Bike To School Week / Rescind Ball and Hockey Playing prohibitions.
Has anyone noticed that schools with a student body of 400, 500, 600 and more have shockingly low numbers of cyclists, often less than 1%, in spite of the fact that the vast majority of students live within blocks of the school?
Over the past number of years, I have studied the various schools my son has attended and was dismayed to see that not only were there few, if any, students cycling to school, but that there was no encouragement from the school for them to do so: few secure lock-up areas were provided and when they did have some sort of facility, it was poorly situated, rusting and perhaps vulnerable to breakage and vandalism.
How has this happened? Why has this happened? Over the past 20-30 years, parents have engaged in hyper-parenting, being over-sensitive and even paranoid as to the perceived dangers their children face if they were to make their way to school on their own and, as a result, many parents have started driving their kids to school rather than enabling them with the skills and awareness to fend for themselves. Rather than teach them how to ride responsibly, effectively and safely, many parents demand their kids don't ride at all, for fear they'll be hit by motorists. Of course, they fail to see the irony that when they drive their kids to school they became one of the motorists that might hit the one or two brave soles who actually do try to ride to school.
Upon arriving back at home, students entertain themselves with video and computer games and television. And guess what? For some odd reason, there is an obesity epidemic now among our youth. So much so that it was reported recently that, for the first time in history, our children are to have shorter life-spans than their parents! Gee, wonder how that happened?
The TDSB has recognized that kids need more exercise. They instituted mandatory physical activity periods and they have reduced or eliminated unhealthy foods from their properties. But that simply isn't enough. We all know it. Kids need exercise OUTSIDE of school. They need to walk or ride to school, not once in awhile, but every day (weather permitting, of course) and they need to be able to play outside in their own neighbourhoods, on their own streets. But even if they were to ride home, when they want to get a game of street hockey together, there is a sign on their street proclaiming Ball and Hockey Playing Prohibited. They are forced into tiny back-yards, narrow, dirty back-alley ways where parents can't see them or inside. Yeah, that makes for happy, healthy and safe kids.
This needs to be fixed and it needs to be fixed now.
I have started two new Facebook Groups:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12478851357
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12638448517
I hope to gain enough support to organize a Bike To School Week before the end of the current school year and ask for your support in this endeavor. If succesful, we can initiate another early next year and more after that until we see the number of student cyclists increasing on its own.
Also, with enough support from communities, residents and neighbourhoods, we can appeal to the city to end the prohibition of ball and hockey playing on neighbourhood streets and allow residents and children to enjoy the PUBLIC space that is theirs, to once again exert their own priority and preference above the needs of motorists and their perceived privilege above people.
Please join the groups and lend your support. Thanks!
...schools don't promote cycling.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/somerset/index.ssf?/base/new...
You couldn't be more right! Your comments suggesting a bike week at TDSB Schools are fabulous.
"Kids these days!" As I say this now, I have to remind myself, "You're not that old, stop being such a fuddy-duddy." I am 23, almost a kid myself. And remembering back to my childhood the best times had were, no kidding, on a bike.. Shortly after riding a bike or.. Making a daring get-away.. on a bike. So it's hard to, but yeah - makes sense, realize that kids don't get around as much as they used to.
Why are over-protective, over-sensitive or paranoia stricken aka "hyper-parents" keeping them 'safe', 'secure' and well.. fat.
I don't know!
The point is, a bike week is a great idea. For kids, make the benefits clear and instantaneous, ride a bike - get something you want. But that's it, isn't it? They don't want, because most have. i.e. why ride a bike, when mom will drive you in her Porsche Cayenne. (I see this soo much).
And so, how many will actually participate and what will it do for the city, long-term? I think the TTC shutting down for two days was the best - most amusingly anyway - riding I've ever done. Maybe we should promote safe, healthy transportation by improving bike lanes, routes and utilities.
Maybe we should promote safe, healthy transportation to kids and adults by rewarding each for their healthy lifestyles. e.g. Car insurance goes up if you're a bad driver.. or choose a dangerous vehicle. Maybe life insurance should go down with a healthy lifestyle. Improved benefits and care coverage for cyclists?
