Bicycler wrote:On a vaguely related note I wonder how much children's perception of the dangers of cycling are informed by the impression they get from adults, including (but not limited to) the adults they ride with.
I've seriously considered this. When a car comes too close, I sometimes shout "Oy!" to let them know I'm not happy with their driving. This might mean the twins feel more at danger than if I quietly let the dangerous passing go without comment. But I think in fact the opposite is true: they used to feel safe because I was taking them on the bike and they put their faith in my confidence. Now they're growing up they're starting to take more responsibility for themselves, and they're thinking for themselves much more.
We've also had long discussions about cycling and safety, and how statistically it's as safe as walking. They're not four year olds any more, they're nearly ten, and learning about algebra and grammar in school.
Bicycler wrote:Is it possible that your risk aversion is influencing your children's perceptions of the dangers of cycling?
I don't think so, as we've managed to cycle quite happily to and from school for six years. We've cycled perhaps 180 days per year, and 2.5 miles per day with the twins on board, so that's 2,700 miles just on this route. I don't think we're giving up too easily, and in fact I've tried hard to keep going, to "lead by example" in the hope that others might cycle to school too.
I have tens of thousands of miles of cycling experience, including cycling daily on a 70mph dual carriageway on my Windcheetah recumbent to and from work for 14 years or so. Having said that, being responsible for my own safety on the road and being responsible for the safety and comfort of my children are two quite different things.
I know, logically, that our bike ride to school is statistically safe, but if it feels like we're about to be hit by an inattentive or impatient motorist the statistics are irrelevant. We've put up with this for six years, but the situation has changed in two ways: motorist behaviour has got steadily worse, and the children have become more aware of what's going on.
Now we walk, and it's massively more pleasant. For almost the entire route we have our own "segregated" footway, and there's even a dedicated pedestrian bridge over the A27 so we don't need to stop and wait for the pedestrian crossing which has cars ignoring the stop lights quite often. We have to cross the road six times, of which two times are on fairly busy local 30mph roads, but we know how to cross when there are no cars coming, so this is not dangerous and it's not stressful. We can walk side-by-side and chat, and we don't have to keep 100% aware of motorists approaching from behind or from the side.
UK roads are increasingly unpleasant, if not downright frightening, to cycle on. If cycling is to return as an efficient mode of local transport, we have to build Dutch-style cycleways. The good news is that we're actually starting to do that, in places like London and Brighton. Perhaps my grandchildren will cycle to school in a stress-free and safe manner