Bikes in Camp?

[mrkstvns]

Is it common for scouts to bring their bikes to summer camp?  Do summer camps usually allow that?

I heard about a summer camp that I will not identify at this time that lets scouts bring their bikes to camp and to use them to ride between their sites and the various program areas.  I have not seen bikes in camp before (other than in program areas, like mountain biking, BMX, etc.)

Thoughts?  Experiences?

[qwazse]

The ranger at one camp in our area refurbishes motorcycles as a hobby. He picks up and refurbishes scrapped bicycles for the camp to use in the process. When our area VOA has an event there, he puts them out for anyone to use.

[Cleveland Rocks]

Our summer camp allows adults to bring bikes to use, provided they wear helmets, and quite a few adults use them.  They also allow staff to ride bikes.

A neighboring summer camp allows Scouts to bring bikes. I don't know how many take advantage of it, but I believe they allow it due to the distances between program areas, to shorten the travel time between activities.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Cleveland Rocks

[scotteg83]

our local camp only allows scouts taking cycling merit badge to bring bikes.  They also had 1 staff this year with a bike.  Besides that, its not allowed

[Saltface]

2 hours ago, scotteg83 said:

our local camp only allows scouts taking cycling merit badge to bring bikes.  They also had 1 staff this year with a bike.  Besides that, its not allowed

My council camps are the same. It just occurred to me that we can bring bikes to our own summer camp...

[Thunderbird]

There is a neighboring summer camp near me that allows Scouts to bring bikes (and helmets) as a way to shorten travel time between program areas.  This camp also has a cycling/mountain bike program.

It was a good thing, for the most part.  However, sometimes Scouts would ride their bikes through the middle of camp too fast, which could be a problem if you can't see people on the path around the turn ahead or when they would try to jump little hills / berms that had people on the other side that they couldn't see.

[MikeS72]

Our council camp allows bikes, helmets are required.  We do have several program areas that would take quite a while to get to from the waterfront or pool areas, so it can be a big help.  I saw a troop this past summer that brought in a whole trailer of bike, and their scouts rode pretty much every where during program hours.

[Buggie]

Our council camp allows bikes for staff, scouts, and scouters as long as they also use helmets. Rarely do you see anyone use them though. Most find them to get in the way of things as they have to park them out of the way of main traffic zones etc. Most times I only see a few staff use them, rarely any scouts unless there is some need for them. 

Most common wheeled vehicles one sees are wagons and "cars on approval". The wagons haul back the ice. Cars are for general staff needs, adults/scouts with mobility issues where warranted, or field trips out of the camp. 

[mrkstvns]

On 11/11/2019 at 1:42 PM, MikeS72 said:

Our council camp allows bikes, helmets are required.  We do have several program areas that would take quite a while to get to from the waterfront or pool areas, so it can be a big help.  I saw a troop this past summer that brought in a whole trailer of bike, and their scouts rode pretty much every where during program hours.

Hmmm.  Not sure I'm a big fan of the bikes in most cases, but in the case of long distances, I like the idea of bikes better than buses carrying scouts around (which I've seen at some camps).

[Eagledad]

I don't know the particulars because this was 20 years ago, but a camp director told me that bicycles alone doubled total camp liability insurance. Maybe all that's changed.

Barry

[TAHAWK]

ONE OF OUR COUNCIL CAMP EXPERIENCES was at a PA council camp (now gone) near Moraine State Park  (of flooded Jambo memory).  Bicycles were promoted.  Property was hilly with well-graveled, winding camp roads.  The week included two ambulance runs and one  Life Flight run to Pittsburgh for a ruptured kidney.  These resulted from one biker losing it on a curve and two pedestrians run down when it turned out brakes did not stop well on thick, loose gravel.  There were other serious safety issues at the waterfront and axe yard (like unwedged axe heads flying and chronic Buddy Board failures due to only two staff on duty).

[le Voyageur]

I say, why not!  But, take it up a notch where the Camp uses their Camp Commissioners as "traffic cops" in that  they write citations for infractions of pre establish safety rules.  Those cited would then appear before a judge (Program Director) at the Camp's "traffic court".....just my 2 cents, and thinking out loud

[ValleyBoy]

1 hour ago, le Voyageur said:

I say, why not!  But, take it up a notch where the Camp uses their Camp Commissioners as "traffic cops" in that  they write citations for infractions of pre establish safety rules.  Those cited would then appear before a judge (Program Director) at the Camp's "traffic court".....just my 2 cents, and thinking out loud

My locale camp allows bicycles to be used on the camp after the bicycle is checked for any safety issues and the scout is briefed on the camp rules on riding a bicycle such as areas of camp that they cannot  be used such as 2 very steep dirt roads that are used as walkways between most of the campsites and main area of the camp.    The scout is then issued a use permit that is attached to the bicycle.  No traffic court, break any of the camp bicycle rules and the scout loses permit and can no longer used the bicycle for the rest of summer camp.  ONE STRIKE and YOU are OUT RULE.  

[Double Eagle]

I've seen bikes in summer camps since about 2002.  Helmets were always an essential.  One great story is how one of my late scouts was going fast, hit a rootball and tumbled downhill right into the first aid merit badge class.  He turned into a crash test dummy and practical exercise.

One thing our current camp decided is no bike riding at night.  If you have a bike during hours of darkness, you have to walk it.  See previous paragraph for reason, compounded at night.