In Spain, children and their families are riding bikes to school together in large groups(群). It is called "bicibús" or bikebus. In Barcelona, it started recently with only five children and grew quickly to hundreds of riders.
This fall, children in Eixample, Barcelona have a new way to get to school on Fridays — they ride their bikes. In September, a group of five children started biking to school with their parents on Fridays. Soon the group grew to 150 or more. The bike bus starts around 8:25 every Friday morning. The road it will follow is always posted before starting, so everyone knows where to join.
The bicibús doesn't ride in bike lanes(道) or on sidewalks. It takes over all the street. The commute (往返) of these bikers takes about 25 minutes. And because more and more cycling and skating kids join in it, the police are helping stop traffic(车辆) by riding in front of the bicibú s and behind it. Parents are happy because that means their children will get to school safely(安全).
With music playing and bike bells (铃声) ringing, the bicibús feels like a party."The best part of thebicibús is that we ride along and pick up our friends and we ride together,"nine-year-old Maria Pitarc h says.
Before the bicibús program(项目), it wasn't safe for kids in Eixample to go to school by bike. The bike lanes are not wide and the traffic is busy. Parents hope that the bicibús program will change people's ideas about getting around. Biking, they say, is a great way of exercise. It's also better for our nature.
