I was in York City centre today and was astounded by this couple who had 2 kids, one about 5,the other about 2/3 on their bikes, riding through the streets. Parents were striding off 20 meters or more ahead of the kids, the older one had clearly just learnt to ride and kept wobbling into the path of unsuspecting pedestrians (nearly took me out twice). The little one had stabilisers and got stuck in a gutter (riding on the now pedestrianised road). She started screaming and crying for mummy, but mummy and daddy were too far ahead to see or hear her. It was actually really distressing and I was on the verge of intervening when the mother noticed and strolled back to get her! God knows how terrified that poor kid was losing sight of her mother like that and being completely unable to keep up