Cycling The School Run DESPITE The Traffic

It would be wonderful if every school had fully segregated cycle paths to enable pupils and their parents to cycle the school run away from other road users (if they want to).

Sadly in most areas of the UK we are a long way off this. It is highly likely that your cycle to school will involve roads to some degree of other. While this might not be ideal, it needn’t be an insurmountable barrier.

Everything Is Just A Little Bit More

Sharing the roads safely and responsibly boils down to route planning, confidence and assertiveness. This applies any time you are cycling on roads. But when you are cycling with children everything is just a little bit more.

• Children often ride slower (until the point where they don’t and you can no longer keep up with them)
• Children are likely to take longer to pull away at junctions
• Children are more likely to wobble
• Children do not have enough experience of using the roads to make good judgements
• Children are unlikely to anticipate what drivers might do
• Unlike adults who drive, children are not conditioned to stop at junctions or give way at obstructions when they should. They may not understand how traffic rules and conventions work
• Children are less likely to be able to judge a car’s speed and distance from them

This does not mean that children should not be on the roads on bikes. It does mean that – as the adult – you are their road sense as well as your own.

Know Your Children

I firmly believe that children should be able to cycle on the roads. It is illegal – and often irresponsible – to cycle on pavements and personally I think it is far better to teach our children to use roads safely than to encourage them to cycle on pavements. There are exceptions to this to my mind – if you have a toddler on a balance bike while you walk then obviously, they should be on the pavement.

That said, I do not think that all children who can ride a bike should be allowed to ride on the roads – at least, not yet.

If your child is going to cycle on the roads – and I am assuming that they are young enough that you are riding with them – you need to know that your child will do exactly what you say, when you say. The main instruction at issue here is ‘STOP’. You need to know that your child will stop when you tell them to. Otherwise, every junction and parked car is going to be fraught with danger.

Some children are better at following instructions than others, for all kinds of reasons. If you have a child who is not so great at following instructions as soon as they are given, it might be worth considering options for bikes where you remain in control, such as a tagalong, cargo bike, or tandem, at least for the time being.

Route Planning

Planning your route to school is really important. If you are currently driving the school run, bear in mind that the route you use to drive is very possibly not the best route to cycle.

The best route is also unlikely to be the most direct route. Personally, I don’t mind this. Compare our options below:

• The most direct route for us is about 1.5 miles. It takes in a four-lane road which has the dubious reputation of being one of the most polluted roads in Scotland and a roundabout which was named one of the most dangerous junctions for cyclists in Scotland. It’s the way I would drive. It’s horrible. I don’t cycle that way on my own if I can help it, never mind with my children. When I have cycled it (on my own) it took about 8 minutes.
• The route we use is just under 2 miles. It uses designated ‘quiet roads’ (although these are not all that quiet at school run times) and the path through the park. It’s part of a signposted cycle route, although the signs are not the easiest to spot. It takes us 15 minutes.

Yes, the route we use is longer. It’s less than half a mile longer but it takes almost twice as long because of the time it takes to wait for the lights at the crossings. That may sound bad, it takes almost twice as long, but that difference is actually about 7 minutes. Life may be busy and hectic at times, but I can certainly find an extra 7 minutes for a more enjoyable cycle.

When you plan your route, try to think about:

• Traffic free paths: If you have them, even for part of your route – use them. These are the parts of the journey that you will all probably enjoy most. Our route to school takes us on the path through a local park, and this is where we get to race each other. It is also where I try to get my son to develop his bike handling skills a bit by riding with one hand, looking behind him, etc (I can’t help myself – once a coach, always a coach!)
• Junctions: Children tend to pull away at junctions slowly. This can make right turns onto busier road tricky. If you can avoid them, do. If you have to do them, think about how to manage them.
• Roundabouts: mini roundabouts are fine, anything involving lanes is a lot trickier, especially if you need to turn right. Again, avoid if you can.
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  Blind corner and a parked car on the signposted cycle route

  Parked cars: Parked cars are the bane of my life on the quiet roads we use. They may be quiet, but they are often used as carparks. Lots of parked cars along a road can narrow it to a single lane which can leave you going head to head with oncoming traffic. Whenever you pass parked cars (or other obstacles which narrow the road) make sure you ride assertively to avoid drivers passing too close to you (see below).

So, what do you do if your route has to involve turning right at junctions with limited visibility and busy roundabouts? One of the great things about bikes is the ability to get off and push. If there is something on your route which is unavoidable and tricky, there is usually a way to switch to the pavement and push your bike(s) until you are passed it. Please, don’t cycle on the pavement though.

