Kids Carried On Bikes

stovelid · 31-07-2006 01:35PM #1

I know its a bit trivial but does this get on your nerves? I'm talking about adult cyclists carrying young kids on bikes (or much worse, those trendy trailer things that attach to the back of the bike)and cycling on the road. When I pass them out, I'm tempted to think they are just morons prioritizing an eviromental position over the safety of their child.

azezil · 31-07-2006 01:37PM

Its good excercise and a fun activity for all involved...

biko · 31-07-2006 01:41PM

Helmets all around and it's great. If only more people used bikes this would be a better city.

Traumadoc · 31-07-2006 01:43PM

How exactly do they get on your nerves?
Do they slow you down getting to the next tailback?

How exactly should they bring their children to school- Drive?
Or perhaps cycle on the footpath?

stovelid · 31-07-2006 01:52PM

The original point was that its dangerous for a child if the bike topples over or those trailer things get clipped by a passing car.

The fact that you are choosing to see my point as pro-car and anti-cycling (which it patently wasn't)is far more indicative of your problem than mine.

Traumadoc wrote:

How exactly do they get on your nerves?
Do they slow you down getting to the next tailback?

How exactly should they bring their children to school- Drive?
Or perhaps cycle on the footpath?

Smellyirishman · 31-07-2006 02:09PM

It's also dangerous if a parent trips on the stairs while carrying thier child...

I am sure that if the risk were really that high then we would hear about the dangers, but I have never heard about accidents involving cyclists carrying thier kids. I have however heard about child deaths because they were not secured in a car.

Yes, the kid is a little more exposed on a bike, but I am sure the parent is aware and takes every precaution that they can. With the exception of the motorists around them causing an accident, I would say the parent/child combo is fairly secure.

ArphaRima · 31-07-2006 02:09PM

The bike trailers arent my cup o' tea, but I have to applaud the parents. I hate the idea that parents are bad parents if they dont wrap their kids with a brand new Volvo SUV. Cycling is perfectly safe. It is not an unacceptable risk.

You're a bad mother if you dont give your kids actimel. They stay black and white if they dont have it. Give your kids actimel. They'll be in colour.
Advertising peer pressure doesnt work. I swear.

Shabadu · 31-07-2006 02:23PM

We often thought of getting a bike to drop our kiddo up to creche, but I just couldn't do it. I'd rather spend the extra 45 minutes walking with a buggy than zipping up on a bike on City Centre roads. Dublin roads are terrifying, there are hardly any cycle paths, and some people just seem to think of them as a bit of extra road space for their jeeps.

Ruu_Old · 31-07-2006 02:28PM

biko wrote:

Helmets all around and it's great. If only more people used bikes this would be a better city.

Agreed and apart from wearing no helmet it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

stovelid · 31-07-2006 02:40PM

The kids and stairs anlaogy is unhelpful.

This is not a pro-car thread yet all the replies make (deserved but off topic)value judgements about SUVs, death rates etc but it is not the point I was trying to make.

I very rarely see people carrying kids on bikes so maybe that explains the low accident report rate.

Surely the fact that cyclists get killed regularly enough means that its pretty dangerous in such an anti-cycling without towing a kid along as well.

I very rarely drive to work, (make red cow - bray journey by Luas and Dart) only using the wifes car usually for trips that are long distance or impossible by public transport.

I would be definitely be on the cyclists side vs motorists so it's not a pro-car tirade.

Surely its possible to think that carrying kids in this way is dangerous without being a pro-car zealot?

stovelid · 31-07-2006 02:44PM

and a helmet really helps a child when you are buzzing along a sh*t road, precariosuly balancing a toddler on the cross bar and some moron in a jeep clips you or you hit a pot hole?

Ruu wrote:

Agreed and apart from wearing no helmet it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

egan007 · 31-07-2006 02:49PM

dangerous...what's not dangerous

You should work for the HSA and become a ballbreaker :-)

Of course I understand you see it as dangerous but where do you stop?
Should we start Making sure kids get wrapped up in cotton wool?

There is a certain amount of risk associated with everything.
I think this is appropriate to 'Risk' carrying a child on a bike.

