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news
Wheelie (licensed on Flickr under CC BY 2.0 by Carlos Felipe Pardo).JPGKids caught cycling anti-socially face exclusion from Birmingham school
Children caught cycling anti-socially in a suburb of Birmingham face being excluded from school following complaints from local residents.
Responding to concerns raised by members of Streetly Neighbourhood Watch on Facebook, Billy Downie, the head teacher of The Streetly Academy said that he was prepared to take tough action against students found breaking the law or behaving in an anti-social manner.
In a post on the group’s Facebook page one member, Chantelle Birtwistle, called for action to be taken against children pulling wheelies while riding in groups on the road.
She wrote: "I've nearly gone into a young lad attempting one and he lost balance on Ferndale Road!
“It's unsafe for drivers too what if my baby was in her car seat and I'd knocked him off?”
In response, Mr Downie wrote: "We share your concern over the conduct of a minority of our students on bikes outside of school hours.
"In the past three months every student has had a hard hitting assembly on the dangers of thoughtless behaviour on bikes.
"Road traffic accidents are the number one cause of death in the UK for 14-to-25-year-olds and we have driven home this point to our students.
"In addition to this, we have run the national Bikeability scheme with over 50 students, mainly boys. This course entails a day working with cycling officers on road conduct and awareness.
He said that pupils would also be required to wear a cycle helmet when riding a bike to school, although given there is no mandatory helmet law in the UK the legality of that, or how it could be enforced, is questionable.
“We have also introduced a ruling that no student will be allowed to cycle to school without wearing a helmet or on a bike that is not roadworthy,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we are still seeing many of our students on the roads without a helmet.
“From a personal perspective, I believe this should be the law, but in the absence of that I believe the onus should lay with parents to encourage their child to wear a helmet when out on their bike, irrespective of their age."
As for anti-social riding, he said: “Where we have any reports of anti-social behaviour and where we can identify the culprits, we always take action.
“This can include warnings, engaging with parents and even exclusions from school.
“Sadly, whatever advice and guidance we offer or consequences we implement, we cannot take full control of every child at every moment beyond the school gates," he added, urging parents to take responsibility for the behaviour of their children.
In response. one mother of a child at the school wrote on Facebook: "Thanks Mr Downie. As a parent of a Y7 boy who is keen on wheelying I'm very keen to work together with the school and local community on this, and have spoken already with Mr Wood and Y7 parents. I'm keen to help prevent any further incidents if I can in any way?"
Another member of the Neighbourhood Watch group on Facebook said: "I absolutely agree with Mr Downie. PARENTS AND PARENTS ONLY are responsible for their childrens' behaviour.
"What Streetly school is doing is admirable but it is NOT their responsibility so to the parents of these kids I say GET A GRIP ! I saw a lad of about 9 or 10 doing wheelies on his bike on Lowlands Avenue and he nearly hit a parked car. He wasn't wearing a helmet either."
She added: "I have to say that if a child on a bike doing wheelies on the road damaged my car and I was not at fault I would be claiming the repair bill from the parents."
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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75 comments
I'm all for this, it seems to be the 'latest thing' arounf our way too. Gangs of up to 20 youngsters on mountain bikes taking over the roads doing wheelies. A: Old people probably find it very intimidating. B: They can damage property falling off and banging into cars etc and C: They are reckless and don't wear helmets so one of them is going to come a real cropper eventually. If one of them ever knocks me off my bike by being a dick he'll get his testicles kicked back up into his body cavity, that's for certain!
Kick the testicles of an 11 year old eh? And one NOT even WEARING a HELMET (the horror). What a warrior you must be. I guess you're just jealous that their bike handling skills make yours look so hopeless.
Given the attitude of the little yobs I encounter doing this in central london, kick in the **** would be light punishment compared to falling on their face in the path of a bus or lorry
double post
Nothing is more certain than this never, ever happening.
Struggling to understand how popping a wheelie could possibly endanger the occupants of a car. I wonder if the Head will take similar action against children whose parents park illegally outside the school?
easy... driver trying to avoid hitting cyclist who didn't manage wheelie can change his path and crash into another car, wall etc. and consequently injure itself or passenger.. for example... it's rare, but it happens
But drivers need to keep a minimum of 1.5m from cyclist when overtaking, so shouldn't happen.
Sounds more like killjoy car drivers to me.
you mean cyclist can't fall further than 1,5 m? when he falls just before you start overtake him, than you don't have much to do with that... i just thing that everyone on public road should have some sort of responsibility... eveyrone, not only drivers
Really very seriously.
If, as the driver of a motor vehicle, you observe (you are observing properly, right?) children in the road and you have any anticpation (you are able to anticipate, having observed properly, right?) that some sort of incident is likely, then you do realise that you have the option to slow down or even stop. You do know that is an option, right?
[quote=Mungecrundle
Really very seriously.
If, as the driver of a motor vehicle, you observe (you are observing properly, right?) children in the road and you have any anticpation (you are able to anticipate, having observed properly, right?) that some sort of incident is likely, then you do realise that you have the option to slow down or even stop. You do know that is an option, right?
[/quote]
Sure definitly an option on an A road where the little yobs are doing this type of crap(A2 e.g.near Pckham). Please stop defending the indefensible. I am sure you are all up in arms because similar idiots ran their moped in the side of a police car and sure it must be the police's fault for not anticipating ?
You're not applying the slightest bit of intellect to the issue. Car is driving down the road toward the school, well under the legal speed limit. Cyclist riding away from school pops a wheelie, loses balance, comes down and swerves into path of oncoming car. Car necessarily swerves to avoid child, bangs hard into motorcycle parked near kerb etc etc etc. I suggest you imagine this was a bunch of young thugs doing wheelies on their motor bikes around the school exit at leaving time and see how your perspective changes.
FWIW I think there is actually little issue with the behaviour. The school simply arranges for a plain clothes cop, the cop stops the kids, the school removes the bicycles which will be returned on a good behaviour bond, or similar. Or Alternatively the school opens the play ground up to kids doing wheelies as soon as the school has emptied. I think the biggest issue here is the overprecious Mum in the car.
Because the idiots doing this are usually not on the side of the road but in the middle and swerving like hell. Don't defend the yobs, it doesn't do this site nor your credibility any favours
Sure because the yob's will nicely stay on their side of the road, never swerve, kindly stop at crossings etc ...
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