More People Are Biking These Days — So Why Are Kids Riding Less?

Because their parents take them to wherever they want to go!!
We never had "playdates."
We just rode to our friend's houses and probably rode our bikes somewhere else from there.
 
All I can speak for is what I see around me in the US, but maybe because a huge percentage of them are obese and spend all the time playing video games? What's even sadder about this is that when these kids become adults they won't be teaching their kids to ride bikes because they never did themselves. In a way it's like seeing younger folks not knowing how to drive a stick shift. They always had automatics and now they haven't a clue as to how to use a clutch. It's somewhat funny when one reads about an attempted car-jacking gone awry because the car is a manual and none of the would be car-jackers know how to drive it.
 
It's a safety issue. When I was a kid, there were vacant fields and orchards all over. Now those places are houses and apartments. Our population has grown out here. Those people have brought their cars with them. It isn't unusual for my neighbors to have three or four cars per house here. There wasn't the amount of car traffic that there is now when I was a kid. It also seems like people are driving more recklessly. The area I now live in, which reminds me a bit of my childhood town, is growing and there has been some very poor transportation planning done. We've got the usual sprawl happening. The usual unsafe intersections. (one intersection has had at least two wrecks caused by cops).

There are no bike lanes here. No trails. Kids have to ride on roads. Also, it is a farming ranching area so there are a lot of folks living miles outside of town. Cars, preferably pickups, are necessary. The high school parking lot is chock full of vehicles. It is a diesel pickup culture.

The state transportation dept. is pushing putting a roundabout in the busiest intersection and you wouldn't believe the howling and fear that has caused. Bike lanes are considered a waste of taxpayer money. That's life here and I don't expect it to change unless fuel prices skyrocket.
 
I think it is a combination of the decline of "free range kids" and the corresponding increase in "helicopter parenting" along with the growing number of activities that compete for kid's attention. There are many reasons for these trends of over protection, some based on legitimate fears and some based on self promotion. It makes me glad that my kids grew up in a simpler time where they had to look for things fun to do and biking over to a friend's house was often one of the more attractive choices.
 
When I was a kid, I walked or rode my bike on the 3 mile round trip to school and back. I sometimes rode 2 miles to town to get groceries for my mom. I rode or walked to the ball field or friends houses on a regular basis. Now, living in the same location, I wouldn't consider allowing my kids to do this. The world simply isn't as kid safe as it was back then.

On the other hand, the increase in bike infrastructure, such as trails and bike lanes, certainly has had an impact on my adult lifestyle. As a result, I trail ride whenever I can and would definitely consider commuting by bike if I weren't retired. I ride for recreation though and go where this bike infrastructure is located. Kids ride for a specific purpose and the trails & bike lanes don't always get them to school, the ball field or a friends house.

Considering mine and the comments made by others in this thread, I'm not surprised at all by these statistics.
 
I live in a “vey nice “ neighborhood. my daughter and family live here also. I left the 8 year old granddaughter playing in the garage with her father home but upstairs doing what ever . I was told not to leave the garage door open for her to play when I leave . If it were me as a kid I would at least have the run of the local streets. and the woods behind the fences as my play area without permission, tell mom or dad what I was doing and leave. I understand this a different time but that was too much in my opinion. I would have ridden my anywhere in the community on my own

since she can’t pay with garage door open I doubt she would be allowed to ridemher bike anywhere with out supervision so no bike riding...sad
 
Last edited:
AlanDB said:
I think it is a combination of the decline of "free range kids" and the corresponding increase in "helicopter parenting" along with the growing number of activities that compete for kid's attention. There are many reasons for these trends of over protection, some based on legitimate fears and some based on self promotion. It makes me glad that my kids grew up in a simpler time where they had to look for things fun to do and biking over to a friend's house was often one of the more attractive choices.
Click to expand...

Yes. I'll spare all the details, but I grew up as one of those "free range" kids. Young parent's now would be tossed in jail (or crowd shamed at minimum) for letting their kids do what I did every day back then. Imagine a 7 year old on an errand for mom walking 2-3 blocks to a corner grocery to buy a loaf of bread (and a candy bar)! Or a 10-12 year old riding his bike half way across town to visit a down town library.....

I think since then maybe, there's been a loss of respect for others. People wouldn't even consider messing with somebody else's kids back then.....
 
