Cycling to School

[Rapunzel]

I rode to school in primary school (probably from when I was about 10 to Std 5). My mom had a home industries shop so the choice was walk 4km to the shop after school or cycle to the shop, drop my briefcase and go home. Sport practice was about twice a week if I recall, so then mom would pick us up after practice.

High School I was in koshuis, so thankfully the trip to and from my hostel room was only a few minutes.

When I got to Varsity, my flatlet was a fair way off Campus (on top of the hill in Uniepark in Stellenbosch), so I dusted off my old Peugot Mountain bike (full rigid, about 14kg with 7 speed shimano deore shifters) and used this to get to campus and back. I rented a locker in the Neelsie to store text books and my cycling kit (no helmets in those days, only "kit" I had was wool mittens my gran knitted me) and tried to get through as much homework in between classes as I had an evening job either doing guarding duty at the ladies' res'es or bar tendering / waitering to pay for my studies. I saved up enough cash for a Volksie when I was 21. I incidentally got my first real hangover the weekend after I got my car. I suspect that I used to sweat out the alcohol consumed with after shift drinks at the restaurant I used to work.

 

Today I try to commute at least twice a week. My route is from Parklands to Tyger Valley. I pass Kenridge Primary school and this is usually my most dangerous spot. It seems like when the mommies drop their kids off for school their brains fall out as well until 2 when they pick them up again. The amount of times I was almost hit by a mom that simply does not see my 2000 lumens front light flashing like a lighthouse is just staggering. If the kiddies at Kenridge rode to school on their bikes my guess would be that there would be at least 1 incident a month with moms leaving school with the lights on but no one home.

Kenridge is a nightmare between 7:30 and 7:50 - give it a wide berth. I'd love to let my kids ride to Kenridge but there are no bike paths, pavements are clogged with shrubs and there are too many roads to cross.

[GLuvsMtb]

Kenridge is a nightmare between 7:30 and 7:50 - give it a wide berth. I'd love to let my kids ride to Kenridge but there are no bike paths, pavements are clogged with shrubs and there are too many roads to cross.

My alternative is over Bloemendal via Majick Forest, but then I have to leave home a good 30 minutes earlier to be ontime for work. I don't particularly enjoy going all the way up to Durban Road as you end up with Taxi's and busses running you down when they use the left shoulder as a dedicated Taxi / Bus lane.

[Eugene]

I rode to school with my daughter in December. Nice outing I thought..................she fell in front of me, I went over her and my bars and broke my arm. 9 months later, I still cannot straighten my arm.

 

Cycling to school is dangerous

[FlandersZA]

Also rode to school on the mtb, come rain or shine - school bag on the back and kit bag on the front. Once or twice I even lifted a fellow school mate who happened to be walking. He would sit on the saddle with all of his kit on his back and I would get out of saddle with weight over the bars. That ended badly once though when my front tyre flattened on a bump under all the pressure, flinging the bars sideways into my groin, sending myself and all of my kit, along with him and all of his kit, over my bars. With arms pinned on the rider side of the bars, myself and kit, along with him and his kit all landed and skidded down the road...on my face.

 

 

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.

 

Oh yes! Now you've reminded me of my first hub post: https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/135471-level-of-noobness/page__st__192#entry2224421

[andremtb1]

I wont let my son ride to school in the morning the rush hour traffic makes it too dangerous, I drop him and his bike at school. I must say he looks very strange when he gets home , Blazer over riding kit with up to 3 bags hanging off him but the smile on his face is what counts the most.

[kosmonooit]

I spent a year ((1999/2000) in London cycling to 'school', Ealing to South Kensington, about 40 mins each way. Was quite hard core going through the wet cold winter, but I had all the water/weather proofs and anything was better than the Tube, which I would use on the occasional weekend jol, and it was a novelty. Anything but a night bus!

