[S_P_A_C_E_M_A_N]

Hi

I’d be very grateful for any thoughts on the best way to approach cycling with my young son in Richmond Park.

My son is six, and is reasonably proficient and sensible for his age on a bike. I’m fairly experienced and am used to cycling in and around traffic. I’ve started to take him to RC for a decent ride on a weekend. I’ll often let him come on quiet roads with me, for instance on the way to school, because I’m hopefully pretty competent with traffic and can keep him safe. He’s under my close and careful supervision, and there is no way I would expose him to danger. I also don’t want him to have an irrational fear of cycling on the road, so I’m perhaps a little more willing to let him come on to quiet roads with me if I’ve assessed that it is safe to do so.

Anyway, Richmond Park. I love cycling there on my own but I often find it difficult to work out the best way to deal with traffic. As you know it’s often used as something of a rat run. Not too bad on a weekend where cars generally head to the nearest gate, and I can more than manage when there’s a lot of traffic by cycling defensively when I need to, but I’d appreciate your thoughts on how best to deal with it with a little one in tow. I have no interest in holding up traffic – and that includes other cyclists as well as cars, who are always going to be faster than me and the little chap – and have often gone single file with my wife bringing up the rear and our son in between, but the number of close passes has left me reluctant to continue with that. Instead, if we’re not going to be given sufficient room, and particularly with a youngster in tow, I’d rather uncur the silent/vocal dismay of those behind me and cycle two abreast so I can better protect him. Any maybe even have a chat!

I’ll leave my own thoughts s to quite why motorists have to insist on driving though what would otherwise be a near-perfect, pollution- and noise-free green space in the city to one side. I don’t want to claim ownership of the roads; just a safe and harmonious accomodation which might allow for some decent time with my family.

Any thoughts – no matter how critical! – gratefully received.

 

Topic

[arowland]

CXR94Di2 wrote:

CXR94Di2 wrote:

when I ride with my children, various ages.  I ride on the outside 2 abreast or behind but slightly further out to afford a little protection in case of close passes.

Definitely two abreast. I need to do this even in our quiet village when with my wife (who isn’t very confident) to prevent close passes in the face of oncoming traffic. Also drivers can see clearly that you are with a child, who might otherwise be obscured by yourself.

Every now and then pull over to let traffic past that is stacked up behind you, thumbs up to patient drivers etc.

CXR94Di2 wrote:

There are idiots/inconsiderate/dangerous drivers everywhere.  My last instance was a few days ago where I and my daughter had moved to the centre line to turn right in our quiet village, when a car drove around us just before a blind bend!  If they had waited and held back for 5-10 seconds we would of made the turn.

I have also experienced this when a young idiot would have killed my son, about to turn right, if he had turned a couple of seconds earlier or wobbled. Unfortuntately I couldn’t catch up with the driver and didn’t get his number.

[OldRidgeback]

On the other hand you could

On the other hand you could ride around the off-road tracks. i did that with my kids when they were younger. It’s really nice and unstressful and there’s a playground tucked away in one corner where you could stop for a while for a rest or having a sandwich. This is a good way to teach your child how cycling can be good for getting from A to B as well.

[thereverent]

I would also recomend the

I would also recomend the ballet school loop (Roehampton gate – Robin Hood gate – Pen ponds – Sheen cross) but do them anti-clockwise to make the roundabouts easier (left turn each time).

The tamsin trail (the walking/cycling hardpacked surface path) is nice most of the way (Dark Hill and Broomfield hill are very steep on the path). The bit between Roehampton gate and Robin Hood gate is very flat and away from the road.

The tarmac path alongside the road between Richmond gate and Roehampton gate is also allowed for cycling. The path between Pen ponds and Ham cross is traffic free, but narrow (and closed in sections for the next month while they do some work).

On weekends is worth getting there as early as possible as is gets crowded with cyclists and cars. Or go in the evening as everyone goes home. By Penbrooke Lodge (between Richmond Gate and Kingston Gate) you can get cars queuing to get into the car park (in both directions).

[dottigirl]

Jackson wrote:

Like everyone else says avoid the main loop. I was there on Sunday and it was horrible – bumper to bumper cars with hundreds of other cyclists. 

I don’t understand why people do multiple laps of the main road on a weekend when it’s nicer to get out of suburbia. One or two if you’re short of time, but to me any more is as bad as turboing. 

Going out on a short Surrey hills route or even Chobham lanes is much nicer. 

[nadsta]

Between sheen and Richmond

Between sheen and Richmond gates you’ll find dirt tracks suitable for road bikes,  but obv no cars or  shouty ‘Lycra louts’ to quote the DM. 

[Jackson]

Like everyone else says avoid

Like everyone else says avoid the main loop. I was there on Sunday and it was horrible – bumper to bumper cars with hundreds of other cyclists. 

[S_P_A_C_E_M_A_N]

Thank you all very much for

Thank you all very much for your helpful comments. Yes, we usually take the White Lodge/Pen Ponds route. I don’t think my lad is quite ready for Dark Hill. Never has a hill been so aptly named.

[dottigirl]

If you’re not following them

If you’re not following them already, there’s a new group called Richmond Park Cyclists on Twitter:

Tweets by RichmondPkCycle

There has also been this, from Richmond Cycling:

In some parts of #RichmondPark virtually every motor car speeds virtually every time @theroyalparks @FRPTweets pic.twitter.com/zqvLfgurWP

— Richmond Cycling Campaign (@RichmondCycling) March 10, 2017

‘Richmond Park – the new South Circular’ 

‘In some parts of #RichmondPark virtually every motor car speeds virtually every time’

http://www.richmondlcc.co.uk/2017/03/14/richmond-park-the-new-south-circular/

 

[arckuk]

I taught my son to ride in
I taught my son to ride in Richmond Park 3 years ago, and go there reasonably often with him. I find it’s better to avoid the main road route, which I cycle most days on the way to work, and use the track to the outside of this. There are plenty of other options including the ballet school and pen ponds area in the middle which are closed to traffic. I tend to take my old hybrid rather than my road bike to go across some of the slightly rougher surfaces, but there are plenty of cycle accessible tracks to use other than the road. Have fun!

[Dnnnnnn]

Too late once the gates close

Too late once the gates close?

http://www.royalparks.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/41653/Richmond-Park-Closing-Times-2017.pdf

[PaulBox]

CXR94Di2 wrote:

CXR94Di2 wrote:

When I ride with my children, various ages.  I ride on the outside 2 abreast or behind but slightly further out to afford a little protection in case of close passes.  

This.

The only problem with being behind them is if they start looking round for you, it often leads to them veering off course.

[dottigirl]

I find the most aggressive
I find the most aggressive and speeding drivers are usually on the stretch between RG and KG. You could avoid that by doing Ballet School laps – through the centre and past Pen Ponds. At least until he’s used to it.
I would like to think a driver would see a child, being obviously smaller, but some are just oblivious.

[CXR94Di2]

When I ride with my children,

When I ride with my children, various ages.  I ride on the outside 2 abreast or behind but slightly further out to afford a little protection in case of close passes.  

 

There are idiots/inconsiderate/dangerous drivers everywhere.  My last instance was a few days ago where I and my daughter had moved to the centre line to turn right in our quiet village, when a car drove around us just before a blind bend!  If they had waited and held back for 5-10 seconds we would of made the turn.

[Author]

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