Bike & Walk to School
in Los Altos
One of the things we love most about Los Altos is how many students walk or bicycle to school. It is one of the few experiences children have these days where they are completely independent and the situation is spontaneous. Children in our community have the opportunity to meet and talk to other students they might not ever interact with at school. It’s not just fun, biking and walking to school improve academic performance and mood. If your child has not walked or biked to school in the past, take a few practice runs with them before the start of school so they will be familiar with the route and where to lock up their bike.
The City of Los Altos provides this helpful Safe Routes to School Map to help families prepare for the best ways to navigate to and from school.
Before you get on your bike, take some time to check for appropriate gear.
Helmet A bike helmet should fit level on the head, tight enough that it doesn’t move around and straps pulled snug under the chin.
Reflectors and Lights. Having reflectors on your bike will make the child more visible to other riders and vehicles. Make sure lights have working batteries or are regularly charged, especially in winter months.
Basket. A basket for their backpack, PE clothes, and musical instrument makes biking much easier.
Bike Lock. Make sure your child has a sturdy bike lock and they know how to properly lock the bike to a rack.
When riding with your child, practice communicating with pedestrians, and give them queues about where to look and what you’re doing to ride as safely as possible.
ABC Safety Check: Before every ride, check your tires for proper air pressure, squeeze the brakes to make sure they are working properly and check the chain to make sure it shifts into every gear.
Yield to Pedestrians: If riding on the sidewalk or bike path, yield to pedestrians. Communicate - when riding up behind a pedestrian say, “Rider back.” If passing say, “On your left.”
Ride in a Straight Line: Ride in a straight line and one after the other whenever possible, being aware of other riders and vehicles.
Ride on the Right: If riding on the road, you and your children should ride on the right hand side and follow the same rules of the road that cars would. Obey traffic signs and signals, look back and signal before turning.
Take caution at intersections, crosswalks and driveways: Using sidewalks and bike paths are the safest ways to get your children to school, especially if they are young and less coordinated on the bike. Make sure to take extra caution at intersections, as motorists don’t always expect to see bikes. Tell your kids to make eye contact with drivers to make sure they are seen and communicate “all-clear” when it is safe to cross
Be safe and have a wonderful year!