The Joy of Stickers: 5 grown-up reasons to support your local Bike Bus
My children say that the best bits about cycling to school with a Bike Bus are ‘it’s fun’, ‘we like being with our friends’ and ‘whizzing along fast’.
But what’s in it for the grown-ups?
Every week in Worcester, a whole host of parents, carers, grandparents and local volunteers cycle with a Bike Bus, helping children have fun and get to school safely. We now have a dozen schools in and around the city served by Bike Buses.
What keeps people involved? Why should you consider joining a Bike Bus too?
I reckon I could easily crowdsource 100 reasons from the wonderful Bike Worcester community, but nobody has time to read that. So here are 5 reasons I look forward to Bike Bus mornings. If you are part of a Bike Bus, wherever it is in the world, do add your own reasons in the comments!
1. Routine
Bike Bus isn’t complicated. The families involved pick a day of a week and a route that works. We tell people about it, and slowly but surely the Bike Bus grows, because people know we’ll be there, cycling to school together, week in, week out. For our school it’s a Monday, and then I help with another school’s Bike Bus on a Friday – so I get double the fun.
I find routine helpful. I like the fact that my bike is always ready to go, not covered in cobwebs at the back of the garage. That’s down to Bike Bus. It’s habit-forming. I’ve noticed that I cycle more the rest of the week too – with and without children.
The routine of Bike Bus means cycling becomes second nature, which is great for everyone.
2. The weather
Now stay with me. You might think the glorious British weather would put people off joining a Bike Bus. But cycling all year round is fantastic. Raining? Actually quite rare. But often we get a downpour the night before that gives us the most amazing puddles for kids to whizz through. Freezing cold? You feel smug when you end up toasty warm from pedalling to the beat of Bike Bus radio. Sunshine? Always a nice surprise, providing a burst of Vitamin D to start the day well.
As someone who sits at a computer for a large part of the day, getting outside on a Bike Bus in all weathers makes me feel more alive. And I love a good puddle.
3. Change
Ooh this is a good one. Bike Buses bring about change, in lots of different ways. I’ve seen the children on our Bike Bus grow in confidence as they cycle together on the road. From a wobbly start, slow up the hills, they are now setting the pace, skilful at riding and asking for a longer route. But I’ve learnt new things too with the help of more experienced volunteers.
Simple things like positioning myself more assertively in the road to reduce the risk of close passes, and how to safely manage some of the trickier junctions.
But it’s not just about cycling skills. Bike Buses point towards the change we want to see.
Safer journeys to school. Fewer carbon emissions. Cleaner air to breathe. Happier kids.
Being part of a Bike Bus builds our collective power to bring about this kind of change.
4. Stickers
There is nothing more beautiful (and powerful) than being A Dispenser of the Stickers. We have an array of beautifully designed stickers that we hand out at the end of a ride to school, featuring artwork from Bike Bus kids. Whether you want a dinosaur riding a bike, a motivational statement or a joyful rainbow, we’ve got a sticker for you. Collect them all! I love spotting them on bikes, helmets, coats, scooters, all over the city. Evidence that Bike Buses in Worcester are taking over.
Feeling creative? Adults are welcome to design a Bike Bus sticker too.
5. Joy
And for the final reason, I need to borrow an excellent word from German: Mitfreude.
Shared joy. Delighting in the joy of others.
The Bike Bus movement is a joyful thing. Not just for the families and volunteers involved. We get to know our communities better too. Joy is multiplied. The vast majority of people we meet along the way – residents, drivers, dog walkers, other families walking to school – give us a wave and a smile. Doubly so if we have one of the regular Bike Bus dogs with us, ears flapping happily on the back of a bike.
So, if you want to build some routine into your week, enjoy more time outdoors whatever the weather, feel more empowered to bring about change, and deliver joy through the medium of stickers – join a Bike Bus.
What are you waiting for?!
