This was on Radio 4 News several times yesterday, but I couldn't find a link.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
"Couple threatened with social services - their children ride bikes to school"
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Posted 13 years ago #
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The worst bit is that the story says that the kids cycle on the pavement (which I believe is british english for sidewalk? ie footpath??), while the photo shows them on the road. How unbelievably irresponsible of the Daily Mail. Can that sort of thing be reported to the IPCC or something?
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Can that sort of thing be reported to the IPCC or something?"
Yes, but it wouldn't make any difference...
Posted 13 years ago # -
Oh. My. God.
And it's clear the 'best' commenters don't actually read before foaming at the mouth, given the number who thought the photos of the kids cycling was the actual children involved, despite it saying very clearly that it was posed by models.
This is a great comment: "My son is five and I don't let him out of my sight. I can think of far better and safer ways to teach him independence, self confidence and responsibility"
How exactly, if you 'don't let him out of your sight' does he learn independence?
The wee Aberdeenshire town I grew up in had someone murdered when I was about 9. My sister, 7, went to the same primary and the security precautions our parents took? I had to walk her the mile and a bit to school instead of us walking separately.
When did we all get so scared of the world? The culture of fear from one commenter: "Jaycee Dugard was twelve when she was kidnapped on her way to school while walking on her own to the bus stop, we all know about her ordeal. Also Natasha Kampuch, the little eight year old Austrian girl walking by herself from school and kidnapped. All it takes is five seconds for creeps to harm our children permanetly. Why take the chance? We wouldnt leave our money in the middle of the street. Why then is it ok to let a five year old and an eight year old ride their bikes on their own without parental surpervision?"
Posted 13 years ago # -
Reports to the IPCC have to be on very specific grounds of inciting hatred. Now given Jan Moir's attack on homosexuality/Stephen Gately not that long ago was upheld as being 'fair comment' by the IPCC, a slightly dodgy choice in photo 'aint gonna cut any ice.
The IPCC is toothless.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I didn't read the comments. Wish I had, as it might have added weight to the complaint I just filed with the PCC!
(not something I have ever done or considered doing before. You guys are a bad influence on me!!)
And Anth, yes, I know they're toothless, but complaints do not have to be about 'incitement of hatred'. I cited inaccuracy and misleading readers. We'll see what comes of it.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Just heard on Radio 4
'it's the first national childhood obesity week'
Boy 11
'I tend to eat because I am bored. I don't go out much'
Posted 13 years ago # -
Hmm, someone has to take an opposing stance on this. Probably the eight year old is fine to bike to school on their own, but don't know if they should be responsible for the 5 year old, that's Primary 1 and really pretty young.
I am however clouded my a slightly metropolitan look on things, wouldn't be very keen on my little one hitting the mean streets of embra (but then again, she's only 1 1/2 :) )
What was stopping the parents biking along with them?
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago #
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Going on the spelling, punctuation and grammar (or lack of) I think that PC world etc should install an application on top of the OS that checks for lazy internet typing and shuts down their PC and calls for an immediate uplift, (by black ops in apache helicopters if possible, at night)
Posted 13 years ago # -
"PC world etc should install an application on top of the OS that checks for lazy internet typing"
Don't want to start a Mac v PC discussion, but why doesn't Microsoft have a system-wide spell checker?
Maybe it does and people don't know how to switch it on?
Posted 13 years ago # -
UPDATE!!
