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Spinoff - Is your child safe?
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:00 am
The original thread spoke mostly of stranger danger, but my issue is slightly different.

My nine year old's two friends on the block are allowed to ride their bikes in the street without supervision. We are in Monsey but not on a cul de sac, and while not a main through street, it's still busy enough to worry me about him getting hit by a car. So far my kid is only allowed to ride his bike together with his father at his side, but that makes him the outcast when the other two kids go riding.

I'm torn about whether to give up on my standards of safety so he can have fun with his friends, or stick to my guns? What would you do?
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:07 am
Are there sidewalks? I wouldn't let a child ride in the street. They can't pay attention to the different possible dangers that an adult can. Without sidewalks or curbs the streets are often narrow, unlit, may not have a shoulder, etc. I'd be scared to.
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:08 am
No sidewalks.
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:10 am
Maya wrote:
No sidewalks.

Then you sound like a responsible, caring parent.
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myself




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:25 am
Iymnok wrote:
Then you sound like a responsible, caring parent.


This. Riding on the street would be a no no to me. Is there a sidewalk nearby where he can ride?
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:30 am
I think he's too young to ride in the streets.
How much of an outcast is this making him? Are there no other kids whose parents don't let them ride in the streets?
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:31 am
Thanks. Smile
There isn't a sidewalk where he can ride under my supervision.
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:33 am
PinkFridge wrote:
I think he's too young to ride in the streets.
How much of an outcast is this making him? Are there no other kids whose parents don't let them ride in the streets?

It means that when they go riding he stays behind, and he often has to ask them to play without bikes so he can be with them.
These are the only two kids on the block. One of the mothers even allows her 6-7 year old to ride alone in the street. It baffles me.
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etky




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:50 am
Stick to your guns.
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nywife




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:55 am
Stick to your guns. There were 2 boys on bikes hit by cars last week.
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rainbow dash




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 9:07 am
you do what you can to keep your kid safe. maybe invite the other kids to your house to play with some toys that they dont have.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 12:00 pm
I am a total Free Range Parent, but I will only let my almost 12yo DD ride on the sidewalks, and we live in a super quiet neighborhood.

Quiet streets can be even more dangerous, because you forget that a car may come by, and the car isn't expecting to see kids in the street. I always tell DD that "just because you see the car, that doesn't mean that the car sees you."

I tell her that it's not because I don't trust her to be careful, but because I don't trust other drivers not to be on their cell phone, drinking coffee, or yelling at their kids in the back seat. I feel it's very important to let her know that I'm confident in her abilities, while making sure that she knows that there are things in her environment that are beyond her control, and that can make roads unsafe.

On the other hand, I will let her walk up to 7 blocks away from home, and cross busy streets at the crosswalk.
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mommyla




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 1:20 pm
My son is a bit younger than yours and he is only allowed to ride on the sidewalk or in the street at the end of the cul-de-sac (and that's a recent addition to his independence). We live on a quiet street and he rides with other boys, but I am never too far away and he is not allowed to cross the street without supervision.

It's not that I don't trust him, I don't trust the drivers. I wouldn't allow it if I were you.
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ValleyMom




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 20 2015, 8:13 pm
Kids are naturally impulsive all he needs to do is (G-d forbid) swerve his front tire to circumvent a rock and thats enough to put his tire in the line of traffic- this happens wall the time and that is how young children are typically thrown over the handlebars of a bike.

YOU are a TERRIFIC mom.

Offer to bring your son and his buddies to a nearby park with paths that they can use under your watchful eye.
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amother
Slategray


 

Post Tue, Apr 21 2015, 6:37 am
I live on a super quiet street with a sidewalk, is it safe to let my DS (5) ride on his bike? I live in a house and the front door is open.
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myself




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 21 2015, 7:06 am
amother wrote:
I live on a super quiet street with a sidewalk, is it safe to let my DS (5) ride on his bike? I live in a house and the front door is open.


Only with supervision IMO.
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sky




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 21 2015, 7:58 am
I live on a busy street. I do let my sons (9 and 7) ride by themselves with minimal supervision on the sidewalk (I come out occasionally to check and watch through an open window or sit on the front porch). They are not crossing any streets and just going back and forth and around one corner to specific points.
I would NOT let them ride if there was no sidewalk. Boys much younger then them ride on the quieter side streets and mine do feel bad that they are not allowed. But I don't feel they are old enough to make the correct decisions when sharing the road with cars. I see how the other boys dart out in front of cars or cross to the other side without realizing how dangerous it is and where they have to be looking.
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 21 2015, 8:56 am
Thank you all for the validation. I worry a lot about safety and see danger in everything so I was beginning to think that I was the crazy one.
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pickle321




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 21 2015, 9:43 am
Just FYI I believe it is illegal in ny to ride a bike on the sidewalk
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IMHopinion




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 21 2015, 10:08 am
I don't think Id let even a 16 year old ride in the street instead of a sidewalk. I believe it's dangerous for 36 year olds too.
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