Introduce the children in your life to the pleasures of bicycling on National Bike to School Day, which occurs annually on the third Friday of May. People gather to commemorate a healthier lifestyle and get some pre-class exercise. This event capitalises on the popularity of International Walk to School Day and the excitement of National Bike Month (also conducted in May).
The background of National Bike To School Day
Bicycles have existed in one form or another since the 1800s. France was the birthplace of invention, but the modern bicycle was conceived in England.
Throughout the 1800s, bicycle designs were developed, although they were referred to as’velocipedes’ at the time. The American bicycle craze, which began in 1868 and rapidly spread to major East Coast cities, was influenced by news from Paris. The first cycling journal, “The Velocipedist,” was published by the bicycle manufacturer Pickering & Davis in New York. Approximately at the same time, over 250 distinct bicycle patents were submitted in the United States. By 1971, interest had waned, only to be revived nearly five years later. With all of the innovations by various manufacturers, bicycle designs had reached their full potential, and a safety standard was beginning to take hold. For each purpose and customer, new bicycle varieties have emerged.
Today, there are twice as many bicycles as automobiles worldwide. Additionally, bicycles outsell automobiles three to one. In many areas of the United States, bike lanes have been constructed, and the government promotes bicycles as an alternative to automobiles.
On May 9, 2012, the first National Bike to School Day was conducted in conjunction with National Bike Month, and 49 states held local events to encourage children to bike (or walk) safely to school.
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Activities on National Bike to School Day
Get moving
Encourage your children to continue this tradition by encouraging them to ride their bikes to school. Not having wheels? Borrow some money or simply walk. The key is to promote physical activity before, during, and after school.
Invite more participation
When bicycling alone, it can become a little lonely. Also invite your children’s peers and other nearby neighbours. They can both serve as chaperones and set a positive example.
Encourage student participation
Run engaging social media contests to increase participation. For instance, students can upload photos of their bike rides to school (or around the neighbourhood) in exchange for a prize such as a bike bell, cool helmets, water bottles, etc.
5 IMPORTANT FACTS REGARDING BIKES
They are less costly and twenty times cheaper to maintain than a car.
The Chinese Flying Pigeon is the most ubiquitous bicycle model, with nearly 500 million produced worldwide.
Specifically, the second most popular sport in the world is road bicycle racing.
One automobile’s energy and materials can be used to produce nearly 100 bicycles.
Experts believe that if the number of cyclists were quadrupled, road accidents involving motorists and cyclists would be cut in half.
NATIONAL BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY DATES
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2022 | May 20 | Friday |
2022 | May 19 | Thursday |
2023 | May 17 | Wednesday |
2024 | May 16 | Thursday |