Does 13 year old biking to school need a safety vest?

[Anonymous]

OP - I would hope that biking to school will only be an option in good weather as your child does not need the contributing factor of any bad weather to dangerous road conditions. In my mind this would include:

- expected rain
- rain and wet leaves
- area if neighbors are to pile leaves on the street for pickup
- freezing weather
- ice
- snow
- snow or ice left on roads from storms

for any and all of the above reasons, this is why most students do not bike to school on moderately heavy traffic road. You are DH need to be available to take him in any such dangerous conditions. And so much of the winter weather is just so unpredictable as to make it hard to predict just what road conditions are on a specific roadway. Sorry, but I would rethink this entire scenarios except in in early fall till daylight savings and spring after daylight savings months. It is just plain not worth the risk. Now is you had said it was a school in a completely residential area or with sidewalks that are just used by students, then it might be differnet, but not this scenarios. Too many unknowns+driver inattention in general and river rushing in general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it can't hurt -- except that I am worried that non-biking people will start to think that all bikers should wear safety vests

All bikers should wear safety vests!

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP - I would hope that biking to school will only be an option in good weather as your child does not need the contributing factor of any bad weather to dangerous road conditions. In my mind this would include:

- expected rain
- rain and wet leaves
- area if neighbors are to pile leaves on the street for pickup
- freezing weather
- ice
- snow
- snow or ice left on roads from storms

for any and all of the above reasons, this is why most students do not bike to school on moderately heavy traffic road. You are DH need to be available to take him in any such dangerous conditions. And so much of the winter weather is just so unpredictable as to make it hard to predict just what road conditions are on a specific roadway. Sorry, but I would rethink this entire scenarios except in in early fall till daylight savings and spring after daylight savings months. It is just plain not worth the risk. Now is you had said it was a school in a completely residential area or with sidewalks that are just used by students, then it might be differnet, but not this scenarios. Too many unknowns+driver inattention in general and river rushing in general.

Just imagine, a child having to bicycle in rain! And dealing with wet leaves! The poor child is only 3 years...

Wait, what? A 13 year old?

Come on. Rain is no big dealing on a bicycle.

[Anonymous]

Hi vis vests don't do much. Just get a good LED blinky light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to bike all the time on the roads, up until about 10 years ago. It's just dangerous, plain and simple. A new study came out saying child bike injuries are down significantly (probably because of helmets), but adult injuries are up by 300%. Your kid is engaging in a more adult bike riding activity -- commuting. Only you know the roads, but I'd err on the side of safety. How many high schoolers, for example, might be driving cars and texting on those same streets? If it's during the rush hour commute, people tend to drive more aggressively, IMO, because they are late for work.

Which study was that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to bike all the time on the roads, up until about 10 years ago. It's just dangerous, plain and simple. A new study came out saying child bike injuries are down significantly (probably because of helmets), but adult injuries are up by 300%. Your kid is engaging in a more adult bike riding activity -- commuting. Only you know the roads, but I'd err on the side of safety. How many high schoolers, for example, might be driving cars and texting on those same streets? If it's during the rush hour commute, people tend to drive more aggressively, IMO, because they are late for work.

Which study was that?

I have not seen that study but it hardly surprises me. Kids are wearing helmets and are quite likely biking much less than we did as kids. This generation of adults, on the other hand, has really discovered biking - as a great, low impact exercise and as a means of transportation. But when adults take a tumble on a bike their bodies are generally a whole lot less forgiving injury wise than a kid's body is.

[Anonymous]

kghb vhnjbbngg

[Anonymous]

klhjukig gygjugjyg

[Anonymous]

YES.

He gets privileges taken away if he dares to ride without one, and you will check on him. It's that important in this area where drivers run over bikers all the time.

[Anonymous]

Our parents probably had this conversation about helmets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yesterday I watched a smug Takoma Park mom load three kids into a rear cart on her bike after dark, put on her own reflective vest and turn the light on her bike, and bike away. When she was six feet away, I couldn't see the kids at all, because the trailer was completely dark.

Good job.

What made her smug?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone treat bike "commuting" (school) different than just cycling say to friends' houses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it can't hurt -- except that I am worried that non-biking people will start to think that all bikers should wear safety vests

All bikers should wear safety vests!

And then it will safety suits, inflatable safety devices attached to handlebars, turn signals, chimes, etc...


Get real helicopter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yesterday I watched a smug Takoma Park mom load three kids into a rear cart on her bike after dark, put on her own reflective vest and turn the light on her bike, and bike away. When she was six feet away, I couldn't see the kids at all, because the trailer was completely dark.

Good job.

What made her smug?

Because PP is a B with self esteem issues and projects her self-hate towards others that have done no wrong to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:kghb vhnjbbngg

I was thinking the same thing