do your dc's still play out their bikes these dark nights and how far do you let them go

[heatblast]

Hi
I am really frightened about my ds playing out on his bike once it starts to get dark and I spend alot of the time fretting about him.
He is 7 8 in Decemeber and he has got friendly witha boy who lives around the corner who is 10 years of age.
This friend does have more maturity as he does obviously have two years on my ds and he as been playing out for some time and has beenriding his bike out on the street for some time he is allowed to ride down to the sweet shop etc.
This boy regularly calls for my ds when it is already getting dark but I am not happy about my ds going around in the dark on his bike where as this other boy is allowed to.
Just wondering do you think its acceptable to let an 7 year old ride out on these dark nights and to go further than outside their house.
I am not totally sure he has enough road sense yet for this either.
He wears a helmet and has reflectors.
Do you allow your 7 year old out on these dark nights on a bike or wouldn,t you hear of it.
If you do how far do you let them go.

Well, we live in a small close with a turning circle, have 2 ds, aged 10 and 7, and I don't even let them out in the close once it gets dark. Older ds has enough road sense (probably) not to get in trouble but I think the younger one could definitely get caught up in whatever game they are playing and forget to watch the road - which for us would only be the people who live here coming home. I wouldn't be at all happy about them being out of my sight in the dark.

My ds is 7 and I worry about him in daylight let alone the dark!