There was an article in the Post this weekend about how few parents allow their kids to roam unsupervised. As one who left the house in the morning and often didn't come back until the street lights went on (that was the rule) - I find it all a little weird. That kind of freedom was made possible by my bicycle and my parents willingness to let me ride where I wanted. RPUS has a great post on the subject that refers readers to another article from the Post (back in 2003) and another good one from the WSJ.
The organization surveys 10,000 households annually on biking participation among people ages 7 to 17. It found that about 20.4 million children in the United States rode a bicycle six or more times a year in 1991, and 16.8 million did so last year. Experts blame suburban sprawl, concerns over safety and bike-unfriendly neighborhoods as the reasons behind the decline.
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