think I would at least start with her on the pavement and see how it goes; especially since you have the ped / cycle crossing.

edited to add: what Si said

[Postboxer]

Why is there a combined foot/cycle crossing, is there a cycle lane somewhere?

Also, consider the route back, but it sounds like that would be easier, as it would be a left turn into the road end. Maybe just practice cycling on quieter roads, or practice the route on a weekend when it might be quieter, see how she handles it.

It might also be possible to replan the route, so you always turn left, though this might not be necessary depending how busy the road you are turning right into is.

[eileithyia]

Start on the pavement and see how it goes, see how she rides on the road on quieter back roads and responds to commands before you take her on the road to school. my son was 9 before he was really riding independantly on the roads.

[honesty]

My preference is to get her on the path to start with then onto the road once she's happy with the route, and I cycle on the road next to her. Unfortunately I can't do the last bit as there is a massive grass verge between the path and the road. I think I'm going to just suck it up and cycle on the path behind here, and prepare to argue if I get stopped...

The road is Bindon Road in Taunton if you are interested.

[jatindersangha]

I have a 16yo and a 12yo. When I'm with them we'll cycle on the road.

When I'm not with them - it's pavements only - simply not worth the risk given that their road awareness is poor and the 12yo can hardly walk in a straight line let alone cycle in a straight line

--Jatinder

[thirdcrank]

This had me wondering whatever happened to safe routes to school.
Probably another great idea that collapsed at the implementation stage.

Good luck with this but you are exposing the humbug - and occasional naivety - of politicians who "aspire" to promote cycling.

[bigjim]

My lot are grown up now but I have grandkids this age that I walk to school and back [Parenting never stops]. I would not contemplate letting a child of mine ride that journey. Agree, lovely that she wants to but kids have a different perception to danger than adults. I believe to cycle safely in todays overcrowded roads that have a fair share of selfish lunatics, one needs to ride aggressively in traffic and be capable of reading the road ahead. Always looking for and making allowances for the maniac. I don't think a child of that age would be capable of that. But as others have said. Your call.

[Heltor Chasca]

I have a 16yo and a 12yo. When I'm with them we'll cycle on the road.

When I'm not with them - it's pavements only - simply not worth the risk given that their road awareness is poor and the 12yo can hardly walk in a straight line let alone cycle in a straight line

--Jatinder

Pretty much a shared take on what I do when the kids ride with me. I also use a cargo bike for the school run. To school we can use the road and a greenway all the way. However on the way home (with my daughter on the back) I ride for about 150m on the pavement where the road is perilous. It is up hill, has a blind corner and has a 20 & 30mph speed restriction depending on where on the hill you are. HOWEVER the majority of vehicles take it upon themselves to self-moderate their speed at 50mph.

When my 7 year old isn't on the bike I use the road as usual and on the blind bend I cycle in primary. If any law enforcement officer comes my way, finger wagging, I have a full spiel ready. [emoji48]

[NUKe]

What about a tag tandem (single wheel trailer bike) as the next stage, if you are unsure about the road. second-hand they can be picked up relatively inexpensive, I paid a tenner for ours. I did have to do a little bit of work. on it,. Another alternative is a trailgator which tows the childs own bike and can be unhitched when conditions allow

[drossall]

... legally whilst your daughter can ride quite legally there if her bike has 20" or smaller wheels you can't.

Strictly speaking she can't either. My folder's got 20" wheels, and I certainly can't

Bikes aren't allowed on pavements, full stop. (Shared use and the like excepted, obviously.) The OP's daughter can get away with it because she's too young to be held legally responsible. It's that, and not some exemption for young children from the law, that makes it generally accepted that young kids can ride on the pavement. Although, in a sense, not being old enough to be prosecuted is an exemption

[foxyrider]

... legally whilst your daughter can ride quite legally there if her bike has 20" or smaller wheels you can't.

Strictly speaking she can't either. My folder's got 20" wheels, and I certainly can't

Bikes aren't allowed on pavements, full stop. (Shared use and the like excepted, obviously.) The OP's daughter can get away with it because she's too young to be held legally responsible. It's that, and not some exemption for young children from the law, that makes it generally accepted that young kids can ride on the pavement. Although, in a sense, not being old enough to be prosecuted is an exemption

Your folder is an adult bike, legally speaking a child's bike is a toy which have no pavement restrictions, has different quality requirements and safety requirements and shouldn't be used on the road.

The grey area is BMX which whilst essentially kids bikes are treated as adult for safety standards.

If you want to be pedantic prams and pushchairs should not be used on footpaths as they are classed as wheeled carriages which should use the highway. I somehow don't think stopping their use on pavements would go down too well.