not to want my eight year old cycle on the roads with her friends?

[snowrose]

Hi, I have just joined and would love to hear other mum's opinions.

We live in the country and our roads are lanes, the one outside my house is quite long and cars can go at least 40mph. My daughetrs friends, turning nine, have, this last couple of weeks been allowed to cycle on their own. I let my little girl go once but watching them from the upstairs window I could see they had no road sense at all.

I have now told my daughter that she will have to pass her cycling proficiency before we try again. three of her friends continue to cycle (without helmets!?!) and don't even keep to the left.

I would love to hear your views, am I being too careful?

Thanks

YANBU

My DD is almost 7yo and I would not let her cycle on the road alone, and I cannot see that changing in the next year.

no, you aren't being too careful. I woiuld insist on cycling proficiency first.
and not wearing helmets is just plain stupid!

I wouldn't like my dds cycling on teh road before their cycling proficinecy and without helmets. I think you're right.

We're lucky, we have lots of cycle paths around our estate and childrne cycle on the pavements too.

YANBU

No, you are right and doing the proper thing IMO! 8/9 is too young to expect proper road sense from and drivers will not be expecting to find chilren in the middle of the road (even if they should be prepared for it IYSWIM)!

YANBU

Do you ride much? Could you take her out and cycle with her to teach her more road sense to give you more peace of mind?

hmmm tough one, to be honest i wouldn't let my nearly 9 yo ride on the rode, but we live in a town, tbh i don't even like riding on the road, even in a cycle lane, especially with lo on the back.

I have to say,, I think you are right to say she must pass the cyling proficiency first and also go with her if possible, until you're satisfied she has the sense to do it, also insist on a helmet, and knee pads, um.. and bubble wrap!

(only kidding about the bubble wrap)

road not rode

Thank you everyone. Yes YANBU you are right, I will take her out and teach her what I can, but I do feel that being in a class with an instructor somehow sinks in more with kids. It is just reassuring to haer other mums think the same, i want her to have freedom but of course i want her safe, thanks again

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, bubblewrap, now there's an idea!!

are there any tracks they can go and cycle down? Or can they go about on the [pavements?

YANBU - I grew up in Oxford cycling city of the world. And there things are a bit better as cars expect bikes. At nine I cycled on the road but I rode every day previously with my parents.

personally think that the country is worse as cars do not expect bikes.

I would in fact tell her friends parents taht you saw them going all over the road. better that thanthe worst case scenario.

We don't have any pavements or cycle tracks, and I do think maybe it's worse out here, there may be not be quite so much traffic but that makes the kids more relaxed and then when the cars come thay can go at quite a speed. I think I will have to mention it to their Mum's, i'm not good at that sort of thing but maybe they don't know the girls are out without helemts?

My DS was on the road, in the country, in a national speed limit area at 9. But I would only let him cycle on his own, not with friends, because they lose road sense and stop concentrating when they are in a group.

And you have to be very strict about helmets. My DS was kept in by us after school for a week as a result of cycling home from school with no helmet on.

My dad took me out many many many times on the bike at that age to get some road sense. A bunch of silly eight year olds don't learn road sense. Cycling proficiency tests don't teach real road sense. It's practice on the actual local roads she will need , with an adult who can see the terrifying things that can happen on that bend, or at that junction, or how to deal with horses, or how not to panic when the farm lorries go past 6 inches from your back wheel. I beg you to take her out first. I can still see 2 of my dippy ten year old friends cycling all over the place on a double blind bend coming into the village, and so nearly getting run over. That was a LONG time ago and roads are much busier now. PLease take her out first and see how little she really knows, and multiply that by how silly her friends are.

Thanks Cat, good advice, will do.

YANBU
I'm sure I've read advice on this somewhere, children that age simply don't have the necesary concentration, experience, or common sense.
If it helps, my own parents wouldn't even let me have a bike for this reason, and this was years ago in a quiet village. Of course I thought it very unfair but now i understand completely.

YANBU

Riding on the road means that you should be following the highway code. The cycling proficiency is a very good start, and cycling with adults for practise would help with confidence and experience.

at no helmets too.

That makes a bit of sense, as the school only start cycling club in year 6, and whilst I will take her lots more myself , I just know that in a gang of giggly girls concentration will be lost.

(NB Snow, you may have guessed I am psyching myself up for the same thing a little down the line!)

Cat - i get so anxious about these things, i want her to enjoy life and hate having to say no to the things her friends are doing, but i just can't open the door and let her ride off, it doesn't feel right.

YANBU

If this was my child I would not let them out alone with friends, without road sense and without helmets. At least in the suburbs where I live they can ride on pavements.