I was carried to school for years on a bike and apart form being an asshole i turned out ok.

subway · 31-07-2006 02:51PM

i propose a moratorium on bicylcing / car threads on the internet until everyone can get over themselves.
yes, car drivers piss off cyclists and , yes, cyclists piss off car drivers.
woooowooowooowoowoowoo.
well done,
can yis not have a thread without it always degrading into
"but you do "y", which is way worse than "x" that we do"
"no no no, "x" mixed with "z" is ten times worse than "y" any day of the week".

ffs, your all getting boring. very boring.
replace boring with self righteous depending on how angry your response to this reply is

stovelid · 31-07-2006 02:53PM

ach its just the carrying aspect strook me as doubly dangerous this morning. Its not a tirade against cycling or even kids themselves cycling to school etc.

egan007 wrote:

I was carried to school for years on a bike and apart form being an asshole i turned out ok.

Spoilt f*cker, some of us had to walk.

Smellyirishman · 31-07-2006 03:01PM

stovelid wrote:

Surely the fact that cyclists get killed regularly enough means that its pretty dangerous in such an anti-cycling without towing a kid along as well.

Are you sure it's a regular occurance? I would not have thought so. If you have any articles I would like to read them. (I am not being condesending by the way, I honestly have no idea how frequent cyclist deaths are, I would have guessed irregular though)

stovelid wrote:

Surely its possible to think that carrying kids in this way is dangerous without being a pro-car zealot?

None of us have put you accross as any sort of zealot. I assume the alternative your offering to putting them on the bike is to put them in a car though, right? So that is why the views on cars have also been raised in your thread.

Traumadoc · 31-07-2006 03:03PM

There have been 4 cyclist killed this year - vs about 200 car occupants. Just because something looks dangerous does not mean it is. Children cycling on a parents bike are probably safer than children cycling on their own, or walking to school on their own.
The low speeds in dublin due to the heavy traffic mean that relatively few are killed or seriously injured. I have found that during daytime there is relatively little "major trauma". however in the country areas the speeds are still quite high and as a result there is still a lot of paediatric trauma.
Last week I was involved in the management on a severly injured child who had been knocked off a bike while on their own.

I am not anti car as I own 3 ( including a SUV) and rarely cycle

Smellyirishman · 31-07-2006 03:06PM

stovelid wrote:

and a helmet really helps a child when you are buzzing along a sh*t road, precariosuly balancing a toddler on the cross bar and some moron in a jeep clips you or you hit a pot hole?

Sorry, I didn't think you were talking about a parent "cross-barring" a toddler, I thought they had them in a proper kids seat. That's questionable alright, especially depending on how old exactly the kid is.

Although, if a moron in a jeep hits you, what have you done wrong?

Shabadu · 31-07-2006 03:06PM

Traumadoc wrote:

There have been 4 cyclist killed this year - vs about 200 car occupants. Just because something looks dangerous does not mean it is.

Eh...

How many cyclists are there in Dublin? And how many Motorists? Think about those figures proportionately.

Also, weren't the cyclists all killed in the City Centre, whereas motorists tend to die in the country?

Nehpets · 31-07-2006 03:09PM

stovelid, what exactly is the problem?

subway · 31-07-2006 03:13PM

Nehpets wrote:

stovelid, what exactly is the problem?

he posted something remotely critical of cycling on a place where a bunch of hyper-pro-cycling nut jobs hang out.

Ruu_Old · 31-07-2006 03:17PM

stovelid wrote:

and a helmet really helps a child when you are buzzing along a sh*t road, precariosuly balancing a toddler on the cross bar and some moron in a jeep clips you or you hit a pot hole?

Yes actually they really do help rather than have your head split open.

Smellyirishman · 31-07-2006 03:21PM

Shabadu wrote:

How many cyclists are there in Dublin? And how many Motorists? Think about those figures proportionally.

I wonder though, how many of the cyclist deaths had a vehicle involved. (perhaps none)

Cyclists killed in CC = highest concentration of vehicles.

Motorists killed in Country = They don't need anyone else around to kill themselves, traffic too slow in CC to cause fatalities!

Perhaps I am way off, just discussing.

Nehpets wrote:

stovelid, what exactly is the problem?

He thinks it is dangerous for parents to carry their children on their bike.

subway wrote:

remotely critical of cycling on a place where a bunch of hyper-pro-cycling nut jobs hang out.

A little OTT don't you think?

I probably am coming accross as some cycling nut, but that is far from the truth. I just don't think cycling with a kid is really all that dangerous (as long as your taking all the precautions etc...).

stovelid · 31-07-2006 03:25PM

Sorry, the two incidents that I had in kind were a parent cross-barring a kid and those trailer type things that attach to the back of the seat.