AHicks said:
Yes. I'll spare all the details, but I grew up as one of those "free range" kids. Young parent's now would be tossed in jail (or crowd shamed at minimum) for letting their kids do what I did every day back then. Imagine a 7 year old on an errand for mom walking 2-3 blocks to a corner grocery to buy a loaf of bread (and a candy bar)! Or a 10-12 year old riding his bike half way across town to visit a down town library.....

I think since then maybe, there's been a loss of respect for others. People wouldn't even consider messing with somebody else's kids back then.....
Click to expand...
of course they did. it was just not in the news and media like it is now.
 
It's called The Fall of The Family Unit and the Kicking out of the Christian God in Society : Used to be a Family as a Rule of thumb Was Mother Father and Kids : You visited your grand parents on the weekends : Which is basically when Dad was around off work. And your Mother took Care of the House:

Now it's a large number of Mother and Kids With Kids in Charge : And a Boyfriend Who Would have been tossed out 30 years AGO.

The family Dog is locked up, chained and always on a leash : Instead of outside playing with the kids in the neighborhood. Where you didn't have to worry about Perverts taking your kid. The Dog was with them.

And lets face it : How many kids do you remember who were killed by Dogs Vs those today raped and Murdered by Perverts : So We chained up the Protector and let the Perverts walk Free :

The More Security Imposed on us : The Less Security we actually have :

Look at Bike locks today : Have people really gotten more dishonest ? Or gave we let the dishonest in Society and the dangerous get off because it's just not fair :

But in the same respect We have developed a Society that kills the unborn and calls it The right to Chose : Rather then what it really is :

30 years Every Other Kid wasn't on Some mind altering Medication And Mentally Ill People Weren't Marching in Parades 1/2 naked and praised : They were in Sanatoriums :

Also Keep in Mind Much of Western Society has been Invaded by a Society who have basically been supported by Tyrannical Govts : And for whatever Reason We have slowly allowed their lack of values to Infiltrate our

Govt and our Learning Institutions : Who are Worshiping a God Who calls for our death . Yet telling us it's the same God we USED to Obey:

If you speak out and say what's right You're all of a Sudden labeled as raciest and Bigot: That's why kids aren't kids anymore : They have been indoctrinated by a combination of Social-ital Changes implemented by The God-less . While using the Freedoms Supplied by a Nation of the once Godly to do it :

If I have Offended anyone : We should be All of us Myself included

The World has become exactly like the Biblical God warned not to allow it to become : Kids haven't changed We've just allowed and invisible walled prison to creep in without doing anything : With Everyone scared to speak up and Hurt someone's Feeling : ;)

I'm sure someone will say I shouldn't have posted this : But what the Hey : At Least it's True :

You can't send a child down the corner to teh Store Because all the people we used to Lock up are hanging out in the parking Lot :
 
All parents seem to have their hand in screwing it up for the next generation.

I remember my mother ranting the first time Love Me Do hit the airwaves. She went ballistic first time seeing what the Beatles looked like and OMG when Ed Sullivan had the audacity to allow them to perform on his show,she broke out her Rosary beads lol

Naturally, hoping to express my independence, I got me some Beatle Boots and almost got expelled from St Patrick's . I was going to contribute to the downfall of mankind....and drugs weren't even on the radar yet.

As a parent there was no way I was going to be that hard on my kid. I was going to be her " friend".

After she went through her Rebel without a clue phase she went on to become a contributing member of the human race, just like the majority of kids now days.

Personally I see most younger (40's) parents as way less reactionary. I find many of the kids I chat with, when my wife and I are out and about , to be intelligent, funny and interesting.

I'm pretty sure only a small percentage goes to Rock fests on some killer Gladstone acid.

We are , unfortunately, overwhelmed daily by the high drama that's sells the end-times in order to up the "hits" on Social Media, News or Blogs.

My suggestion, turn that s**t off and get out there and take a look.

Been assulted lately or worse?

There's always room for common sense caution but I have seen no reason ( and my wife and I do lots of roadtripping around the country) to have an AR handy and some cameos on hand ( actually I gave both back to Uncle Sam when I DEROS'd 49 years ago)

So I end my rant on this note. Much of the ranting I read on here is not a whole lot different than my Moms was all those years ago. Human evolvement, it seems, moves at the speed of a glacier. What also seems true is eBikes will get a whole bunch more seniors out there, making them interesting, funny and more open. That, coupled with really great low priced guitars, keeps me feeling pretty good as I approach my 7th decade :)
 
When I was a youth we rode our bikes everywhere. To school, little league, the store, across town ...

