Idiot of the Day

[summerdays]

You let your 9 y.o on the road cycle with you in rush hour?

[tongue in check] Err - how else do you get a child to school? I think if I waited till after 9 every day they may start lecturing me about his attendence [/tongue in check] We aren't talking about a multi-lane road.

So she was in the car

No we were both on bikes.

Why not? If everyone is behaving as they should, surely it's better to cycle the 9yo to school than to get the car out and drive them there.

Thank you!!

If the pictures are an accurate representation, all I'd say is that I would tend to drop back to slightly behind the child and traffic side (effectively a couple of feet further back than you look in the diagram) but that's just personal opinion and shouldn't detract from your outrage at the stupidity of the driver. It's a shame you didn't get the number plate as I would certainly have reported it.

As a previous poster has said though, now it's over there is nothing further you can do so don't let it ruin your day.

Normally I would be behind him but as we were behind the lorry I wanted him to be behind me in case it started to reverse. Although the road we turn onto is a narrow chicane so I often go in front there because I'm easier to see for oncoming traffic.

(Builder's vans are generally designed to actually steer towards cyclists by themselves, so I'm sure the careful and considerate builders actually did quite a good job of avoiding a collision!)
Good on yer I say.
If you don't give them wings they'll never learn to fly.

Thanks that made me smile.


If it helps he has been cycling to school for 5 or 6 years now ... though the first 4 were on the pavement. I wouldn't let him cycle on those roads on his own because they aren't simple back roads. It was one of those builders lorries that go around with loads of junk on the back on a flat bit. I'm hoping they aren't going to be a regular on our commute. My son is very good at some things such as seeing cars approaching and not panicking. But isn't so good at looking backwards.

I've calmed down but still got to tell Mr Summerdays...

 

[Bikeabit]

I am not sure if the area is a housing estate. Is it possible the builder's vehicle was going from home to work (or maybe picking up someone? You may be able to spot the vehicle by returning to the same spot at the same time or spending a few minutes driving about the area he came from.

I would not encourage challenging him but you may get the company details and write a letter of complaint or report to police if you can convince them on identification.

Good on you for cycling to school.

 

[mgarl10024]

I've calmed down but still got to tell Mr Summerdays...

What were his thoughts?

 

[summerdays]

Actually he seem to take it calmly though laughed at some of the words that I had shouted ... he reckoned it probably wouldn't have contained the word "tit" if it had been him .

Luckily we didn't meet them again today so hopefully just a one off occurrence.

 

[mgarl10024]

he reckoned it probably wouldn't have contained the word "tit" if it had been him .

Obviously a reference to a passing Blue Tit.

 

[I like Skol]

You let your 9 y.o on the road cycle with you in rush hour?

This was my first thought as I wouldn't cycle on the road with my lad in the rush hour but then he has only just turned 8 and to be honest he is getting road aware very quickly now, so a 9yr old maybe going on 10? with long term cycling experience, as in this case, could almost be ready for solo cycling really.

If it helps he has been cycling to school for 5 or 6 years now ... though the first 4 were on the pavement. I wouldn't let him cycle on those roads on his own because they aren't simple back roads.

Good on you! And well done to admitting to using the pavement for cycling on. I am always dismayed by the OMG!!! reaction that is the usual reply to pavement cycling. I admit the kamikaze ninja style pavement riders deserve to be shot but in the real world I don't have a problem with using the pavement in the right circumstances. As a teaching aid and introduction to road riding for the youngster it is invaluable to be able to ride alongside real roads while having hazards and protocol explained to you, safe from the traffic. Of course the speed has to be managed and simple rules like not cycling close to the doorways of terraced houses in case someone steps out etc..... I even use the pavement myself in certain situations. One place that anyone local will appreciate is the climb from the traffic lights at Hollingworth towards Mottram. The road is part of the Woodhead trunk route so has constant traffic with a high proportion of HGV's and is two narrow lanes which merge into one further up the hill so results in lots of racing, pushing and shoving from the lights all the way up the hill. Given the density, lack of space and type of vehicles and also the fact that the drivers are distracted by being worried about maintaining their road position I CHOOSE TO RIDE ON THE PAVEMENT. I am a very confident road user who thinks nothing of tackling a large multi-lane roundabout in heavy traffic but in some cases I feel it is better to be alive to argue your case than under the wheels of a HGV by following the 'rules'.

In Summerdays case I still agree the van driver is a complete TO**ER but hopefully Summerday Jnr will learn a valuable lesson from the experience (other than how to swear like a sailor!) and know not to trust other road users actions and always expect the unexpected.

 

[400bhp]

Good points - totally with you on pavement cycling. I will be teaching my 2 y.o the same way.

She absolutely love bikes already - don't know where she got that from..