It would be a bet worth taking for the Insurance companies. You know a 18 - 22 year old male driver is likely to crash at least one vehicle. Just as they know frequent cyclists are healthier, eat better and less likely to smoke. The risk (financially) is minimized for offering less expensive or more rewarding policies. but that's just an idea..
i didn't know street hockey was still banned.. Geeze. If you want to do anything these days you have to pay!
When I was a kid, you had to leave early to make sure you could actually park in one of the many bike-racks provided at school. They were jam-packed every day with hundreds of bikes. If you arrived a little later than everyone else, you had to go park against a fence or traffic sign or tree. Now, school's seem to discourage bike-riding and seem okay with narrow, one-way residential streets being congested with hundreds of mini-vans, SUV's and sedans dropping off and picking up kids. What kind of message is that to send to the leaders of tomorrow? Teaching them about the environment, reusing and recycling, conservation and respect for the planet, but telling them not to walk or ride because cars are more important than they are?
In schools the lunatics are running the asylum, when it comes to transportation (among much else). I am the only teacher at mine who rides: in Peel. There is an excess of car parking for staff, and one forlorn and easily chopped bike rack in a location where a thief or vandal could smash away at their leisure. Mine gets locked inside the building, but the students can't.
Do you remember when you found out your teacher was a hypocrite? That should be swifter now with teachers addressing the environment in the curriculum, then peeling away in their FUVs. But as I said, the lunatics are running the asylum: my principal will not free the shower room from its use as storage. If you are a teacher, this will make sense: she's no sportswoman, and the PTA uses it for storage - I'm just staff.
Despite the fact that the school is on a bike path, and most of the students are within 1.5km, the place is clogged with parent cars. The irony is that this new building, which replaced two schools in walkable neighbourhoods, was built in the wealthier area for the convenience of the parents with pull... who drive their kids the 500m anyway.
My wife walks my jr. kindergarten to school most days and they seem to enjoy the time together.
I cycle commute and I have to say that ... at least where I live now, it will be long time before my son would be riding to school unsupervised.
Why?
Well, he is in alternative attendance at a French immersion school, meaning he'd need to cross a major street and ride on a fairly busy street for part of the trip. I really don't think from what I've read about kids and riding that he'll have the needed judgment to mix with this kind of traffic until middle school -- and that's with me working with him and perhaps a CanBike course.
But the supervised walk is a great option ... one that is only possible, though, because we've managed to scale our lifestyle so my wife has the time to spend the hour a day walking to and from school in the middle of the afternoon. As easy (and fun) as it is to throw out the SUV-driving stereotype, the reality for a lot of parents is two-income families and parents who are rushing to drop kids off and pick them up ... which pretty much means they will be driving.
I'm not saying that there aren't affluent single-income parents about ... but what I see as a parent are a lot of time-stressed, two income families. I'm happy we've been able to make one and a half incomes (with my wife taking full maternity leaves) work, but I know a lot more people who need the second income to cover mortgages, chip away at accumulated debt, etc ... and with that goes the opportunity to bike/walk to work with your child.
Everyone bitches and moans about debt and mortgages and time committed to work, blah blah blah. And because they're so busy, they have to drive their kids to school. Sorry. I don't buy that. Maybe folks oughta have their priorities straight. Kids are more important than making money, wealth means nothing next to health and spending quality, stress-free time with family is more important than paying off debts and mortgages a few years early. Folks frequently try to live beyond their means, trying to be something they're not. That's why folks buy (and become enslaved by) bigger, more expensive cars: to convince others that they're wealthier than they are. If I had a dime for all the folks I know who live in a nice house, drive a nice car and spend 14-16 hours a day at work and have little or no idea who their kids are or what they're all about, I'd be a very rich man. I think far too many folks are obsessed with making money.
But even if two-income work-stressed parents insist they need to work 16 hours a day just for the basics, they don't need to walk their kids to school. Kids can walk with other kids. Or ride with other kids. Many parents need to loosen the strings a little, that's all. But they have irrational and unfounded paranoia's about dangers out there and rather than arm their kids with the skills and abilities to recognize and deal with rare dangers, they shield them from the danger. We need to trust our kids, enable them and allow them the freedom to make choices and decisions on their own.
...but since I don't ever actually visit the Facebook site, I hope you post anything important over here because otherwise I'm going to miss it!