If where you live is anything like Edinburgh, perhaps you have a great network of traffic-free paths….which are quite tricky to actually find! If you don’t know the paths around your area, ask. Social media has it’s benefits (as well as it’s drawbacks), search out your local cyclists and you are likely to find someone keen to help you. If you are a woman, joining your local free Breeze rides can be a brilliant way to find local routes.

Timing

Timing can make a huge difference when you cycle the school run. In my experience, leaving 10 minutes earlier than you actually need to means much quieter roads and less parked cars. On the way home, loitering for an extra 10 minutes before you leave means you miss the worst of the traffic (and the more mental driving and parking).

Trust me, I know how difficult it can be to get children out of the door in the morning, but it is worth it.

Position On The Road

Where you position yourself on the road when you cycle is crucial. The position you adopt is another way of communicating with other road users. There are two important aspects to getting this right – one is knowing what your rights (and your responsibilities) are, and the other is having the confidence to assert them.

It is vital that you know that you have as much right to be on the roads as any other road user.

‘Road Tax’

Some motorists still seem to live with the misconception that they pay road tax, cyclists do not, and that gives motorists priority on the roads. This is simply wrong. Nobody pays road tax – it was abolished in 1937. Vehicle owners pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and it is based on the size of the vehicles engine and its emissions. If anything, it is a tax on pollution. Many modern cars actually rack up an annual bill of £0 in VED and yet their drivers have the same rights to use the roads as other motorists…and cyclists. VED money goes into the general treasury fund and does not pay for building or maintaining roads. Road maintenance is more likely to be paid for by your council tax.

While I’m on the subject of ridiculous accusations from a minority of motorists, I might as well mention the whole ‘no insurance or license’ type arguments. No, you do not need insurance to ride a bike (although many do through memberships). No, you do not need to pass a test or gain any kind of license to ride a bike. These requirements – or lack of them – are not decided by individuals on bikes, they are decided by governments. Other road users shouting about this to cyclists are really just wasting their breath.

Riding Two-Abreast

So, you have a right to use the roads.

You also have the right to cycle two-abreast. When I ride with my son on his own bike, we always, always ride two-abreast. My son rides closest to the curb and I ride alongside him, between him and other road users. This allows me to communicate with him and to see exactly what he is doing. If he rides in front or behind me then he may not hear my instructions, especially on wet days and when there are noisy cars around. If he rides behind me then I can’t see what he is doing.

Riding alongside him also keeps my son in the correct position on the road. I can use my bike to edge him further in towards the curb or allow him further out. When we are approaching parked cars, I effectively block him from pulling out to go around them until I am absolutely certain that is is clear to do so.

If you are going to cycle with a child on their own bike, I would highly recommend that you cycle alongside them.

Primary and Secondary Positions

If you are cycling on your own (or in single file) then you have three options for where to position yourself in the lane:

• Hugging the curb: DO NOT DO THIS! Cycling right next to the curb is unnecessary and also dangerous. When you hug the curb you are basically riding in the gutter. This is where all the glass and other road debris is. It also edges you into a driver’s peripheral vision and therefore makes you less visible.
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  Image courtesy of British Cycling

  Secondary Position: This should be your default position, around 0.75-1m out from the curb. Less debris, less gutters, more visible.

• Primary Position: This position is also known as ‘taking the lane’. In primary position, you are riding in the middle of the lane (the lane not the road). By riding here you are communicating with other road users, ‘I want you to see me and I do not want you to pass me’. If it is unsafe for a car to pass you on a road, you should adopt primary position to communicate that other road users should not pass you. It is also a good position to adopt if you are soon passing a left turn which you are not taking, as this prevents drivers from overtaking you too late then turning left across you. You are perfectly legally entitled to cycle in primary position.

If the thought of riding away from the curb worries you, it is worth knowing rule 163 of the Highway Code. This states that drivers should give ‘at least as much space as a car’ when overtaking a bike. This means that drivers should be crossing the central line and driving in the ‘wrong’ lane whenever they overtake a bike. In order to do this, the oncoming lane must be free of traffic. If drivers are complying with this rule then is doesn’t actually matter whether you are riding in primary or secondary position – if there is traffic in the oncoming lane, it is not safe to pass you regardless of where in the lane you are riding.

Assertiveness

When you ride assertively, you ride safely.

There is a vast difference between riding assertively, and riding aggressively or inconsiderately.

