At Grandma's house, there were lots of mini paddling cars and bicycles to play with. My cousins and I would paddle on them in the evenings in our cement garden. Either my legs were too short to reach the paddles or I didn't know how to paddle, I never used them. Instead, I did the Flintstones' way - feet on the ground and running my "vehicle" as fast as I could.
I don't know which of my cousins started it, but as we paddled (or in my case, running) along, we do our own sound effects too. So "vroom-vroom" away we would go. When one of us rounded a corner at high speed, we would even do screeching sounds. Not bad for a bunch of 4 to 5 year olds, eh?
From the mini cars, I started riding on 3-wheelled bicycles (with one wheel in the middle front and 2 at the back). That, I could paddle well and found it less tiring than the car (obviously!).
As my cousins got older, they went on to ride bicycles the likes of BMX and such. I too at the age of about 8 got my own red BMX. I first rode it with the 2 little support wheels attached. My cousins were all pro at riding their bikes so I was the only "weakling" riding on support wheels.
But I refused to have them removed. I'm a big time scady-cat. After much coaxing from everyone, I decided I will remove ONE support wheel. My dad said it'll only prove more difficult in terms of balance. At that time I didn't see his point that my bicycle will be lopsided. In my mind, the more wheels I had, the safer I'll be. So having 3 wheels is better than 2, right?
So they decided to let me go with removing just one and see what happens. True enough it was a terribly lopsided ride, falling almost too many times. And so the last support wheel came off. I made sure Dad held me while he helped me make small strides on the bike.
For a while I was OK, doing very short distances on very slow speed. Soon, I was asked to try taking corners. This I could not do. After many tries, I insisted on having my 2 support wheels installed again. I wasn't having much fun learning to cycle on just 2 wheels and always being overly afraid of falling while my cousins were going "weeee...." on their bikes.
Because of that, I've never learned how to cycle. Even if I were taught now, I think I will go through the same "trauma" because I still have the same fears of falling off my bike.
I don't know which of my cousins started it, but as we paddled (or in my case, running) along, we do our own sound effects too. So "vroom-vroom" away we would go. When one of us rounded a corner at high speed, we would even do screeching sounds. Not bad for a bunch of 4 to 5 year olds, eh?
From the mini cars, I started riding on 3-wheelled bicycles (with one wheel in the middle front and 2 at the back). That, I could paddle well and found it less tiring than the car (obviously!).
As my cousins got older, they went on to ride bicycles the likes of BMX and such. I too at the age of about 8 got my own red BMX. I first rode it with the 2 little support wheels attached. My cousins were all pro at riding their bikes so I was the only "weakling" riding on support wheels.
But I refused to have them removed. I'm a big time scady-cat. After much coaxing from everyone, I decided I will remove ONE support wheel. My dad said it'll only prove more difficult in terms of balance. At that time I didn't see his point that my bicycle will be lopsided. In my mind, the more wheels I had, the safer I'll be. So having 3 wheels is better than 2, right?
So they decided to let me go with removing just one and see what happens. True enough it was a terribly lopsided ride, falling almost too many times. And so the last support wheel came off. I made sure Dad held me while he helped me make small strides on the bike.
For a while I was OK, doing very short distances on very slow speed. Soon, I was asked to try taking corners. This I could not do. After many tries, I insisted on having my 2 support wheels installed again. I wasn't having much fun learning to cycle on just 2 wheels and always being overly afraid of falling while my cousins were going "weeee...." on their bikes.
Because of that, I've never learned how to cycle. Even if I were taught now, I think I will go through the same "trauma" because I still have the same fears of falling off my bike.
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