Unsafe Behaviour on Bikes
Kia Ora Parents - Over the last 3 weeks, I have had a number of conversations with students and put reminders in the newsletter, about our students concerning behaviour on their bikes.
Our concerns are:
- Students biking on the footpath
- Students riding with no hands
- Students riding more than two abreast
- Students riding on one wheel
- Students riding on the footpath and yelling at members of the public in a disrespectful manner
- Students riding through the New World car park
- Students riding in town, on the footpath, with total disregard for pedestrians
This week I have taken at least 2 complaints a day about students biking in an unsafe way. As a school, we are at the stage of reassessing whether biking to school is going to be a viable option moving forward. We appreciate biking to school is an excellent way for students to self-manage and promotes daily activity. We need your help to ensure that your child is following road rules and staying safe on their bikes.
- All students must follow the road rules.
- All students who bike, must bike down the back streets unless they use the WBHS cycle route.
- Students are NOT to ride on any footpath, at any stage.
- Students are to ride single file.
- If your child is using the WBHS cycle route, they must use the gate opposite Cafe 469 to enter and exit the school. Bikes need to be walked to the crossing outside New World, students then need to walk their bikes down past Rainbow Confectionery until it is safe for them to get on their bike.
- Students biking the backstreets need to exit OIS via the Dacre street gate. They can enter the school using the main entrance.
My number one concern is about your child getting to and from school safely, as we have had so many near misses this week. Please have a conversation with your child regarding cycle safety.
Any continued unsafe behavior by any child will mean they will no longer be able to bike to school.
I appreciate your support, as I know nobody wants to see their child or any other child injured.
Kind regards
Rebecca Meek
Principal
SENCO
Oamaru Intermediate School
Ph: 03 437 0822
Cell: 021 0224 0008