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

[JulesMaximus]

My son is 11 years old (he'll be 12 in August) and my wife and I have been letting him ride his bike over to his friend's house alone. It is about a mile and a half, he wears a helmet and he rides on the sidewalk for most of the trip. Plus, these are not main roads, this is a suburban area and he is only on lightly travelled side roads that only go into residential neighborhoods around our house.

I know when I was a kid I used to ride miles and miles away from home unsupervised for hours. Different times though.

I want to allow him some independence and I think it is good for him but I kind of have mixed feelings about this. BTW-He has been doing this now for at least 6 months so it's not like we can suddenly not allow him to do this. I guess I just want to know what other parents think.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Yes, I would.

Different times, how?

 

[JD50]

Yes. My son will be 12 in a few weeks. Our neighborhood is really big, probably about 1.5 miles to the other side. I'd let him ride his bike that far to see a friend, unfortunately he hates being outside and doesn't care about going over to a friends house.

 

[dainthomas]

Yes, I would.

Different times, how?

He's obviously referring to the drastically lower crime rates today, and how such a journey would be much safer.

 

[Rakehellion]

What neighborhood is it? I'll have my windowless van there ASAP.

 

[Legios]

I will when my son hits that age, he is currently 7 and bikes but not solo yet.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yes, I would.

Different times, how?

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

 

[DrunkenSano]

What neighborhood is it? I'll have my windowless van there ASAP.

Don't forget to make a note on the side that there is free candy inside.

 

[Markbnj]

Yes, I would.

My wife, however, would not.

Which means, of course, we would not.

 

[JulesMaximus]

What neighborhood is it? I'll have my windowless van there ASAP.

I'm a bit to the southwest of you... approx. 2500 miles.

 

[Ns1]

yes on shitty bike + sidewalk/bike lanes. no on roadbike + FRAP.

 

[Imp]

As long as you've taught him to watch for traffic -- especially idiots and dooring-ers) and follow road/stop signs, I guess.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Yes. When my son was that age he rode wherever he felt like pedaling to. Just be back before dusk.

 

[nehalem256]

What you are allowing may be considered child abuse:

A judge sentenced a Hawaii man to one year of probation and a $200 fine for making his son walk a mile home from school as a form of discipline.

Judge Kathleen Watanabe called the punishment "old-school" and no longer appropriate, the Garden Island newspaper reported Thursday (http://bit.ly/1mLT0lx).

Robert Demond of Kilauea (kih-luh-WAY'-uh) said he picked up his son from school and asked about a matter that had been brought to his attention. When the son didn't respond, Demond made him walk home to think about his actions.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/29/robert-demond-probation_n_5415095.html

I suggest stopping you child from riding his bike for 1.5 miles before he is irreparably traumatized.

 

[Gooberlx2]

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.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

Yes, I would.

My wife, however, would not.

Which means, of course, we would not.

This. My wife doesn't let her 16 y/o son ride his bike to school. It's only about 1.5 miles away. Granted there's a 2 lane hwy he has to cross, so maybe in the fog I could understand.

 

[Platypus]

I'm not a parent but I wouldn't have an issue with that if I was. I'm of the school of thought that having some independence like this goes a long way for the adult he'll become.

As long as you've explained the dangers of the road and with talking with random people he might encounter in a productive, logical way I would not have an issue with my child doing this personally. If you're really concerned you may have him call you when he arrives or when he heads home so you have an average time frame of where he's at while in transit, but that seems a bit helicoptery to me.

 

[lozina]

What you are allowing may be considered child abuse:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/29/robert-demond-probation_n_5415095.html

I suggest stopping you child from riding his bike for 1.5 miles before he is irreparably traumatized.

Well, there's your example of "Different times"

 

[Carson Dyle]

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

Poor kid. Rough world out their in the suburbs of San Diego.

 

[JulesMaximus]

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.

6th grade, he will be in 7th grade in the fall. He is almost as tall as his Mom right now (she's 5'3"). He is very active, plays basketball, rides his bike, loves to swim and go boogie boarding.

He does have a cell phone with him too.

 

[Gooberlx2]

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

More traffic, maybe if that's true for your area. More distracted drivers...I can believe that. I don't believe there's any difference in driver's ed nor is there a greater number of predators...you're just more aware of them now that there are websites and whatnot to track such things.

 

[JBT]

11 or 12? sure. Like you mentioned I would ride ALL over the place at that age. As long as he has a good head on his shoulders and you teach him about STUPID drivers doing the unexpected he should be good to go.

 

[Ns1]

this thread makes me really sad.

 

[nickbits]

this thread makes me really sad.

this

 

[JulesMaximus]

this thread makes me really sad.

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.