Canopus Report post Posted March 16, 2014 Has anybody's kids with AS ever passed a Bikeability test in Y5 or Y6 at school? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris P Report post Posted March 18, 2014 Mine passed the equivalent test some time ago. The instructor was Aspie friendly - in fact he was Aspie - in fact he was me! As the local Vicar, I used to treat this duty as Funeral Prevention.... Is your child having problems with the course? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sally44 Report post Posted March 20, 2014 My son is 13 and still cannot ride a bike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris P Report post Posted March 20, 2014 Is that down to balance, or to generally not being safe? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted March 20, 2014 I'm after information and experiences for a 9 year old with AS. He has never had a bike of his own but has ridden a scooter regularly since he was 4. Recently he has been riding his friends BMX and the one belonging to the AS support group. Next term his school is offering the Bikeability test and now that his parents have found out that he can ride a bike they would like him to take it. There have been a few other kids with AS who have taken Bikeability tests over the years and their experiences are somewhat mixed. Some instructors are fantastic but others are middle aged men in lycra who have no understanding of AS or any complications it causes. I have received some information that Bikeability can only be done on a bike with gears as part of it includes the ability to use gears correctly. He has not yet tried riding a bike with gears so he has no idea how to use them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris P Report post Posted March 22, 2014 I hadn't encountered the requirement for gears before - I'd check that one. I agree with you that a lot depends on the ability of the instructor to create an Aspie-friendly learning environment. There is potential for a lot of sensory overload in the average practical lesson. I take it this is the Highways Dept of the local council providing the lessons: they have the same responsibility as everyone else to provide a disability-friendly environment, but may need the exact needs to be spelt out in practical terms. Don't be surprised if they are wary - many parents regard passing the course as 'qualification to be on the road', but we always stressed that the decision about when a child was 'road-ready' was solely a parental decision. PS: Although middle-aged, I deemed myself too old to look good in lycra! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted March 22, 2014 Past experiences have revealed that some instructors are middle aged road bike fanatics that expect every kid to be able to proficiently shift gears at the age of 6, and other instructors are miserable old women that throw a fit if they see a bike without reflectors. If the 9 year old takes the Bikeability test then he will probably use the AS support group BMX that doesn't have gears or reflectors. Bikeability tests are mixed ability so there is a concern how instructors will handle a kid with AS and sensory issues at the same time as physically well co-ordinated streetwise kids who are already experienced at riding bikes. Some instructors have never had to work with late bike riders so they hold an assumption that every kid has been riding a bike without stabiliser wheels since they were 4. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris P Report post Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) The Bikeability website includes a link to a document on providing inclusive training. This looks good, but I suspect that (1) implementation will be patchy in different areas, (2) all the inclusive rhetoric in the world is no substitute for the instructor having the right attitude, and (3) typically of government these days, the high ideals are not matched by any funding. Edited March 23, 2014 by Chris P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted March 28, 2014 I have semi-reliably been informed that there is significant inconsistency in the Bikeability training and it applies to how they handle kids with SEN. What is written on paper is far from what takes place in reality. Imposing a requirement that the bike must have gears is the sort of policy they could get away with 20 years ago but anyone imposing it today is unethical considering that more kids have a BMX than a mountain bike and their parents might not be able to afford a mountain bike just to take the Bikeability test on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted May 8, 2014 He has been entered in for Bikeability after submitting a rafter of questions about all aspects of the course and test. He can use a BMX providing it has a front and a rear brake. Instructors are used to dealing with kids of varying abilities including those less experienced at riding bikes. The bikes are all inspected for roadworthyness beforehand and tuned up. They only fail if parts are missing or broken. Everything is now on a lets see how it goes approach. The parents say that it's far from a life and death situation so it doesn't matter if he fails the test. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
