to think the lollipop lady shoildn't tell my son that he shouldn't ride his bike standing up?

[adamadamum]

My son is six,and after having a bike for a while, I am letting him ride it to school (on the pavement, very carefully, with a helmet, and he has great manners anyway so no bumping into people!)

Anyway, after seeing Mighty Mites on CBeebies, he has learnt a new skill, to ride standing up, all part of BMX training stuff. (And I will happy to get him a BMX bike in the future, finances/circumstances permitting)

Yesterday, coming out of school my son was upset. He said the lollipop lady had said to him that he shouldn't ride his bike standing up - a skill he had learnt on Cbeebies! When he does this, it's only for thirty seconds or so! We were a few yards up the road when he explained why he was upset, so I suggested we return and politely explain why he was upset, for HIS closure...so we went back and very politely got the lollipop lady's attention. My son said he was upset, I told her that i had given my son permission to ride standing up

In my personal experience omnishambles, it makes for very scary encounters. It depends where you live I think. I used to brave the pavements in North London, with a big pregnant belly next to kids that were positively racing.

You don't have to be hit to be scared of it happening to you or to a child you're holding by the hand, it would make me feel sick with worry, especially as they would fly past me coming from behind, where I couldn't see them.
Have you never experienced that yourself?

So, next time I see a kid or an adult riding on a pavement (as I still do) I won't think "statistics are on my side".

That's riding inconsiderately though, which no one is advocating.

I think even a 6 year old can be taught to ride so that they don't inconvenience or otherwise frighten other people.

apart from the OP perhaps

...in terms of thinking that to ride standing up is a cool skill, and that not bumping on pedestrians is a matter of manners! :o

Actually, I'm more interested in where exactly the OP was when the standing up incident took place. When my children were 6 I was always, always able to see exactly what they were doing and nearly always in earshot too. In fact, on a busy road they were still holding my hand, just in case.

Does the child cycle out of school on his own to meet mum half way up the street? Please could someone clarify this bit for me.

Nellykats - I havent experienced it no - though maybe we are lucky round here - most dcs and adults are only too happy to use their bell. A lot.

Even the older dcs round here who I do think should be on the road mostly get off into the road when you approach them with a buggy etc.

I think the inconsiderate riding you get is in inner city areas where you have couriers who have learnt to be aggressive in order to be safe and they are scary - flying through pedestrian crossings, going the wrong way up streets etc.

true omnishambles, for me it was mostly groups of boys round 15-16 that were the scariest. I'm all for cycling by the way, but I think it's a matter of attitude, you must have far more considerate people in your area!

And the point of paying the lollipop lady to keep your child safe when you undermine her in front of your son is what exactly?

Like others, I'd also like to know where you were when the lolipop lady told your son he was being dangerous?

And had you actually given him permission?

**On average just under 18% of cyclists ran red lights

the above figure is only in london - not the rest of the uk

The OP isnt here northerngirl and SoupDragan - its just us tsk...

In Britain it is still illegal to push a pram on the pavement. This law dates back to the days when a pram was considered to be classed as a road vehicle, and has never been taken off the statute books

Whereas a child can cycle on the pavement and nothing is needed to justify the act as it isn't illegal

the children that cycle to school along the pavemtn will venture onto the road when older and they will nto be holding you up in motorised vehicles

There is an attitude though that they are a menance, they are no more a menance than a car driven badly and jumping traffice lights.