Absolutely! The children need to be taught at an early age to use alternate transportation to leave a smaller carbon footprint on this planet. I wish more parents would encourage their children to ride bikes or non-motorized scooters everywhere. Not only will it help the environment, they will be in better physical condition. Blondie

Teaching children self-reliance is great, but the son is only 5 years old. Is the 8 year old sister responsible for his safety? If they were both a couple of years older, I think riding their bikes to school would be safer. In the meantime an adult needs to keep track of them.

They are only 5 and 8yrs old. What if some pervert picked your child up. What would you say then, he's learning to use alternate transportation, he's saving the enviroment. gimmi a break.

Two words - Jacob Wetterling. Three boys, aged 10 and 11 were biking home from a convenience store on a rural road in Minnesota in the late '80s. Jacob was taken and never seen or heard from again. I doubt there are many in Minnesota that don't know this name and feel horrible for what the Wetterling family and other families of kidnapped children go through day after day. There are better ways to teach our children "responsibility and self-confidence" and "about the risks of life." Perhaps without putting them at risk.

Kids should definitely be able to ride their bikes to school depending on the route, distance, and traffic. We live in CA and since gas prices have been so high the last couple of years we have walked and biked a lot more often. Last year when my boys were 7 & 9 I was told that even though the 9 year old could ride to school my 7 year old could not w/o an adult. The school is 4 blocks from my house with minimal traffic, they don't have to cross any streets, and they go through the parking lot that the school busses drop off kids (not the parents). It's gotten absolutely ridiculus. My boys also knew that they had to be home by a certain time and I watched the clock like a hawk.

Yes and grown adults and teenagers have been abducted. At what age is it ok for kids? I myself agree they are a little too young. Also agree it depends on the route and everything. We have to let our kids out we cant keep them from harm forever though we would like to try.

Five is too young to ride a bike anywhere without adult supervision. Having said that, I do think the price we pay to "safeguard" our kids is too high. Although I'm lucky enpugh to live in a very safe community with a year-round wonderful climate, the stack-up of moms in SUVs dropping off their kids in front of schools in the morning is ridiculous (and the subsequent manuevers as they try to merge back in with traffic is truly unsafe) How about walking/riding with your kids until they demonstrate independent safety judgment?

You can "what if" the kid's ability to enjoy the outdoors if you worried about everything that could happen. It is tragic that it could happen but you can't lock the kids in the house for safety. Kids have forgotten how to run and play outside. Most kids would not even be able to figure out how to build a fort in an empty lot. All this protection is affecting the fitness and imagination of kids. Everything is structured for them. Let the kids have some independence as long as the parents feel the situation is safe. Independence is a great thing we are robbing our kids of.

I think it is the parents decision to let them walk or not, Social services should be hitting up the people who are drug addicts or drunks who dont even bother sending their kids to school. I live in Texas and the school is about a mile and everyone lets the kids ride or walk or scooter to school! Their are so many un-fit parents out in the world and we shoiuld be focusing on them not a everyday family letting the kids be more responsible and not afraid. Yes kids get abducted, but the chances are very slim to none, and you can't live your life in fear of someone stealing your child! Let the family raise their children the way they choose jeeez

The people condemning the parents are probably the same people who complain about kids getting fat because of not getting enough excercise. The teachers should concentrate more on education than trying to ruin a sibling bike ride. So what is the appropriate age? Adults get killed and kidnapped so if going by statistics then nobody is old enough to bike to school. Rhianna should probably go back to school learn the proper use of 'their' and 'there' and her spelling is atrocious! This even has spellcheck and she still can't get it right.

DeKalb Junction bicyclist, 9, struck by vehicle, killed

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

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DEKALB — A 9-year-old DeKalb Junction boy riding his bicycle on County Route 17 died Wednesday evening as a result of being struck by a vehicle.

St. Lawrence County sheriff's detectives continue to investigate the fatal accident, which occurred about 7 p.m.

