Biking to and from School
A member of the school's community has approached the school to ask permission for children to ride bikes to and from school. This permission is granted from Monday 7 November provided common sense rules are abided by. (Please see below). We are investigating obtaining a bike rack/stand. Until we can source this, bikes will need to be placed inside the school gate against the fence on the Atkinson Road side of the school courts. (before the stairs to Room 22) Locks are encouraged but are not compulsory.
The requirements in order for children to ride bikes to and from school are below, in the context that this is an activity that takes place outside of school hours and off school property. Hence, it is the total responsibility of parents/caregivers to ensure their children abide by all aspects of the appropriate biking regulations and parents/caregivers take full responsibility for their children when riding bikes.
Parents/Caregivers: The Regulations
The Land Transport Act 1998 defines vehicles to include bikes, and says ‘A person may not drive a vehicle, or cause a vehicle to be driven, carelessly or without reasonable consideration for other persons’.
From Waka Kotahi: Cycling Code: Following the rules means you will behave predictably, in a way that avoids causing harm, is consistent with the road rules, and shows patience and care for all people. Riding responsibly includes: • obeying give way rules, road signs and markings • using hand signals • passing other people safely and without startling them. Helmets must be worn at all times and bikes must be in good mechanical condition.
For more information about the code: LINK
The School: Duty of Care
The school will provide a place for bikes to be stored during the day. However, as with the storage of scooters, while we can take all care for the safety of the bikes, we are not able to guarantee their safety and we cannot devote time to follow up any issue regarding the storage of bikes.
Bikes must not be ridden in the school grounds including the driveway. Bikes must be walked through the gate to the courts and immediately placed in the storage area for bikes.
Children may not play with bikes. (This is obviously different to scooter usage during the school day).
Summary
Children riding bikes to and from school is the responsibility of parents/caregivers to ensure their children abide by the Cycling Code. The school will facilitate the riding of bikes to and from school by providing an area for storage. This is a partnership that involves children, parents/caregivers and the school with each group understanding and abiding by their particular responsibilities. We shall see how things go in the context it is, clearly, entirely optional for children to ride their bikes to and from school!