Getting our kids on bikes

Every day we hear of the obesity epidemic and its attendant health consequences – heart disease, diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis. We watch TV programmes that exhort us to wind back our body clock, be the biggest loser, and even to downsize our pet!

Our kids especially are at risk – despite their natural inclination to be physical, there are just too many opportunities for kids to be inactive and overeat the wrong kinds of foods.

I firmly believe that getting our kids on bikes can help both to counter the obesity epidemic and reduce vehicle congestion around schools, but there are a number of challenges to be overcome first - both practical and psychological.

I'm hoping that a new people-friendly Council with Regional and Central Government support will pick up on some of these challenges and make things happen. And the good news is that all the potential councillors I surveyed believe that not enough kids are cycling to school, so I hope the initiative of getting kids on bikes will receive widespread support.

Cycling facilities

Firstly, some of the practical steps. Most kids live within cycling distance of their local school, so what facilities do they need to get them between home and school?

Safety and risk mitigation are the biggest factors here. Historically our roads and footpaths have been built for motor vehicles and pedestrians, with cyclists barely registering on the design radar. Fortunately this is changing for new designs, but action needs to be taken to improve existing facilities to make them more cycle friendly.

Younger children (late primary through junior high school) still find it daunting riding on the road, cycle lanes or not. These kids need off-road cycle facilities, with wide “share with care” combined cycle and pedestrian paths. The new Shakespeare Rd and Akoranga Rd paths are good examples. The use of escorted “cycle trains” (the cycle equivalent of the “walking school bus”) are another excellent way to get our kids cycling to and from school safely.

Older and more experienced kids travel faster and have the maturity to cope with on-road cycle lanes – in fact it's dangerous (and against the law) for them to ride fast on footpaths due to interaction with pedestrians and cars exiting driveways.

Intersection design also plays a major part in promoting cyclist safety. Green-painted cycles lanes, early start boxes and other cycle-friendly facilities all help cyclists, and increase drivers' awareness of their presence.

Also within design scope are fun areas for kids to use their bikes. Parks, integrated skateboard areas, BMX tracks and mountain biking all have a part to play in getting kids active, outdoors and having fun with their mates.

School facilities

There's not much point getting kids to school by bike if there are no facilities for them on arrival. Kids need bike racks, lockers, showers (for some), and canteens with healthy food choices to refuel their bodies, so schools have a part to play as well. Primary schools can also take the lead with bike skills courses so kids are aware of the rules, are taught to check their bikes, and learn to ride safely.

But there's more to getting kids on bikes than just making facilities available and improving safety. While these are pre-requisites, psychological factors also contribute. I consulted widely (!) here and got feedback from my two daughters – past and present students at Rangitoto College and Westlake Girls.

Coolness

Sadly American culture has indoctrinated our kids, and it's just not cool to cycle. Coolness seems to be derived from the antics of Hollywood dross and rapper “bad” boys (and girls). What happened to our Kiwi role models? Give me Sarah Ulmer over Paris Hilton, or Hamish Carter over Snoop Dog any day!

Parenting and the media both have a part to play here. Parents are our first role models, particularly for younger kids. With Mum and Dad out on bikes – down at the park, along the beach or blasting Woodhill – the kids will surely follow. As teenagers naturally rebel against parents, our sporting heroes with help from the media can contribute by promoting healthy outdoor activity.

It may never be super cool to cycle, but even if it got to the “acceptable” stage and cyclists weren't regarded as fitness geeks we'd be a long way there.

The car culture

The Kiwi passage to adulthood is defined by the motor vehicle. There are few countries in the world where 15 year olds can get their licence and drive high performance modified sports cars. As we see from regular news reports this is often a recipe for disaster. The simple steps of raising the driving age to 17 and restricting the type of cars young drivers can drive unsupervised would have multiple benefits:

• Kids begin driving later when their maturity and risk analysis faculties are better developed

• Cars are less likely to be used in boy-racer scenarios

• Kids are more likely to cycle at 15 and 16 to get around, increasing their fitness and road skills

• When moving in to a car at 17, kids will be more likely to respect the rights of cyclists, having spent more time as one themselves.

In summary, I like to believe in the “critical mass” theory. With better facilities for cyclists, there will be more people out on bikes. With more people comes a perception that cycling is safer, and kids get out there too. With even more cyclists, cycling becomes a viable means of transportation for all, demanding and receiving more planning and design consideration, and acknowledgement from motorists.

A “virtuous circle” if you like that benefits the community through improved health and reduced pollution, and benefits motorists because there are fewer cars on the road. Everyone wins – but the lead has to come from those who govern us, as they decide how to spend our rates and taxes. I hope our new Council will govern us wisely.