According to the Sheriff's Department, Kristen J. Gilson, 27, DeKalb Junction, was driving a 2002 Jeep south on County Route 17 when she struck a bicycle ridden by Jared Maurer, which had entered the road from a private driveway.

Deputies said the boy suffered numerous head and body injuries and was taken by Hermon Volunteer Rescue Squad to Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Potsdam, where he was pronounced dead.

Ok, so my children get exercise at home, by playing in the back yard or doing a yoga session together. Yes, children need to learn the risks in life, but that is too young of an age; this is coming from someone who walked home alone as a small child. After having been in law enforcement for several years, I also have seen many abused, neglected, and sexually assaulted children who maybe should've spent more time being supervised by their parents. If you have to be at work, there are before and after school programs available in almost all school districts across the country. My children are learning to be strong and independent, but I'm not risking their childhood innocence in order to make that happen. I honestly think that saying a 5-year old will learn independence by biking to school alone is just an excuse for the parents to not take the time to ensure their safety. Have fun explaining to the police why your daughter was biking to school alone at the age of 5 when she's been abducted or molested; don't put your children in that position.

As I've traveled the world (many, many countries!) I've seen small children getting themselves to school every day. Children are way more capable that we give them credit for - our boys are only 12 and they have already cycled over 20,000 km through 13 countries! Yes, they are traveling with their parents, but still - kids are capable of a lot!

www.familyonbikes.org

No rational parent would make such a decision without considering other factors, is there heavy traffic, must they cross many streets, is the neighborhood dangerous, would other children be walking or riding the same route, you can't just have a yes or no answer to this and your questions are loaded.

Why doesnt the mother or father just ride a bike with the kids since the one is only 5 years old? Even if it is safe and only back roads that would be some nice 'together' time

Adults should not be allowed to drive. Too many fatal accidents caused by adults

This story begs for two things:

1. Today Show producers, this is a great opportunity to highlight the national Safe Routes to School program funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and administered in each state by organizations akin to our statewide advocacy group, Bicycle Colorado. The program is meant to revive cycling to school and break the culture of fear and bogeyman myths. (IMHO, America didn't become what it is by a culture of fear, but by the courage to do things and not just sit there! Our suburban designs are not only NOT conducive to pedestrial traffic with sidewalks which can barely hold one human [certainly not a parent with a stroller or someone walking a dog not half on the street!], our minds are so fear-oriented that nothing but a car will do!)

2. If one of the parents is there to send off the kids to school in the morning, WHY aren't they pedalling WITH them until they are old enough to go on their own? It would role model safety AND an active lifestyle!! As a good friend of mine said, the 8-yr old is old enough to pedal on their own, but too young to be responsible for the bike safety of their 5-yr old sibling. (Agreeing with Voice of Reason above!)

I allowed my children to ride their bikes to school which was 0.7 miles from home. But...I also preplanned. I took my children to "safe houses" along that route and introduced them to the people and asked, if needed, if the girls could come to their house if they were feeling threatened at any time while on their way to/from school. The owners of these "safe houses" have known me and my family all of my life. I was very comfortable doing this.

The world is not more dangerous! Children are vastly more likely to be abused by their parents then to be the victim of stranger danger. The media, however, is instataneous these days and less interested in fair reporting then getting ratings.

The fact that the children are allowed to bike to school on their own is not in and of itself dangerous.

And if you actually read the full article - the parents do supervise them on the way home when traffic is greater - they do not feel it is safe at that point. Sounds to me like the parents have put a lot of thought into what their children are capable of and a following through with it.

You can't raise your children in a bubble as much as you might want to.

When my kids were young they walked or rode their bikes to school every day. we lived in a very small village that had minimal traffic. We feel fortunate that they were able to do this without interference. how sad that parents are not trusted to make the right decision for their children and child services don't get involved when there is obvious abuse. keep the government out of everyday decisions regarding raising your children and focus on the problems, any normal person knows the difference. My grown sons are doing ok and there was also a neighborhood of parents and other children to keep them safe.