Machka 

School's back in session!

Does your area have a Ride2School program?

https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/ri...s/ride2school/

linberl

Yes. There are bike rodeos where kids can get free helmets, lights, and instruction on how to ride. Schools have secured bike parking for the kids and bike lanes to the schools (although most of the kids ride on the sidewalk which is inconvenient for peds). Special bike to school days and special elementary school bike PE classes. Mountain bike team at the high school. Good bike culture here. About Safe Routes « Alameda County | Safe Routes to Schools

davidmcowan

Amazingly, my whole job is to oversee a similar program through the Minnesota Department of Transportation. I love work.

Machka 

That's great to hear ... from both of you!

Rob_E

Grumpy old man moment coming up.

When I was kid, we didn't have Ride2School programs. We just rode to school. We had bikes. School was close. At the time it was no-brainer. Now it's a special program.

Not to misconstrue. I think the programs are great. I think helping and encouraging kids to ride is great. I'm just a little saddened because somehow we went from kids getting themselves to school by bus or bike or feet to a line of cars parading in front of the school to drop everyone off. And now we need special programs. Seems like a shame that we need them, but I'm glad the programs are there.

linberl

Different times. Fewer cars and nicer, less distracted drivers. Fewer worries about what might happen to your kids. Not everything has been an improvement.

jon c. 

When I was a kid we weren't allowed to ride bikes to school. They didn't want to have to deal with all the theft that surely would have resulted. For one year, a friend's sister lived just up the block and we could ride and park in her yard, but the rest of the time we were consigned to hoofing it.

harshbarj

Sad but true. I live not far from a family that has children that attend the school 3 blocks away. And they drive there. When I was at that school in the early 90's many kids walked there. Today there is a line of cars going for blocks each day. Something has to change to end this madness.

While I too am glad to see the push to ride a bike. I also am sad people have to be reminded they have feet and can get to school in ways other than a car.

50PlusCycling

When I was old enough to ride, I rode to school, there were no special programs, no helmets were required. All we were required to do was to lock our bikes in the fenced bike parking area. I was a BMX fan until junior high school, and rode every day the weather allowed. Until I was old enough to drive, I was something of a bike nerd, helping around at a bike shop (I wasn't old enough to "work"), and riding a century almost every weekend. I kept my bike in the back room at the library, as it was a little too nice to put in the bike parking.

Then I started driving, and didn't get back onto bikes until some years later. When I was attending university, and commuting by car 110 miles per day, cycling to school was clearly not an option.

wipekitty

We have Safe Routes to School initiatives. They're part of the city planning documents (https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/filest...R2S_Report.pdf), though I'm not sure how well the planning transfers into action. The Wisconsin Bike Fed is also available to provide training and guidance for parents and students (Bike & Walk to School | Wisconsin Bike Fed), though again, it depends largely on the schools, their location, and whether or not parents are interested. There's a few schools that are basically on a highway with no sidewalk.

For most of my time growing up in Michigan, walking or biking to school was not an option due to busing and nonexistent cycling infrastructure. My city assigned students to schools in order to ensure similar ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic diversity in public schools (which IMO was a really good thing). This meant that kids in my neighborhood ended up going to school somewhere across town - but we actually walked to the bus stop, which was not always close, waited around in our boots and snowpants, and took the yellow bus.

CliffordK

We also have a "Safe Routes to School" program.

https://www.oregonsaferoutes.org/
https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Programs/Pages/SRTS.aspx

I think it does involve route planning, and perhaps path development.

Unfortunately, the other that has happened locally is that most of the local rural gradeschools have been closed. I'm not sure what happened. Perhaps dwindling enrollment due to an aging rural population.

Closing the schools means that "Safe Routes" no longer exist for the rural population.

Here, the gradeschool, about 1 mile from my house was shuttered and repurposed as a special needs school.

They did keep a gradeschool open about 5 miles from my house, as one of the few remaining rural schools, but that last mile to get to the school is just a miserable section of road.

I would have zero qualms about sending a 6 year old that 1 mile to the local school that is no more. But, would seriously question sending a kid to the remaining local school.

B. Carfree

Our safe routes to school program here is a joke. In fact, since it started up FEWER students ride bikes to school because their primary message is that cycling is scary and dangerous. When I pick up my granddaughter who is in kindergarten, I pass through a high school and another elementary school. The total number of students is about 1500 and on a typical day there are about 10 bikes in the racks.

My lucky granddaughters get to ride quite a bit. The pre-schooler rides 50 miles per week with me and her sister is with us for a bit under half of those miles. Fun times, but I feel bad for the other kids who trudge off into cars while looking longingly at us riding away.

ironwood

I don't know about a ride to school program, but some schools have a "walking school bus" program where the kids walk in a group.

Machka 

Apparently our area has that. I see the signs but I've never seen the kids walking.