Riding Assertively:

• Choose your position on the road (primary or secondary as conditions dictate) and hold that position regardless of the the occasional rude shout or gesture.
• Make eye contact with other road users.
• Ride two-abreast when appropriate. This means pretty much always when riding with a child on their own bike.
• Expect drivers to give way to you when you have right of way – but anticipate the minority who will not.
• Signal clearly and also use your position on the road to indicate your intentions (especially when turning right).
• If you are coming up to traffic lights which are red or likely to turn red before you reach them, adopt primary position to prevent cars from pulling up alongside you. Some lights have advance stop sections for bikes. These are great, but be very wary of riding up the side of waiting traffic to reach them – if there is any chance that the lights will turn green before you reach the front, I think you are safer to remain in primary position in the queue.
• Thank other road users when appropriate.
• If you are going to hold up traffic for a considerable amount of time – and this is unlikely but could happen on some roads – pull in and let faster road users pass. If you are worried that you are holding up traffic, start counting seconds – you will rarely reach 60 seconds before the driver behind you is able to pass. I refuse to believe that anyone (possibly other than emergency services) cannot wait under a minute.

Riding Aggressively / Inconsiderately:

• Swerving in and out of cars.
• Expecting others to always give way to you.
• Failing to stop at traffic lights, junctions or anywhere else you are legally obliged to do so.
• Holding up other road users unnecessarily – and by that I mean for any length of time where there is an option for you to safely allow others to pass you.
• Yelling, making rude gestures, etc – even if ‘they started it’. You are not a child and you are setting an example to your child.

In a nutshell….don’t be a dick.

Cycling On Paths

Traffic-free paths are great, especially when you are cycling with children. However, they are rarely ‘cycle paths’. They are more likely to be shared use, and that can bring its own issues.

When you are cycling on the roads, you are the more vulnerable user. When you are cycling on paths, you are less vulnerable than those walking. You must bear that in mind.

Lots of things irritate me on shared paths; oblivious walkers with headphones on, dogs on extendable leads across the path, dogs running wild across the path, people walking side-by-side who glare when you ask to pass. However, the paths are shared so – to be honest – tough. Expect to slow down, be courteous, appreciate that small children and dogs are likely to do random things at the last minute. Remember that if you are going to cycle the school run regularly, you are going to pass the same people regularly – say hello, smile and wave.

It is also worth considering that some shared paths are not very well signposted as such. If someone accuses you of cycling on a path you should not be on, it’s worth (politely) pointing out to them that you are entitled to be there.

In a nutshell….again, don’t be a dick.

A Note On Bells

The bikes which I use regularly on shared paths all have bells. I have other bikes which do not have bells and I see no problem with using them on shared paths too as I have a perfectly functioning voice and can call ‘excuse me’ instead.

When I ring my bell, what I mean is ‘I am here’. What I absolutely do not mean, is ‘get out of my way’. Sadly, a few folk seem to take offense at people on bikes ringing bells. I have had journeys where I have had walkers yell at me for using my bell and not using my bell. What can I say? You can’t please everyone!

Those ****** Cyclists

A strange thing happens when you start to ride as bike and use the roads. You may not consider yourself ‘a cyclist’. You may be just a person who rides a bike to get to places some of the time. Yet somehow, in the minds of some, you now represent ‘cyclists’ as a whole.

You have possibly even seen some of the comments which invariably appear under any article ever which mentions people on bikes. Comments along the lines of ‘they never stop at traffic lights’, ‘they ride on the pavements’. Please don’t give these people ammunition for their fury.

I have absolutely no idea why some people seem to think that everyone who gets on a bike is ‘a cyclist’ and every single ‘cyclist’ rides exactly the same way. But they do.

There are inconsiderate and dangerous cyclists out there. There are inconsiderate and dangerous drivers out there. There are even inconsiderate and dangerous pedestrians out there. There are a minority of people who are basically knobs, regardless of the form of transport they use. Don’t be one of them.

Ready, Set…

You are almost good to go cycle that school run. You have your reasons and your bike(s). You’ve dealt with the excuses and are prepared to deal with other road users. There are also a few top tips which might be helpful as you start cycling the school run.

 

Cycling The School Run Articles

This series of articles are based on a talk I gave in August 2020 for Greener Kirkcaldy. If listening is your thing, you can access the recording here. 

The articles follow a kind of order as shown below, but can also be read in isolation. If you have questions or comments I would love to hear them and will follow them up with further articles if I can.

1. Cycling The School Run
2. Why Cycle The School Run
3. Bikes For Cycling The School Run
4. Reasons NOT To Cycle The School Run
5. Cycling The School Run DESPITE The Traffic
6. Top Tips For Cycling The School Run
7. Cycling The School Run In Winter
8. Spreading The Love For Cycling The School Run