Cycling to School

[Pure Savage]

While sitting in traffic today seeing the droves of kids in cars and wishing they were pedaling there way to school I wondered why dont more kids ride to school.

 

Back in the day I rode to school and if you did not get to school early enough you did not get a spot in the bike shed.

 

If more kids rode to school I could then sleep in a little later and not have to sit in as much traffic.

 

The only incidents I had cycling to school were two muggings, not too bad in 8 years.

 

Who else used to ride to school?

[Gen]

While sitting in traffic today seeing the droves of kids in cars and wishing they were pedaling there way to school I wondered why dont more kids ride to school.

 

Back in the day I rode to school and if you did not get to school early enough you did not get a spot in the bike shed.

 

If more kids rode to school I could then sleep in a little later and not have to sit in as much traffic.

 

The only incidents I had cycling to school were two muggings, not too bad in 8 years.

 

Who else used to ride to school?

 

More idiots on the roads and well we know all about muggings and cyclist being targeted. Different times now.

 

I still se a fair bit of kids riding to school, mostly high school kids. . Although not so much in winter ha ha ha.

 

But yeah.. I think as kids most of us rode our bikes everywhere, not just to school.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Gen

[Raydek]

I used to ride as well... Was the highlight of my day, lol...

 

Times and kids were different then I, don't think it is 'cool' enough nowadays, all the kids seem to be worried about is image and how they are perceived by other kids..

 

Also, safety is probably a bigger factor today then what is was in our day, it would most likely be 2 muggings a week at the rate things are going at the moment.

[blondeonabike]

I also used to ride....on the way home sometimes stop at the cafe if I had a 20c to play games. Then make up some story for mum to explain why I was late.

[Raydek]

I also used to ride....on the way home sometimes stop at the cafe if I had a 20c to play games. Then make up some story for mum to explain why I was late.

 

Speaking of memories...

 

1c for two Wilson toffees... Goodness..

[Guest notmyname]

I rode to school from grade 2 until I got a licence to drive my green Renault 9 in Matric. I'm not sure the crime on cyclists was that much of an issue in those days. If it was it never affected me.

[Pin-it]

I am currently at school and would love to be able to ride but it is simply not possible for me. This may be a problem that only I have but the amount of luggage the boys at my school arrive with would be impossible to carry on a bike. We all have very heavy school bags, then massive tog bags and most importantly the great lunch box! I do think the whole image aspect plays a part in it but is not such a big part. I think it's more of a fact that it is simply not safe for children to be riding to and from school especially when you consider that most of them, and again this may be confined to be school, have to arrive between 6:30-7 in the morning and only leave when it's getting dark again!

[Cargyrl]

I used to cycle to school in high school. I think it still happens but only in the smaller towns, the city is hectic. If I have kids I would love to cycle to school with them, then fetch them with the bicycle again, best way to teach them to understand, anticipate traffic. That is what Dutch parents do too.

[Cois]

Used to cycle to school. Dad only dropped me off at school when the temprature was in the minus temps and very low temps.

Used to lugg around a 8 kg suitcase.

 

One day hit my name with a solid 2x4. Wanted to be a show off and some idiot tampered with my bike. Pulled the rear break just before the gate at school, but there were no breaks. Decided to swing the bike and bail out.

[GrantRH]

Would be less worried about the muggings and more worried about the taxis.

 

Maybe, when cycle lanes are introduced in Jhb it will be better.

[Gen]

Hey even my kids (primary school have heavy bags).. and they have to lug around cricket kits and tennis bags.. oi no hey. .

 

Gone are the days that schools provide cricket kit etc. Now you have to have your own.. and those bags are huge.

[porqui]

Rode to school and loved it.

 

My kids no chance and just down the road - 2kms - no ways.

 

Traffic a disaster and the very 1st time my laaitie leaves the property on his bike an attempted hi-jack.

[RockCoach]

Our daughter used to cycle to school in Randburg every so often. This was after I worked out a route where she could ride pavements on busy roads and rode with her a number of times. She could also hop up most pavements. More often we would drop her and bike at school and she would ride home. Obviously texting when she left and live tracking on Endomondo.

[Gen]

Hey do the city kids still ride busses to school?

[Skinnyone]

I rode to school pretty much every day, in winter it would be a case of wear two pairs of long socks and your blazer (not allowed to ride in tracksuits!!! - Had to be school uniform). The bag was a killer some days but it was a case of HTFU or HTFUFP (harden the F up F-in pansie!).

 

Ah the rush to get to the bike shed before anyone got a chance to tamper with your bike - fond memories! loose skewers,loose brakes, flat tyres, missing wheels etc :lol:

[Flippa]

I rode to school from Standard 1 until the end of Matric. My parents wouldn't drop me off, so I had clothing for rain, cold, you name it. Cricket season was the worst, had my school bag and a cricket bag with my kit in, pads, bat, helmet,on top of it. Had only one incident in all that time, got bumped by a car whilst crossing at a pedestrian crossing, he was a little hasty at anticipating the green.