Already a prolific contributor to the Streetsblog Flickr pool, BicyclesOnly has recently put together a StreetsWiki guide to "Urban Bicycling With Children." The entry kicks off with a look at some of the less obvious benefits to biking with kids:
Bicycling with children initiates so-called "virtuous cycles"that further promote bicycling. Parents who bicycle with theirchildren may be encouraged to bicycle more often because of theirchildren's enthusiasm for bicycling. Adults bicycling with childrentend to zealously guard their children's safety, becoming potentadvocates on the road and with government for improving bicyclingsafety. Motorists tend to drive less aggressively when they are awareof children bicycling nearby. Children who bicycle regularly will bemore likely to bicycle as adults. In all of these ways, urbanbicycling with children promotes bicycling and bicycling safetygenerally.
As Enrique Penalosa has said, "The measure of a good city is one where a child on a tricycle or bicycle can safely go anywhere." Parents can help realize this vision of a good city by bicycling with their children and making sure that they are safe.
After the multi-generational turnout for New York's first Summer Streets Saturday, the audience for this type of information should be on the rise.
Which reminds me, there's a new wiki entry on Summer Streets that's just begging to be filled out. I'm sure there are plenty of Streetsbloggers out there who can chip in. All you need to contribute is a Livable Streets account.
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