...post any and all important info here as well as Facebook.
Kids can't just walk with other kids if the parent leaves the house at 8am to get to work. They will be dropped off a daycare. Nor can they if the parent drops them off on the way to work because THEY need to drive to get there. This still comes back to poor planning--poor transit, suburban sprawl and a city where people work far from where they live just make the car the only viable choice for many people.
Not only that, but employer expectations that people work longer hours (for the same money--see the Globe and Mail May 2 on how median income has stagnated) means that transportation time has to be short so you can pick up the kids at daycare or school and still do all your work. There isn't a mom in most houses making cookies for the kids when they walk in the door at 3:45, they're all out working. This also means there aren't gangs of kids in the neighbourhoods like there used to be because they are all in some sort of childcare after school.
That being said, there is a distinct lack of community in the transporting of kids to school. In many neighbourhoods there are parents who could trade off walking/riding duties and get a group of kids to school. The walking school bus idea. Instead most people treat this as a private responsibility and don't see the benefits of active transport for not only physical health, but "family time" as well.
I walk or ride with my kids to school daily and it's a good opportunity for us to spend time together and talk. When we ride, we lock up the bikes at the nearby daycare since that is where I pick them up at 5:30, and I walk them across the Danforth and they go the rest of the way on their own. They usually meet with some neighbourhood kids and it's "just like the old days". We're out of district so it's a longer walk (about 2km door to door--they're only on their own for about .5km)
I don't let them walk the whole way on their own (yet). They need to cross busy streets and frankly, I don't trust all those hurried drivers who need to grab a latte and just pull into sidestreets off Danforth at break neck speeds. I think my kids are developing good judgement, but even the side streets are so full of rushing cars, that I feel l need to be with them. Besides, its on my way to work anyway. If we could cut back on the traffic and have everyone relax behind the wheel I would feel better about the whole thing.
Moreover, there is a fair amount of research that indicates that kids under about 9 or 10 lack the cognitive abilities to deal with traffic like adults.
Younger kids apparently have some challenges around judging risks ... older kids get better as risk assessment, but still lack in their ability to make a judgement (safe to cross busy road) and put in into action. The lag compared to adults eats into their safe crossing times and leads to higher accident rates for kids.
The recommendations seem to be practice, practice, practice ... doing the kinds of things Dr. Steph is doing.
Eng ... I know that boards like these are places where it is easy to misinterpret tone. But, I have to say, there seems to be a judgemental subtext to everything you've written here. The problem is hyperparenting ... and consumption ... and "keeping up with the Jones." Rather than concentrating on the obvious merits of kids having the opportunity to ride their bikes to school, the conversation quickly moves to a rather ranting critique of stereotypical affluent parents. I'm not saying these things don't exist ... but those are pretty blanket statements ... made without knowing people's circumstances.
Since you seem to be aiming to encouraging people to change their behaviour ... perhaps a less judgemental and more positive approach would be more effective. Otherwise, you are just preaching (and, unfortunately, to me you do come off as preachy here) to the converted.
I do admire your obvious passion and committment to cycling and more livable planning. But, I'm not sure the way you're going about it (at least here) is going to be very effective.
Good discussion here and good idea to promote cycling to school. But we have a long way to go...at my daughter's elementary school, the few bikes that get parked in the bike rack (that is hidden behind the portables) routinely get used for entertainment by kids who jump on them, spin pedals, play with brakes etc. There does not seem to be any respect for cycling whatsoever. Also, I would think that a presentation about riding a bike safely, rules of the road, how to wear a helmet (it's not a bonnet!) etc. would be necessary before we promote cycling to school. Is there any group (Police? City of Toronto?) that does educational presentations to schools? I would want to arrange one before I approached our principal to support this idea.
...somewhat judgmental. We all are to one degree or another. It's a natural consequence of having opinions, strong sentiments and passion. We decide what we think is right and wrong and when voicing them, we declare our judgments. I'm sure you, yourself, are judgmental in your own way as well.
