Photo: Murillo de Paula | Unsplash
In Glasgow, Scotland, the traffic is making way for the Shawlands Bike Bus, which escorts kids traveling by bike to Shawlands Primary School every Friday morning. It's a wonder how the bikers make their way through hurried, crowded morning traffic unharmed. The answer lies in a wireless remote that sends an encrypted signal from the lead rider's bike. It activates a timed traffic light cycle that holds the traffic for 45 seconds so the children can have a bit of extra time to safely cross busy intersections. The Shawlands Bike Bus started out with five families and eventually grew to 50+ cyclists, as more families are joining and more kids are enjoying the fun. The bike ride allows kids to talk to their friends on the way to school, and gives them freedom, confidence, and a chance to ride their bikes out on the streets. Of course, there are sometimes dangers on the road when impatient drivers get too close to the bikers and honk their horns. But the organizers hope the technology will prevent more of this from happening. Currently, schools in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and other parts of the UK are taking up this idea as well, because, as co-organizer Gareth Johnson says, "It's nice for parents to realize they can take up space and use the road safely, and to see their kids growing in confidence. It's an injection of joy in the morning, and people are calling it their weekly dose of community."
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