Would you let an 11 year old ride his bike 1.5 miles to see a friend?

[highland145]

Well, the helmet is useless....:whiste:...see sig.

More traffic, more distracted drivers, worse driver training, not to mention child predators...

Supposedly not but I'd have to look up the stats to confirm. We just hear about every single one.

And what Mark said.

And since he's already been doing it and it's summer time, someone would catch a lot of crap from their child.

 

[roguerower]

Not a parent, but I rode all over the place when I was a kid.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Well, the helmet is useless....:whiste:...see sig.

Supposedly not but I'd have to look up the stats to confirm. We just hear about every single one.

And what Mark said.

And since he's already been doing it and it's summer time, someone would catch a lot of crap from their child.

I know, but it is impossible to be a parent and not have it cross your mind from time to time.

Thanks ATOT. You've put my mind at ease on this. Will probably just have another quick talk about bike safety though just to be sure.

 

[Ns1]

Why?

We already let him do this and have for quite a while now, I was just curious what the general thinking is on this from other parents.

the fact that this is even a question makes me sad.

20 years ago nobody would've questioned letting their 11 year old ride a bike 1.5 miles. What is that, a 5 minute bike ride?

 

[IronWing]

More traffic, more distracted drivers, worse driver training, not to mention child predators...

Since most child molestors are family members the kid is safer on his bike.

Anyway, yes, I would let him ride. In fact, if he asked to be driven I would tell him "Walk, run, ride, or stay home."

 

[smackababy]

Why?

We already let him do this and have for quite a while now, I was just curious what the general thinking is on this from other parents.

I think, regardless of whether you "allow" him or not, he will do it. Same way you don't allow him to curse; as soon as you leave the room, the f bombs get dropped!


1.5 miles is an incredibly short distance from home. I remember riding my bike or walking to the local arcade growing up. I just checked the distance, and it was 2.5 miles each way. Parents had zero problems with that, so long as we stayed on out of the main roads. And, as far as child predators go, my next door neighbor was picked up by a stranger in a car on the corner I lived on. Got a talk about not getting into cars with strangers, and left to my own devices again.

 

[highland145]

I know, but it is impossible to be a parent and not have it cross your mind from time to time.

Mine turned 13 in March, only child, my heart. Right there with you.

 

[Leyawiin]

That's like 5th or 6th grade, right? I rode a couple miles daily to school in a suburban area at that age. I see no problem with it.

Exactly what I did. I could beat the school bus home. It was good for me. Since the O.P. seems to live in a safe, suburban neighborhood I wouldn't worry. You've got to let kids spread their wings and start taking those little steps towards independence.

 

[Slew Foot]

i used to bike all over the place when i was 11. i doubt my wife would my kids bike unsupervised though.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Based on the description in the OP, yea...no problem.

Like you OP, I enjoyed endless summer days of unsupervised bike riding. In fact, my mother would kick us out of the house after breakfast and I would only go home for lunch and dinner. As you can see, I'm at least alive and so are my brothers.

 

[dank69]

Yes

 

[JulesMaximus]

Mine turned 13 in March, only child, my heart. Right there with you.

:thumbsup: If I didn't care I wouldn't worry and I wouldn't have posted this thread. Guess I'm just being overly paranoid.

 

[Kadarin]

When I was that age I biked all over the place.

 

[waggy]

yes. in fact my daughter started riding 2 miles to a friends house last summer at 10.


hell at her age i was all over on my bike. 2 miles? pfft nothing.

 

[rh71]

At what age do parents generally let go like this? Curious.

We used to bike all over on our own too but in hindsight anything could've happened and distracted drivers of today mean even more can happen. I keep thinking I'll learn to let go as they age, but when?

 

[highland145]

Most of us did ride all over the place as kids but the media has made us fearful and helicopter parents.

 

[brandonb]

I'm surprised at how sheltered kids are these days.

I have a friend, who lives in another city, but my friend lives 3 doors down from another one of his good friends. They met like 20 years ago. So those guys are neighbors and old friends. Well, his friend ended up meeting his wife, getting married, and having kids. Like 5 of them. So one day when I was over my friends house, this other guys oldest kid who is like a 14 year old girl came over to ask if someone could open up a pickle jar or something like that. I answered the door. It was like 100 degrees outside. So I asked her if she wanted to step inside to get out of the heat while we try to get the jar open (I'm there with my friend)... She says "Sorry, I can't. I'm not allowed inside." So I'm like "Oh. Ok." She sat out on the front step while we got the pickle jar opened.

Seriously? My friend and his friend went at it about how if he won't allow her to come over to his house, even though he's know them their entire life, then tell them to wait it out on the pickle jar until daddy comes home, yadda yadda yadda.

Was kind of funny. But pathetic at the same time.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I was kind of sheltered as a kid, but even my parents let me ride my bike a couple miles through suburban roads/neighborhoods to see friends at that age.

 

[Howard]

I went wherever I pleased as long as I was home for dinner.

 

[UglyCasanova]

the fact that this is even a question makes me sad.

20 years ago nobody would've questioned letting their 11 year old ride a bike 1.5 miles. What is that, a 5 minute bike ride?

This.

Growing up we rode our bikes all over the place. We all walked/biked to school also.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I went wherever I pleased as long as I was home for dinner.

Hell yes. I road 1.5 miles to a park regularly when I was 6.

 

[xeemzor]

Yes, but give them a cell phone and emergency number to call in case they run into any issues.

 

[Humpy]

I would insist he ride his bike or walk or whatever. What do I care, I'll be a the bar.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

this thread makes me really sad.

It really depends on how your neighborhood is. If my kids grew up where I'm living now, sure. If they grew up where I grew up, probably not.

 

[mmntech]

Should be okay. I hear their neighbour is in a band and gives out free candy.

The world must have really changed from when I was a kid, or I just grew up in a small town. Kids used to ride their bikes everywhere, from a lot younger than 12. As long as he's street smart, he should be okay assuming you don't live in the ghetto.