Who else could say -
"In this age of air-bagged, mollycoddled, infantilised over-regulation it can make my spirits soar to discover that out there in the maquis of modern Britain there is still some freedom fighter who is putting up resistance against the encroachments of the state; and when I read of their struggle I find myself wanting to stand on my chair and cheer"
Posted 13 years ago # -
Meanwhile in the Netherlands a Dutch study finds health benefits of cycling outweigh risks.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"
I've had an email from BBC: Newsnight will be doing a report on the school that banned two kids from cycling.
http://twitter.com/carltonreid/status/17796425654
"
Posted 13 years ago # -
BBC Magazine article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8789014.stm
"Let Toddlers play with knives". That's not /quite/ what was being proposed.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago #
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Sustrans: "Children should be encouraged to ride to school, not prohibited'
carltonreid: "Can children cycle on 'pavements'? It's actually a grey area" -
Posted 13 years ago # -
It might not've made Newsnight but it certainly became a bone of contention on BBC Breakfast this morning. There was a very positive point of view put across by a Guardian writer (Vicki somebody?) in which she espoused common sense in the vein of Boris Johnson, and a very negative cotton-wool view from (I believe) the headmistress of the school. Most of the featured interviews with the Great British Public reckoned that eight years old was still too young to be cycling to school, much less taking care of a five year-old as well. Most seemed to miss the point that I doubt either child was riding on the road, and frankly with all those two-tonne tanks bombing around, I wouldn't blame them.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I've just listened to Tom Malarky (likely name) talking on R-Scotland (Newsdrive) about why these two children should not cycle to work. When he stated possible reasons for not cycling, like a 'Dog Dirt' moment, the phrase 'clutching at straws' sprung to mind.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Apparently it's less than a mile down a very nice bit of London on the pavement and there is a lollopop person at the only busy junction.
For the 5 year old, arguable, depends on the child and knowledge of the area really, for the older one, why wouldn't they cycle??
I know I and my classmates who were close enough all made our own ways to school by foot or bicycle and we didn't die in droves due to not being driven/escorted there.
For once I'm in agreement with a politician, how strange... (Boris, you're not normal dammit!!)Posted 13 years ago # -
Lets face it, most of went to primary school either on foot or by bike, and we all lived to tell the tail. Why shouldn't children still be able to do it now? Britain has the most overweight and lease happy children in Europe, because the adults don't want to change their behaviour, sad really.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Interestingly, the poll on the Guardian website had more people saying kids should cycle as did the daily Mail one when I looked at it yesterday. these 'polls' obviously totally unscientific, but given 'outrage' one might have expected them to go the other way.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I worry about the women. I was in Dulwich last week and they were everywhere, walking up and down the street, completely on their own."
Simon Jenkins in ironic mode...
and more seriously -
"In 1971, 80 per cent of children went to school unaccompanied; today the figure is nine per cent. Walking and cycling to school and the social activity associated with that experience have collapsed."
(grammar?! - I blame the subs.)
Posted 13 years ago # -
Posted 13 years ago #
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Anyone else notice how many cars have suddenly been removed from our commute routes? It must be school holidays again. Sigh.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I couldn't read the against view on the Telegraph website what narrow mined stupidity, i'm rarely of the view "we're all doomed" but....
I love the school holidays what a reaxing time to cycle, though i hate the school holidays what a pain to do any thing else.
Posted 13 years ago # -
The latest development is that children are now writing to the PM to ask the Government to make it easier for them to cycle or walk to school safely. Apparently 50 per cent of UK children want to cycle to school, though only two per cent do. Gives me hope for the future.
Posted 13 years ago # -
”When your children go to school, you need to think of them as an individual person and not an extension of yourself – listen to them and see exactly how they want to travel to school and try to support that.”
Posted 13 years ago # -
Meanwhile in Brighton and Hove school children cycle to school and back over 9,000 times during one week in June.
Posted 13 years ago # -
As I understand it, it is not just if they cycle. If the 8 year old and the 5 year old want to walk the mile to school on the route with only pavement and the lollipop person for the crossing the school still reports them to Social Services. It would seem to be a risk factor associated with the age of the children and the business of the road. The risk is negligible but the school don't want sued and they interpret their remit as having to assess the risk of the route to school. Boris Johnson's point is that it should be parents who assess the risk and take the consequences. Comrades, I think the problem is again CARS. We walked/cycled to school or I did with no traffic so there was no risk.
Posted 13 years ago #
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