Like Jane 35 years ago, A’Mya is looking forward to one thing most of all: “Independence!” You can’t protect them from everything forever. When my eldest daughter went 16, I finally understood what my stepmom meant. “But my stepmom used to really worry a lot. You didn’t have to ask anybody to take you. “I loved being able to go out when I felt like it. “I had a Yamaha V50 which my boyfriend at the time – he’s now my husband – fixed up for me. Jane realises getting that first bike is a rite of passage endured by thousands of Bermudian 16-year-olds over the years. ![]() They may not always know what to look out for. “It’s going to be an extreme worry, especially for new riders. Just the other day, I was looking at this guy on a bike – he slowed down, and up he went on his back wheel. “People overtake on corners, they seem to think nothing is going to happen to them. It’s very dangerous now because they just don’t respect the rules. “You have to think for yourself and everyone else. “You definitely have to have your eyes everywhere,” Jane said. More cars, faster bikes, unpredictable behaviour from road users and an increased sense of urgency from St George’s to Dockyard mean it’s never been scarier for a new rider – or their anxious parents. Much has changed on Bermuda’s roads since Jane, now 51, first learnt to ride a bike back in the 1980s. It’s Jane turn to be worried now because her own daughter A’Mya is learning to ride her bike, a few weeks before she turns 16. You can’t sleep until your children are in the house.” She said I just want to make sure you get home,” Jane said. ![]() “My stepmom used to stay up when I was starting to ride my bike at 16. N ow Jane Smith knows how her own stepmother felt when she learnt to ride a motorcycle all those years ago.
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