Very young children scooting by busy roads?

[SmoothCriminal]

This seems to be the 'in' thing around here. On the school run every other child is on a scooter. I'm pretty shocked though to see preschoolers zooming ahead, especially alongside the main road.

Am I just too cautious? I would never trust my DC to stop at crossings or not veer off into the road. We have some but only take them out in the park or on the heath.

My DS2 is nearly 3 and I let him scooter to pre-school. The road is not a main one, but is quite busy with school drop off etc.

He is confident on the scooter, does not go whizzing off and always scoots next to me or only an arms length in front. There is a tree near the crossing and he always gets off, hands me his scooter and we cross the road with DS1 holding hands then he gets his scooter back.

DS1's classroom is way over the other side of the playground and the scooter is my master plan to get to school and the classroom on time. He is faster in the playground, not in a Barry Sheen kind of way, but faster. It's the freedom, the wind in his hair etc etc!

Now there's somthing to moan about, scootering in the playground!

Go on do your worst!!

But YOU have decided it is a small risk to take to leave your children, who are you to decide there is a greater risk and minimal benefit to a child scooting?

A road is a road; a main road can be as dangerous, or even more so, as a small country one depending on the drivers who use it.

Actually, there is a point; if more people let their children scoot and didn't drive them to school, the roads would be less busy and you wouldn't have to worry so much.

Therefore, I think it is the drivers who are irresponsible .

scooting was the only way i could get my daughter back and for to nursery without her sitting and refusing to move,and being large I couldn't carry her all the way;she hates walking anywhere still and she's now 7. I'll take the scooter so she'll walk the dogs:sometimes you do what you can just to get kids from a to b.

I hate, hate, hate those fucking scooters. Where I live they're practically compulsory (along with your P&T pushchair and Boden coat)and I loathe them. 2 year olds 'trusted' to stop at junctions on very busy roads - total madness. I am in no way neurotic with my dc's, very relaxed about illness, bumps and scrapes, eating etc etc but those scooters....I tell you - when I'm prime minister, chunter, chunter.......

You sound just a leetle jealous MrC .

MY 2 year does stop at junctions btw. Gawd, you aren't one of my neighbours are you?

Just think you'll be able to do your best "well, I told you so" look if something terrible does happen to one of these poor scootering youngsters, eh.

I utterly agree with MrChristmasGoAway, sorry.

It is madness to believe that a 2yo will always stop at a junction. Thankfully the one time my (then) 4yo didn't stop the road was clear. It was a bloody good wake-up call.

we are all taking our own risks. Personally i would never take out the bins without first having my door key on me when my child is in the house. We each have to recognise the risk, decide if there's a way to minimise it - eg, take housekeys with you and weigh that up against the benefits. simple really.

I can't help but add that i find benefits of giving child responsibility and learning road safety are huge compared to benefits of getting the bins out punctually IMO but i am prepared to understand we all think differently when it comes to these things.

My 4yo absent mindedly steps/falls off the kerb into the road all the time, should I stop him from walking to school then?

I can't believe there are so many anti-scooter people on this thread; they are a god send if you don't have a car and want your children to get some exercise (although obviously they will end up having one leg much stronger than the other ).

I'm going to leave this thread now as I have RL stuff I should be doing .

At 2 I wouldn't have trusted DS to stop, therefore we never used the scooter to get to and from nursery. At 3 I do so we do use it. And he does always stop.

Nkfffffeeeeeeee

''i find benefits of giving child responsibility and learning road safety are huge compared to benefits of getting the bins out punctually IMO''

Well you misunderstood me. I often have to empty our bin into the communal bin especially given I have two small children still in nappies and am a single mother.

Otteriaskoda thanks for just a clear response.

I'll keep mine to the park for a while now.

Our Grandaughter 6 Aug 24. Has been using little scooter back from school for 2 years. As there were 3 estate roads to cross, as she was not very speedy, we could keep up with her. We trusted her. We, Grandma 80, Grandad 81 went on holiday. 2 weeks leaving the scooter with daughter so 5/nearly 6 Yr old could practice. Till tonight we trusted her. We have helmet but got out of habit using with scooter as she was so slow. Tonight she was Deaf to calls, she scooted to far fast. Did not stop at roads. I did not let her into house. Stood outside. I asked her what she had done wrong. I asked her what her mummy would feel like, if she came home and we told her you were in hospital and unconscious. She said, sad. I seem to be strict one. I told her I won't tell her Mummy/Daddy. As she will have 4 people onto her. But I think I have to tell her. We made mistakes letting her ride near roads. Not using Helmet.

Reading mum's net of other people's experiance. We have 8 weeks to sort. It's no roads scooting. No more her choosing which route home. We will use no road route. Today was the last time we pick her up until September new term.

Totally depends on the child I guess.

DS has little road sense, is very impulsive and he’s scary enough walking by the road never mind scooting! and he’s 5 so not even tiny anymore.