Ultimately, my point was that some parents make excuses for why they drive their kids to school, as if to justify it, when it was their conscious decisions that created the circumstances. I mean, many folks choose to live suburbs, far from work and far from schools in some cases and either don't consider the cost of those decisions: that the health of their children might be impacted and the health of both their immediate community and the planet itself might be impacted as well. They created the illusion that they need a car because work and school are far away (see the 'How We Got Here' series of articles on these forums). But, if they had made what I consider to be responsible decisions and bought their homes within reasonable walking, riding or transit distances from both work and schools then they wouldn't have to be making excuses now. They wouldn't have to justify their actions or wonder why their kids are fat and out of shape.
I'm not talking about allowing preschool-age or even kindergarten, grade 1 or 2 kids to walk to school on their own. They do need to be escorted, I agree. But kids in older grades can walk or ride just fine when taught and trained how to. I see a number of kids daily who do just fine, my own son included. Most schools downtown are within mere blocks of where kids live---and this is what I object to most strenuously---easy ten, fifteen minute walks at most, yet parents are pulling up to these schools in long processions of vans, SUV's and sedans to drop off their roly-poly kids rather than encouraging them to walk or ride. We're not talking about 30 minute walks or 45 or 60 minute walks. We're talking 2 or 3 small city blocks that kids can travel in mere minutes. Yet look at the elementary and high school lots: there's hardly a bike in sight and the furthest the kids walk is from the rear door to the front door of the school (and folks gotta get as close to the doors as they can). Even the schools themselves seem to discourage kids from riding and walking. Why? Because of the danger of being hit by a car. Well, guess what? The reason kids might get hit is because of all the parents congesting narrow residential streets designed for local traffic only. The likelihood of being hit increases when there's more traffic on the road and the increased is traffic is parents driving their kids to school. See the irony? Many of these old, narrow, one-way downtown residential streets are not designed to handle hundreds of vehicles pulling up and stopping illegally to drop off kids and their presence endangers all the kids. If the cars weren't there, the kids would be safe to walk or ride.
It's a mindset though, a product of car-culture where parents don't consider any other transportation option other the car. Once they have a car, it will be used for any and all trips, near or far. Parents have convinced themselves that it's safer to drive their kids to school---even though stats show year after year that it's more dangerous to be in a vehicle than on foot or on bike and that most accidents occur five minutes from home---and maybe it's because they didn't allow themselves sufficient time in the morning or they didn't go to bed and wake up at appropriate times, I don't know. But rushing the kids to school in the car is a time-management problem and until most parents realize it is their lifestyle, their conscious choices that they made all by themselves that create the circumstances then they will not make the changes they need to that will improve the health of their kids and their local environment.
A recent issue of Macleans magazine featured a wonderful story about parents tendency to hyper-parent (I didn't coin the phrase) and the result of such control, such smothering and paranoia is that kids today are often not armed or educated in how to make decisions for themselves, how to do things on their own, unable to discover and learn on their own. We need to let them have the freedom to make mistakes and even be bored, the experts contended in the article, but many parents have kids so busy with school work, dance classes, ice-hockey and soccer, tai-kwon-do and piano lessons, extra tutoring, etc. that they don't have time to breath without it being scheduled. And their time is so rigidly controlled, they allow only 5 minutes to get to school. Parents must be accountable for their decisions. As a parent myself, I accept that accountability and am prepared to answer for the mistakes I've made. Are the parents who are so obsessed with making money and giving their kids a big suburban home with a big back yard or a downtown home filled with the latest video-game system and large, flat screen tv and then hardly any time to spend with them as they struggle to pay off the mortgage and debts (half of which are car-related)? I wonder.
One option that I would strongly encourage is for schools to ban private cars from their grounds and work with the local police to strictly enforce the "no stopping" zone around the school at the beginning and end of the school day.
This would have the effect of creating an instant "critical mass" of bicyclists at the start and end times of school.
Another factor is the (virtually one) style of bicycle commonly available. Go to any department store and nearly all there is are knobby wheel 'machines' - with XX multi-tier gearing and/or shock absorb frames and forks, feather-weight pedals, hand brakes which need year-to-year re-tightening, no sharable banana seats or u-shaped handlebars (forgetting, of course, about helmet laws - btw, checkout the photo from the prior blog entry), AND without chain guards for pant leg & loose shoe lace safety. As much as when I grew up cycling - and that with only low density traffic to neighbourhood schools - I never had such great coordination of using all limbs at once.