As bad as I feared..

I went along to the meeting for parent volunteers for the school cycle
training today. Yes it rained, yes it p*****d it down.

I was singularly unimpressed. They are using the Tayside Police Cycle
Training Scheme which is a slight variant of the Scottish Cycle
Training Scheme.
http://www.road-safety.org.uk/educat...ing_scheme.asp

I was a bit mean. I asked whether the road safety officer (who was
showing us the scheme) had any cycle instructor qualifications (No). I
asked if the person who had risk assessed the proposed junctions had
any cycle instructor qualifications (No). There will not be necessarily
be anyone who is a trained cycle instructor delivering cycle training,
despite it being on road. There will be two parents who looked
horrified at the thought of having to ride a bike and were relieved to
hear that they didn't need to.

I questioned the distance from the kerb, and the RSO said they should
be 30cm out. I tried to not lose my rag..
I did ask whether she considered asking a child who may be a bit wobbly
to look over their shoulder whilst riding that close to the kerb to be
safe. She just gave me the 'this has been approved by xxxx' bull.

She also expressed scorn at the idea of teaching primary 4 'Research by
psychologists has shown...'. I refrained from telling her that my son
(primary 4) was perfectly capable of mastering the manouvers up to
level 2 NSCT. I did mention that I could provide plenty of
counterexamples where primary 4 recieved decent training.

And bike check.. They will fail a bike which doesn't have a red rear
reflector - for riding in daylight.

TBH, having seen what they are teaching, I'm not sure it would be
worthwhile Rachel even bothering with it. She'd probably get failed for
riding a sensible distance out from the kerb.

Apparently Try Cycling Tayside tried to pitch National Standards to
them a while back. Whoever did it made a complete hash of it.

Must look for a Cycle Trainer course again.

...d

David Martin said the following on 19/10/2006 15:43:
I went along to the meeting for parent volunteers for the school cycle
training today. Yes it rained, yes it p*****d it down.

SNIP

What on earth makes these people think they're qualified to run a
training scheme?

I know, I think I'll start a training scheme on how to go rock-climbing.
Nope, I haven't a clue how to go rock-climbing, but I'm sure it won't
matter so long as I can get some suitable psychological references.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Paul Boyd usenet.dont.work@plusnet writes:

David Martin said the following on 19/10/2006 15:43:
I went along to the meeting for parent volunteers for the school cycle
training today. Yes it rained, yes it p*****d it down.

SNIP

What on earth makes these people think they're qualified to run a
training scheme?

I do hope that they at least ride a bike occasionally....

And yes, it rained. Have I ever mentioned that the Life Sciences bike shed
has a corrugated roof that drains to the exact spot where you stand when
you are trying to open the lock?

Roos

On 19 Oct 2006 07:43:41 -0700 someone who may be "David Martin"
wrote this:-

I went along to the meeting for parent volunteers for the school cycle
training today. Yes it rained, yes it p*****d it down.

I was singularly unimpressed. They are using the Tayside Police Cycle
Training Scheme which is a slight variant of the Scottish Cycle
Training Scheme.
http://www.road-safety.org.uk/educat...ing_scheme.asp

How does that relate to the work the likes of CTC have been doing on
training, if at all?

I questioned the distance from the kerb, and the RSO said they should
be 30cm out. I tried to not lose my rag..
I did ask whether she considered asking a child who may be a bit wobbly
to look over their shoulder whilst riding that close to the kerb to be
safe. She just gave me the 'this has been approved by xxxx' bull.

Hopefully the children will be wearing helmets when they fall off
their bikes onto the pavement, after crashing into the kerb.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Roos Eisma wrote:

Paul Boyd usenet.dont.work@plusnet writes:

David Martin said the following on 19/10/2006 15:43:
I went along to the meeting for parent volunteers for the school cycle
training today. Yes it rained, yes it p*****d it down.

SNIP

What on earth makes these people think they're qualified to run a
training scheme?

I do hope that they at least ride a bike occasionally....

There is one Local authority trained [1] instructor who cannot even ride a
bike :-(

[1] he's been on the two-hour instructors course (err, meeting) which
consists mainly of 'how to fill in the forms'. :-(

John B

David Martin wrote:

Apparently Try Cycling Tayside tried to pitch National Standards to
them a while back. Whoever did it made a complete hash of it.

The original project officer left some time ago to be replaced
by... someone who's name I forget who has been very bad at staying
in touch. Having had a few other rather signficant projects on my
mind this year I've been fairly guilty of not Doing My Bit, but I
did make a point of touching base before Bike Week with various
offers, none of which were taken up. Suggests a fair possibility
that eye has come off the ball there :-( Will have to make some
noise when I get a moment...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Paul Boyd" usenet.dont.work@plusnet wrote in message
...
David Martin said the following on 19/10/2006 15:43:
I went along to the meeting for parent volunteers for the school cycle
training today. Yes it rained, yes it p*****d it down.

