how to ride with kids in traffic

[galaxygirl]

I am riding the streets more with my kids who are 8 and 11. We generally ride with me in back, the 8 year old (who is very small for her age) in the middle and the 11 year old up front. Does this sound like the right order?

What if I am just riding with the 8 year old? Should I keep her in front of me?
Any other advice about riding with kids?

[mimitabby]

when my Dh used to ride a lot with my sons he'd make a "Tom Sandwich"
older son in front, younger (Tom) in the middle and DH in the rear.
Of course that also switched when DH had to make a decision about a turn or a stop... but when things got tight every now and then in traffic; that's what they did. And younger son did a double century (Seattle to Portland) when he was 11 so all that riding paid off.

[Tuckervill]

I ride with my son in the front when it's dicey. I can keep an eye on him,and I can catch up and yell instructions if necessary. If he's behind me I can't see him (duh!) and if he falls back or does something unsafe I won't be aware of it.

He's almost 14 now, so he's learned how to ride in traffic. He knows to stop at stop signs and wait for me if necessary. He's also much faster than me and sometimes he leaves me behind.

With two kids, I might be tempted to put the youngest one up front and the oldest one behind me. That way I can stay close to the youngest and the oldest won't be leading. The oldest can warn about cars coming, and the youngest is within warning distance.

Karen

[Eden]

*disclaimer* - I have no kids so this is only from observing others!
but, especially where there is more than one kid in the group, when there are kids behind the adults it seems like it becomes very difficult for the adults to keep track of where the kids are and often a child gets separated from the group. It seems much safer to me to always have the kids in front of you and be clear about expecting them to stay together. You can see them and corral them better and you can protect them from things that are coming up behind you much better. I had an unnattended child turn sideways and stop in front of me once! I am always cautious/slower around kids, because I know they are unpredicatble, but even so there was nothing I could do.

[Tuckervill]

Just because he's behind me doesn't mean he wouldn't be "attended". I think an 11 year old is capable of learning the proper etiquette and not doing something that could endanger others. Of course, you really have to talk this all over before you ride.

I would put the 11 yo behind me because I don't think he'd (thinking of my youngest at 11) would have been "with it" enough to lead, warn about obstacles, remember about stop signs, stay together, etc. The 8 yo in front would never get far enough away from me that a loud voice couldn't stop him in his tracks.

When you have two to shepherd, you're always going to monitor the youngest one closer than the oldest. But you have to set up the oldest in a place where they can be independent but not dangerous. Speaking in general terms.

All that being said, I wouldn't take an 8 and 11 yo out on the street if they weren't capable of knowing the rules and responding correctly to reminders of the rules. If they had a hot dog attitude or were careless because of their youth or not concerned about safety, we just wouldn't go. The people you're talking about, Eden, who let their kids get separated from them, wouldn't take the time to teach their kids about the safe way to do things anyway, and there's nothing we can do about those types.

Karen

[galaxygirl]

The 11 year old is a fraidy cat, so he's a good leader. Very cautious and always under control. The only problem we have with him out front is that sometimes when we stop he doesn't know it and keeps going till we yell "stop" or ring the bells on our bike. I might try him behind me to see what happens. He is the fastest among us, so out front is the easiest place, I think.