At the elementary school down the street from where I live now, when school is letting out, the line of SUVs (most with engines idling) will stretch for two blocks. Even on nice weather days. But I can see why folks won't let their kids ride to school. Too many folks in my area are speeding, driving distracted, will not stop for pedestrians in cross walks etc.

Also when I was a youth we definitely had the freedom to roam. My avatar is a glimpse of the desert mountain range that is now a state park and which was basically my backyard. We could come home from school, grab our rifles and head into the hills for some target practice. Climb mountains on weekends. Catch rattlesnakes. Ride bikes on old military roads. As long as we were home by dinner time.
 
It's an australian article - compulsory helmets in the early 80's changed our perception of cycling safety.

Interestingly cycling us booming in the little town I live in. The cops turn a blind eye to helmet laws , kids cycle to school / each others houses and even out to the local mtb parks. Our local public school has a fleet of mountain bikes, a trailer to transport them, and sent a team to the Australian mountain bike championships last year - not bad for a school with only a few hundred kids. The year 10 students are fundraising at the moment to build a public pump track , and last year those same students ran a fundraising event to build storage sheds at the school for bikes - they ran a mtb day at the local track, about 50 kuds paid to come along and 2 teachers / 2 dads tried to keep up with the sprogs. Tuesday next week my daughter will be out at that track as part of a school excursion - bikes are back.
 
In spite of all of the pontification on this board and elsewhere about this topic, some people are actually rolling up their sleeves and solving the problem:

 
Rick53 said:
It's called The Fall of The Family Unit and the Kicking out of the Christian God in Society : Used to be a Family as a Rule of thumb Was Mother Father and Kids : You visited your grand parents on the weekends : Which is basically when Dad was around off work. And your Mother took Care of the House:

Now it's a large number of Mother and Kids With Kids in Charge : And a Boyfriend Who Would have been tossed out 30 years AGO.

The family Dog is locked up, chained and always on a leash : Instead of outside playing with the kids in the neighborhood. Where you didn't have to worry about Perverts taking your kid. The Dog was with them.

And lets face it : How many kids do you remember who were killed by Dogs Vs those today raped and Murdered by Perverts : So We chained up the Protector and let the Perverts walk Free :

The More Security Imposed on us : The Less Security we actually have :

Look at Bike locks today : Have people really gotten more dishonest ? Or gave we let the dishonest in Society and the dangerous get off because it's just not fair :

But in the same respect We have developed a Society that kills the unborn and calls it The right to Chose : Rather then what it really is :

30 years Every Other Kid wasn't on Some mind altering Medication And Mentally Ill People Weren't Marching in Parades 1/2 naked and praised : They were in Sanatoriums :

Also Keep in Mind Much of Western Society has been Invaded by a Society who have basically been supported by Tyrannical Govts : And for whatever Reason We have slowly allowed their lack of values to Infiltrate our

Govt and our Learning Institutions : Who are Worshiping a God Who calls for our death . Yet telling us it's the same God we USED to Obey:

If you speak out and say what's right You're all of a Sudden labeled as raciest and Bigot: That's why kids aren't kids anymore : They have been indoctrinated by a combination of Social-ital Changes implemented by The God-less . While using the Freedoms Supplied by a Nation of the once Godly to do it :

If I have Offended anyone : We should be All of us Myself included

The World has become exactly like the Biblical God warned not to allow it to become : Kids haven't changed We've just allowed and invisible walled prison to creep in without doing anything : With Everyone scared to speak up and Hurt someone's Feeling : ;)

I'm sure someone will say I shouldn't have posted this : But what the Hey : At Least it's True :

You can't send a child down the corner to teh Store Because all the people we used to Lock up are hanging out in the parking Lot :
Click to expand...

I'm just a little confused. Most of the kids I know raped by perverts were in the church...in fact the boyfreind who should have been kicked out was the ministers son....and got my suster pregnant as a teenager.

What does any if this have to do with bikes?
 
I see parens cycling with their kids to school on my commute in portland. people hauling their kids in cargo bikes. little kids riding bikes in my Mobile home park. but also electric scooters and bikes and cars.
 
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