There are many things, particularly in life skills, that people think are a given. For many people is a skill that is typically taught at an early age by a person’s parents or from a close family member. However, what was once a given childhood experience for many has been slowly drifting farther from average Americans.
The average age of people learning to ride a bike has been rising in recent years for a multitude of reasons. Disruptions to supply chains have caused the price of bikes to rise, compounded by the fact that more kids than ever hardly have the opportunity to learn. Additionally, the infrastructure within the United States makes it harder for people who already bike to do so safely outside without the risk of running into cars.
However, bike ridership doesn’t necessarily have to stay in this downward trend. An easy solution could be to implement bike riding as a subject in school gym classes. Schools are the best avenue for children to learn about new sports and activities. In a time where more and more kids have a hard time finding opportunities to learn outside of school, gym class is a good start to give these kids an opportunity to learn.
Like cars, biking gives kids and adults more freedom to move wherever and whenever they want. Bike riding is a healthy skill that kids will be able to take with them into adulthood, allowing them the ability to move, which saves them gas bills, especially during a time of economic strife.