Cultural: Bicycles - Learning to Ride Young!
A few weeks ago now we had a lady at the church (a Ukrainian refugee) and she had her three kids with her. One of them is only 3 - he JUST turned 3. That day we were noticing how he was on his bike. He had the cutest little bicycle - which actually has no pedals. He pushed it with his feet to make it go but sat on it like a bike.
He was already pushing it and sometimes lifting his feet and coasting.
And we wondered how in the world they got their children to learn to ride bikes so young here. In the US often kids are 10 years old before they learn - here if they aren’t riding by 7 or 8 it is most unusual. I mean, there are 5 year olds who are riding like pros. We saw one today as we were driving in to do some errands earlier.
I did a blog post about bikes in different ways before and mentioned how often outside the grocery stores they have stands with places for people to park their bikes so when they come out of the store with their groceries, they are right there, waiting for them. That’s not really something I saw in my part of Florida- small town, Americana.
Anyway, today we saw a lady at McD’s trying to chain her bike together with her two grandkids’ bikes. It was amazing looking chain, actually. Huge - and very orange. She finally succeeded and went into the restaurant to get some food with her grandkids (I’m assuming grandkids.)
Outside the restaurant there was a row of bikes, and while we were there, a boy came up with his scooter and just parked it in a bike spot and came in - without a lock. Most people lock up their bikes unless they are going to sit and watch it while they eat.
At least two bikes left while we were eating - but I didn’t get pics of their riders taking them away. Bikes are commonly used here - and there are many bike paths!
On a lot of the sidewalks they are divided into two parts - part of the walkers and part for the cyclists. If you are a walker, you had best stay off the part where the bikes are speeding by. They don’t appreciate your inconsideration (or ignorance) if you happen to walk on their half.
Combination bike path/sidewalk. Bikes are on the red brick, people walking on the gray.
So there you go - today when I saw that cute 5/6 year-old riding by so fast and well, I wanted to share the pictures I had taken previously of the three year old and his cute - “no pedals” bike.
Our heat wave is about over, I think. They say on Sunday it will be quite a bit cooler.
Thanks so much for coming along with me on this journey!
Have a great day wherever you are reading this!
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