 

Narrow roads meant congested traffic and once the motorists get to a traffic circle it was put-foot mayhem, very dangerous, I would dismount and join the pedestrians crossings (ie Hammersmith round-about). Tried to include routes through parks where ever possible, and on the weekends I would go for long rides to explore London, often along tow paths on canals and 'The River', and through the great parks they have there, like Richmond. I had two bikes nicked, and got attacked, twice, by white trash near dodgy housing estates (for no apparent reason, Clockwork Orange-style). Lots of classmates said they would also like to be cycling, but they are were too scared. I think its changed since then in London. Then I came back to SA I was cycling much more regularly, really got hooked.

 

Back in Primary school, yes as soon as I could, my dear mother hated driving. Got bitten by a dog, twice, that was the only ordeal. The same dog, an angry white Alsatian. Then came high school, it was far away on the other side of town (the grim side) so it was a bus, and then all sorts of teenage nonsense started. Then we all got into motorbikes, and it was only many years later once the mtb was on the market, I started cycling again.

Edited August 17, 2014 by kosmonooit

[Gen]

the GF bike thing thread.. made me come find this again.

 

So After this thread discussion I just got this overwhelming feeling of sadness that our kids are missing out on freedom.. hubby and I discussed it and we told the boys on sunday.. there is your bikes and helmet go and ride your bikes (we live in a small quiet town and sundays most people are in church and they had their phones with them forbin case)... so off they went. . 15min later they were back.. they rode to the garage and back.. so we said no man.. go ride, come back later.. go have fun.. off they went again.. an hour later they were back

. the eldest a nervous wreck cause the youngest was riding irresponsibly ( in this he meant Aiden hadn't stopped dead at the stop street and there was a car.. the car btw stopped and let them go as it was their turn to go) so he gave his brother a good talking to and rather came home ha ha ha.

 

We had such a giggle.. they had no clue what to do with this new found freedom.

 

 

[JJDT]

Used to cycle everywhere when I was in high school. When I was in matric most of my buddies had bikes and I used to tag along with the bicycle, I was very fit at that stage. Program mostly looked like this go home after school, dress in the athletics, rugby or cricket clothing back to school, after practice would join my buddies at their house and finally go home again. Cycling was mere my mode of transport as opposed to a sport these days.

[Shebeen]

My dad used to ride to school. he always told me stories about it, in particular one about what it was like in winter.

 

They used to boil the kettle at home and pour water into the handlebar and close it up with a cork. This is mainly because he grew up in Leeds, yorkshire. When I visited his old house, I found new respect for him and the hills he tackled in the dark every morning.

 

pretty sure the kids don't ride to school there these days either.

[braailegend]

Delivered newspapers on bike, 5am - 6am, 7am off to school on bike and back.

Did this from St1 to around matric.

 

Worst was days I had sports bag and technical drawing board. Was about 6km to school, but a rough hill on the way back

[chaos_za]

I used to ride to school when i was younger, it was great as all my friends did as well and we would go BMXíng straight after school and hit all the spots! The SE was a bit of a bugger though in summer, but having freedom is what counts the most! I was lucky though to stay roughly 5km from the school which was accessible by suburban roads mainly.. and i never had any issues with cars etc etc

 

I now commute to work as well as much as i can, nothing beats dropping everyone in the traffic and getting a workout, kill 2 birds with 1 stone!

[Stretch]

rode my bike to and from everywhere from Standard 2 through to third year varsity...sports days were a nightmare...3 bags flying all over the place...the independence we had was incredible. We live just over 1km from our kids school....would never allow them to ride their bike just because of the traffic (and predominantly asshole parents dropping their kids off!)

[Idiot]

I would not trust kids of today cycling to school. Too dangerous. Our side of town has not many cycle paths so the kids have to hug the side of the road. How are they going to cycle, bbm, 9gag and listen to music whilst keeping out of the way of cars?

[Warren_G]

20km every day rain or shine, with either cricket or rugby togs on my back, satchel between my legs, compulsory helmet and school blazer (blazer was a killer in summer!)

[Disylizzy]

Rode every day, rain or shine from about std 1 - until std 8. The alternative was to walk, my parents didn't care to drop me off, so was up to me to get to and from school. I had a pink girls road bike in the beginning, and then got my Mom's old Hansom when I was in std 4.

[Kranswurm]

Yes