I think it depends what the area is like around where you live. We live in a small beachside town on one side of a main road. My kids were allowed to ride around our local streets but they knew that they were not allowed to go up to the main road.

I think baby steps in a park area while you are observing and then always with a friend for safety, until later years.

I think you have to build your kid’s responsibilities in order to let them do this. I was allowed to when I was 10 but I was also responsible enough to walk to the shops alone, walk home from school, cross the road independently etc etc.

No my daughter is too young to go off by herself. Perhaps when she is a teenager. It is a bit of worry these days.

Depends on how mature your children are and if they ride together. My children rode to school together and my eldest one used to go by bus to his grandmas house when he was 6 as I had to work and I was a single mum.

I think a child’s a touristy counts for a lot – but I’d be reluctant till they were 13 or 14 years old.

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  • • BellaB replied
    • 03 Apr 2019 , 4:16 pm

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  Sorry, “maturity”, not touristy. Don’t knw what happened there!

If I lived in the city I wouldn’t let my boys ride their bicycles alone. We live in the country with only 450 residents and their friends are only a block away. I still worry until I know they have arrived there though

it really depends on so many factors including age of the kids, the physical neighbourhood and other specifici individual factors. up to parents to make a reasonable decision based on their knowledge.

I think it depends on the kids and the roads! If it is a very quiet street and not to far away, I’d be OK with that. If my child was a bit reckless or not good at problem solving, I would wait a bit more.

In this day and age, kids aren’t interested in riding bikes at all, let alone around the neighbourhood. There is absolutely fear in our area from kids being assaulted and having their bikes, shoes, phones stolen… so if my son was young enough to ride his bike, I would be fearful for him.

I let my kids ride to their friends houses but they are able to get there using footpaths and only having to cross x 2 quiet cul de sacs. I’m not willing to let them go too far yet but that’s only because the roads are busier.

Guess it depends on your neighborhood, we live a very safe and friendly one in a small town and I see kids riding their bikes home from school etc.

If they were being supervised then yes. In this day and Age you really can’t trust anyone and the last thing that you would want is for something to happen to your child. This is the nanny country that we now live in unfortunately.

One of my favourite childhood memories is riding my bike down the street having races and riding to my friends house however with my own kids I am wary it also depends where you live and how busy the traffic is we live in a quite no through road street and the kids do ride out the front I will let my ids ride out the front as long as it’s only in our street and I can see them at all times

This really depends on the parent. I personally would not, but I see lots of children riding bikes everywhere.

In today’s world sadly no. It’s so scary what happens these days it’s not worth it

I wouldn’t let my kids do it purely because there are too many sickos out there! Let alone them riding around traffic

I used to as a kid, but things have changed so much since then so I dont think I would be comfortable with it!

There is definitely more vehicles on the road then there was when we were growing up. More families have 2 or more cars, most transport companies are using longer trucks which take longer to come to a stop even when driving at speed limit or less than cars do because of the weight of the vehicle even when it has no load on / in the trailer. Also houses now have high fences and it is impossible to see past them until you are out to the footpath. Even if you check somebody can come along in that very short time.

I’ve just started to let my 6 and 8 yr olds ride around our street which is a culder sac, but we have taught them both about not talking to strangers, road safety, and always asking before they go