Smellyirishman wrote:

Sorry, I didn't think you were talking about a parent "cross-barring" a toddler, I thought they had them in a proper kids seat. That's questionable alright, especially depending on how old exactly the kid is.

Smellyirishman wrote:

Although, if a moron in a jeep hits you, what have you done wrong?

Traumadoc, Many more people drive than cycle...also driving is more faster and more dangerous so Im sure the figures are higher. I was remiss in assuming more cyclists were killed, however, Apologies.

stovelid · 31-07-2006 03:28PM

I originally lost it cos the initial replies were awash with snide value judgements remarks about tailbacks, SUVs etc. Fine now, the topic has become more reasoned.

Smellyirishman wrote:

A little OTT don't you think?

subway · 31-07-2006 03:28PM

Smellyirishman wrote:

A little OTT don't you think?

I probably am coming accross as some cycling nut, but that is far from the truth. I just don't think cycling with a kid is really all that dangerous (as long as your taking all the precautions etc...).

nah, your being reasonable,
ive noticed about 30 threads in the past week or so that usually start out with
"bah, some bloody cyclist ......"
which is fine,
there are an equal amount of
"bah, some bloody car driver...."

and that is the balalnce of things in nature.

however in the past week, the replies have changed from a few people having a whine to 4 or 5 cycling saints,
who just reply with pointless comparisons and statistics,
basically taaking any of the fun out of posting something.

tbh, we all need a good whinge,
i know im a pric on the road from time to time,
but when someone gets my goat i dont think about my past actions,
i just scream "Pr*CK!!!!!" as loud as i can.

theres too much smugness on boards these days from some mad cyclists.

Traumadoc · 31-07-2006 03:28PM

Shabadu wrote:

Eh...

How many cyclists are there in Dublin? And how many Motorists? Think about those figures proportionally.

Also, weren't the cyclists all killed in the City Centre, whereas motorists tend to die in the country?

I agree with you when you say to think of the figures proportionatly- but I have yet to hear of a chlid injured or killed while on a parents bicycle.
No most cyclists are not killed in the city center.
one cyclist was killed on the belgard ( Run over by a Roadstone truck- very gruesome) one was killed near mullingar, cycling in the early hours, one was killed by a truck in the city center (stoney batter), The last one again crushed by a truck near the north wall.

It is true that most motorists are killed in the country.

dalk · 31-07-2006 03:31PM

I and any of the people i know who cycle around Dublin, do not think that it is especially dangerous. If i did i wouldn't cycle.

It is usually non-cyclists and/or people who have never cycled around Dublin that think it is really dangerous. It is an opinion that is greatly exaggerated.

So i have no problem with people carrying children on bikes. But they need to be seated in proper children carrying gear...

stovelid · 31-07-2006 03:31PM

dude, i'm almost sure that a girl was killed in recent times near the traffic island between d'olier street and o connell street. I seem to remember this, will google to be sure.

Traumadoc wrote:

No most cyclists are not killed in the city center.

stovelid · 31-07-2006 03:34PM

sorry westmoreland street..

http://www.irishtrucker.com/news/2001/october/2610014.asp

InFront · 31-07-2006 03:36PM

I cycle most places except into town (Luas), personally I like it as a way of getting around and have no problem with drivers in general as I myself drive from time to time.

But as far as bringing kids on bikes or in those little trailer things - I don't agree with it. It's alright if you're travelling down a quiet cul de sac where the chances of having a fatal accident are, to say the least slim. But other than that, just walk. Biking it on the road is not a safe method of transport for a three year old. There are cars passing dangerously close to you, and frequently no bicycle lanes. Even where bicycle lanes exist some drivers dont respect them. Kids have no safety belts and no surrounding 'cab' protection.

Furthermore I have a similiar problem with mothers who bring babies on buses. Often there will be mothers with kids who are a year old and less and cannot really sit by themselves in their own safety belt, and sit in their mothers arms for the duration of the journey. Im mostly talking about reginal, inter-city buses as these are the most dangerous due to their ability to gather speed on motorways and national roads. Do the bus companies hve no restrictions against babies trvelling in this manner?

dalk · 31-07-2006 03:36PM

Wasn't there another cyclist killed on one of the roads off Capel St not so long ago... Another articulated truck if i remember correctly?

Kids Carried On Bikes

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