I guess everyone has seen this today?

[spindrift]

I think it's disgusting. A form of child abuse, actually. Terrible cruelty, the child may be damaged for life, I mean, calling it


Aurelius Cy !!!???!&^&&^$^%£

 

[summerdays]

At least Jason seems to have his saddle quite high, and as I cycle in flip flops I don't see a problem in that (I did half the Devon Coast to Coast in them)

 

[Arch]

At least Jason seems to have his saddle quite high, and as I cycle in flip flops I don't see a problem in that (I did half the Devon Coast to Coast in them)

Yeah, its a personal thing, I'm a bit squeamish about having exposed toes....

 

[BentMikey]

i certainly would not put my kids life at risk like that. I'm all up for him to climb trees, play conkers, run around the woods etc. But i dont think its its safe what with what i've encounterd on the roads myself. What with the state of the roads and other road users, i don't think it's worth making a point over his life.

You mean your complaint has much less to do with the riding position, and is mostly about just taking a kid out on a bike?

I'm prob wrong but aren't teh Dutch more geered up for cycling, with proper sage cycle lanes with kerbs either side, where as here in london we have motorbikes using them? Not sure about the state of their roads and how they drive over there, but central london can be a death trap.

Not really, London is probably amongst the safest places to cycle a bike in. Safety in numbers is a serious effect. As for the Netherlands, it's a little safer to ride there, but that's in spite of the cycle lanes, not because of them. Mostly it's because of teh numbers of cyclists, and the onus being on motor vehicle drivers to prove their innocence in any collision.

 

[BentMikey]

Yeah, its a personal thing, I'm a bit squeamish about having exposed toes....

Ah, Arch's secret is out. Hobbit toes!!!

 

[Arch]

Ah, Arch's secret is out. Hobbit toes!!!

no no no! I mean catching them in anything...

Now then, perhaps we ought to find out if one can balance a kid as easily on the bars of an OSS recumbent... Anyone got one, and a kid?

 

[Origamist]

Not really, London is probably amongst the safest places to cycle a bike in. Safety in numbers is a serious effect. As for the Netherlands, it's a little safer to ride there, but that's in spite of the cycle lanes, not because of them. Mostly it's because of teh numbers of cyclists, and the onus being on motor vehicle drivers to prove their innocence in any collision.

Cycling in the Netherlands is considerably safer:

Cylists killed per 100 million km cycled

Netherlands: 1.1
UK: 3.6​

Cylists injured per 10 million km cycled
Netherlands: 1.4
UK: 6.0

Sources:
Years: 2004-05
Department for Transportation (2007)
Netherlands Ministry of Transport (2007

 

[hackbike 6]

I wouldn't carry a kid on my handlebars like that because my bike isn't designed to take it.That doesn't make me a do-gooder but probably more safety concious and sensible.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

I don't know about London but despite the "health benefits outweigh the risks" argument it is pretty harey (sp?!) on the Birmingham roads.

I certainly wouldn't want my young child on the handlebars like that. I have no idea what would happen to him if somebody:- opened a car door onto her bike or a ped crossed without looking, somebody jumped a red light as they were going over a toucan crossing or she was shunted from behind whilst turning right - all things that have happened to me in the last 18 months !

I have fallen off my bike with my daughter on a bike seat in the past (long time since!) and she was perfectly okay as the moulded plastic around her really helped with preventing grazed knees etc and she was strapped into the seat so didn't fall off.

Surely this little boy would just bounce straight off the handlebars and into the road should (god forbid) anything happen and I would imagine that London, like Birmingham is pretty busy at school "hometime".

I'm all for cycling (despite my user name) and all for kid seats (best thing about having a kid in my opinion) but I'm not going to say that I think this was a good (or responsible) idea on her behalf.

Perhaps I'm just jealous because I certainly don't look like that when I am riding around on my bike - bloody models!!!

 

[stephenb]

Well, he is Australian. "Thongs" they call them. Typical.

you must have pi$$ed yourself reading Julius Caesar

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/bn/board/message?board.id=Shakespeare&thread.id=2933&jump=true

 

[hackbike 6]

Yeah I see bikes fitted with proper bike child seats and I dont think to myself oooh thats dangerous,most of the time.

 

[nilling]

The Dutch seem to have a different view

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindcaster-ezzolicious/2843958035/