Back to School by Bicycle
Wheel Life column - 4 September, 1999
by Todd Litman and Suzanne Kort - Victoria Transport Policy Institute
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Back to School by Bicycle |
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Several local elementary schools participate in the Way to Go! program, which helps students walk, bicycle, carpool and use public transit to school. The program's goals are to make "happier, healthier, safer children with stronger connections to their neighbourhoods, communities, and each other." The RoadSense Team, a partnership between ICBC and Autoplan Brokers, sponsors this program. Way to Go! provides schools and parents with free resource kits, training, advice and support. For more information, visit their website at http://www.waytogo.icbc.bc.ca, call 388-0781 or 1-877-325-3636 (toll free). A new high school transportation management project will be piloted this year in Victoria. This student-led program sponsored by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) will address transportation, health, air-quality and environmental issues and will implement trip reduction measures. For more information contact Arthur Orsini at 604-669-2860 or e-mail urbanthinker@sustainability.com. Since Way to Go! became established at our children's elementary school last year our own school travel has become more multi-modal. We live too far away to walk, so we rideshare, use transit or bicycle whenever possible, sometimes in a "cycling school bus" with our children's schoolmates. When cycling with more than two children we have one adult in front to lead and another at the back to monitor. These trips are fun for children and adults, like a colourful little parade winding through neighborhood streets, and motorists have been quite courteous. To minimize stress and risk we reviewed bike safety skills before we started, chose a relatively low-traffic route, and enforce the following rules:
The children still need occasional reminders, but problems decreased as we become more familiar with the rules and developed group riding experience. Last year bicycle safety instructor, Ray Hall, gave classes at our children's school that provided a good foundation for bicycle commuting skills. The morning trip to school tends to be fast and direct (at least once we get out the door with lunches and books), while the afternoon trip home tends to be slower and full of distractions. The kids often want to stop for snacks, explore a park, or window-shop at their favorite computer store along the way. We try to indulge them when possible since they've been studying most of the day and deserve a break. If you feel inspired by the idea of children cycling to school or want to investigate alternative travel choices, here are other useful resources: Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) promotes alternative modes of travel. Phone: 604-669-2860 and website: http://www.best.bc.ca. Bike Smarts is a safe cycling education program for teachers, youth leaders and cycling instructors of children aged 7-13. Call 1-800-565-7727, fax 604-737-6043, or e-mail jwsporta@istar.ca for more information. Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition (http://www.gvcc.bc.ca; voicemail 250-480-5155) promotes bicycling throughout Southern Vancouver Island. Go for Green's Active and Safe Routes to School program encourages parents of elementary school students to participate in national "Walk a Child to School Day", Wednesday, October 6. Schools can register at http://www.goforgreen.ca/, phone 1-888-UB-ACTIV, or fax (613) 562-5314. UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (http://www.roads.detr.gov.uk/roadsafety/rs/index.htm) publishes "Road Safety Education in Schools - Good Practice Guidelines" which describe how communities and schools can create a safer pedestrian environment for children. Vancouver Island Safety Council (http://www.islandnet.com/~visc/visc.shtml; telephone 478-9584) works to "prevent accidents of all kinds on the roads of British Columbia" by offering traffic safety programs, including pedestrian and bicycle safety education. |
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For many families,
back-to-school means organizing transportation as well as supplies and wardrobes for our
young scholars. Over the last few decades many parents have developed the habit of driving
their children to and from school. The result is increased traffic congestion and parking
problems around schools, and reduced exercise for kids.