SNIP

What on earth makes these people think they're qualified to run a training
scheme?

The fact that they all drive cars?

In article ,
Paul Boyd usenet.dont.work@plusnet wrote:
What on earth makes these people think they're qualified to run a
training scheme?

I had a visit from North Ayrshire Trading Standards Officers a few
years back. The intention of the visit was to inspect my hiring
fleet.

After about an hour they announced that the cycles were OK.

I asked them who had taught them how to check cycles - The Plod was
the answer - and how long was your training course?

2 hours.

I then had to point out to them that of the 10 cycles which they had
inspected 3 actually needed attention - easy to spot since faulty
cycles have the saddle reversed:-))

They haven't been back!

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

Peter Clinch wrote:
David Martin wrote:

Apparently Try Cycling Tayside tried to pitch National Standards to
them a while back. Whoever did it made a complete hash of it.

The original project officer left some time ago to be replaced
by... someone who's name I forget who has been very bad at staying
in touch. Having had a few other rather signficant projects on my
mind this year I've been fairly guilty of not Doing My Bit, but I
did make a point of touching base before Bike Week with various
offers, none of which were taken up. Suggests a fair possibility
that eye has come off the ball there :-( Will have to make some
noise when I get a moment...

I have just spent some time (after blowing off a lot of steam at a big
band rehearsal - more loud, medium paced forte forte bits please
ploughing through all the material from SCTS. Nowhere does it mention
road positioning, except with relation to passing parked cars and on
right turns. I am led to believe that the RSO has made up this bit
about staying a foot from the kerb. This has really got me angry. I
don't really object to the cursory nature of the material (though I
would add a section on co-existing with big vehicles and how to
continue existing with them) but I strongly object to kids being taught
things which are actually dangerous on the whim of a person in a
position of authority who has no qualification to make that judgement.

A very strong letter will be going to the school tomorrow.

...d

On 19 Oct 2006 07:43:41 -0700, "David Martin"
wrote:

I went along to the meeting for parent volunteers for the school cycle
training today. Yes it rained, yes it p*****d it down.

I was singularly unimpressed. They are using the Tayside Police Cycle
Training Scheme which is a slight variant of the Scottish Cycle
Training Scheme.
http://www.road-safety.org.uk/educat...ing_scheme.asp

I was a bit mean. I asked whether the road safety officer (who was
showing us the scheme) had any cycle instructor qualifications (No). I
asked if the person who had risk assessed the proposed junctions had
any cycle instructor qualifications (No). There will not be necessarily
be anyone who is a trained cycle instructor delivering cycle training,
despite it being on road. There will be two parents who looked
horrified at the thought of having to ride a bike and were relieved to
hear that they didn't need to.

I questioned the distance from the kerb, and the RSO said they should
be 30cm out. I tried to not lose my rag..
I did ask whether she considered asking a child who may be a bit wobbly
to look over their shoulder whilst riding that close to the kerb to be
safe. She just gave me the 'this has been approved by xxxx' bull.

She also expressed scorn at the idea of teaching primary 4 'Research by
psychologists has shown...'. I refrained from telling her that my son
(primary 4) was perfectly capable of mastering the manouvers up to
level 2 NSCT. I did mention that I could provide plenty of
counterexamples where primary 4 recieved decent training.

And bike check.. They will fail a bike which doesn't have a red rear
reflector - for riding in daylight.

TBH, having seen what they are teaching, I'm not sure it would be
worthwhile Rachel even bothering with it. She'd probably get failed for
riding a sensible distance out from the kerb.

Apparently Try Cycling Tayside tried to pitch National Standards to
them a while back. Whoever did it made a complete hash of it.

Must look for a Cycle Trainer course again.

I'm really sorry to hear of this.

I was part of a working party for TfL today, evaluating the findings
of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) on 'Children and Cycling'. We
discussed, in some detail, the detrimental effect of road safety
officers (RSO) on child cycling. While RSOs are primarily concerned
with casualty figures, the HIA takes a far broader view, looking at
physical activity, mental health, air pollution, road traffic
casualties, access & social inclusion, and attendance & academic
attainment at school. TfL would love to be able to fund cycle
training projects directly, but, with the exception of a few cases,
finds it politically impossible to go over the heads of RSOs in the
London Boroughs.

In the HIA, cycle training is seen as having a positive effect on
physical activity, mental health and access & social inclusion. I
also argued that it has a positive effect on road traffic casualties:
better trainined cyclists are safer and in the future will make safer
and more cycle aware drivers, something I felt was missing from the
working draft of the report.

I'm proud to say that New City Cycling Club, STA Bikes and John Ball
Cycling:
http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=994
http://www.stabikes.org.uk/
http://www.johnballcycling.org.uk/
were given as examples of outstanding cycle training schemes. Liz
Bowgett at New City Primary road trains children as young as 4 or 5
years old!

Our leaflet, Cycling and Your Child, was given much praise.