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@thelawnet
I hate it.
Went to pick my daughter up from school today on my bike. Went to the supermarket afterwards, no problems, then back to school to pick up my son (he finishes later).
I think 'hmm there's lots of bikes in school today'. Then I notice that they are my kids bikes.
Annoying, the wife must have brought them in.
So I get my daughter off the back of my bike and tell her to get on her bike. My son goes on his.
It takes us about five minutes to get out of the gate because the path is narrow and not suited to bikes and I have to shout at the kids 'don't go out the gate'.
We go onto the road and cycle along. My daughter is five and cycles very slowly, but we cycle along the road, blocking half of it (the other half blocked by parked cars). Cars wait patiently behind us.
Then my daughter falls of into a puddle. Wah. Take several minutes to persuade her to get back on otherwise we won't go home. Get to the end of the road, she wants to cycle down the pavement, so we cross the road together and cycle down the other side.
Pavement is rough, and has trees in it.
My daughter doesn't like going fast, so cycles down at 5mph with her brakes on. My son (10) is off, I'm staying with my daughter.
Get down the hill, my son is sitting with his head in hands, his bike in the road.
Oh shit.
Seems he's hit a car.
Woman emerging from driveway of nursery, he's gone into her.
Man there says he's come bowling down the hill and hit the car or tried to take evasive action.
Seems he's not really injured and neither is the bike, he has a bloody chin and that's about it, but passer-by man and female driver both concerned.
I'm a bit embarrassed, it seems like my son at fault, the woman is keen to exchange details with the male witness as I think she's worried if it's said otherwise.
Will probably get some annoying letter from the school about wearing a helmet or something (because they do a good job of protecting your chin don't they?). I have told my son that if he's going to cycle on the pavement he needs to go at walking pace.
I hate having to shepherd kids on bikes. No road sense, the pavements are dangerous for cycling, and I'd just prefer to take them home on my bike.
Grr.