Nearly ran over a toddler yesterday

[mgarl10024]

Only a couple of weeks ago, I was cycling home in the dark and it had started snowing in Bristol (it was just starting to settle in patches). I was cruising down a residential road at about 10mph as not having ridden in snow before I was really focused on staying upright.

A mum and her child were walking along the pavement, when the child sees a patch of snow in the road and without warning excitedly launches himself into the road to jump/stamp on the snow. This happens to be right in front of me, so I brake hard and come to a stop with a load "woah!".

All three of us are then stopped, silently, looking at each other. I just look at the Mum, she looks at me, and says to her child "Come here, that was silly, wasn't it?". I felt that the point was home and that nothing further needed saying.

Not a really close accident, but it stayed with me for a few hours.

 

[summerdays]

Moments can occur with children in just the blink of an eye-lid. I've seen children follow a ball into a road without thinking (so mine were banned from playing with a ball whilst walking along the road - though I allow them to play football in the road outside our house - because then they know they are in the road if that makes sense). One of my worst moments occurred when one of them had an umbrella and the wind took it... we both chased after it as it blew first along the pavement and then into the road. Only when I caught it did I realise my 6 year old was in the road, and that I had left a toddler standing by the bus stop on their own 50 yards back down the road, and I was meant to be the grown up in that situation.

 

[cyberknight]

Moments can occur with children in just the blink of an eye-lid. I've seen children follow a ball into a road without thinking (so mine were banned from playing with a ball whilst walking along the road - though I allow them to play football in the road outside our house - because then they know they are in the road if that makes sense). One of my worst moments occurred when one of them had an umbrella and the wind took it... we both chased after it as it blew first along the pavement and then into the road. Only when I caught it did I realise my 6 year old was in the road, and that I had left a toddler standing by the bus stop on their own 50 yards back down the road, and I was meant to be the grown up in that situation.

As i have a 3 year old i can say unless you tie them down you have no idea what they are going to do next, shopping is really fun .

Well done for stopping and the mother should have been looking after the sprog better but unfortunately a precocious child will do whatever they like given half a chance .

 

[downfader]

When I was a kid I was put on reigns.. worked a treat as Mum could hold both me and Bro with one hand, or loop her arm through them and sort something out like paying a shop assistant, etc.

You never see reigns now. I said this to one of my workmates who had toddlers about a year or so back as she had an experience where the little one bolted. She said it was "inhumane" to put reigns on a child. Silly reply in my book, as its not as if the strap is going around their necks or something.

 

[slugonabike]

I always used reins for my son when he was little - a lot more humane than being run over!

 

[BentMikey]

I don't let my little guy walk anywhere without holding hands.

 

[Arch]

You never see reigns now.

Yes you do. Well, you see reins, anyway . And there are also little rucksacks that double up as reins, as they strap to the child for them to carry stuff, but have a lead for the parent to hold. My nephew has one.

There was also a fashion for those springlike plastic wrist straps (like telephone cable) that joined parent and child, but because they could stretch, I think there was more danger of the child ending up on the wrong side of a door while connected to the parent. They still sell them though.

Oli holds hands pretty well, and he's also old enough now that he can be allowed to run ahead on quiet streets - as far as a certain landmark like a lamp post, then he knows he must stop and wait for Mum to catch up.

I've always though an extending dog lead would be good. Let them run about in the park, but wind them in for the pavements.

 

[downfader]

Yes you do. Well, you see reins, anyway . And there are also little rucksacks that double up as reins, as they strap to the child for them to carry stuff, but have a lead for the parent to hold. My nephew has one.

There was also a fashion for those springlike plastic wrist straps (like telephone cable) that joined parent and child, but because they could stretch, I think there was more danger of the child ending up on the wrong side of a door while connected to the parent. They still sell them though.

Oli holds hands pretty well, and he's also old enough now that he can be allowed to run ahead on quiet streets - as far as a certain landmark like a lamp post, then he knows he must stop and wait for Mum to catch up.

I've always though an extending dog lead would be good. Let them run about in the park, but wind them in for the pavements.

Thats interesting. Perhaps its just the local populace (again my speelin is leetin me dahhn ) here that dont use such devices. More's the pity.

 

[slugonabike]

I saw one of those little rucksack things recently and thought what a good idea it was. I was never keen on the wrist spring things as it seemed that the child could be into the road before the parent realised (giving less control, rather than more). When he was a toddler, SlugBoy preferred his reins to holding hands - I think he felt more independant that way.

 

[Arch]

Thats interesting. Perhaps its just the local populace (again my speelin is leetin me dahhn ) here that dont use such devices. More's the pity.

If you're in aammmpsheeeeeeeeer, my sister is your local populace.... Well, localish, Winchester.

I'lll admit they aren't in the majority, but they're not unheard of.

Get a big enough rucksack, and you can make the little one carry shopping home in it...

 

[downfader]

If you're in aammmpsheeeeeeeeer, my sister is your local populace.... Well, localish, Winchester.

I'lll admit they aren't in the majority, but they're not unheard of.

Get a big enough rucksack, and you can make the little one carry shopping home in it...

I'm 20 odd miles south in Southampton, but love Winchester... it could just be my powers of observation (and the fact I hate kids LMAO!!) that I've never noticed though, LOL!!

As a kid I would have loved to have a little rucksack like that.

 

[summerdays]

I used reins and also the elastic wrist strap with my eldest who walked beside the buggy with her sibling in it from about the age of 2. But my youngest never seemed to need it ... seeming to be careful near roads from almost the moment they could walk - he even stopped at drives so I didn't need reins.

 

[Wobblers]

Well done for stopping! I think that's pretty much the nightmare scenario for all (well, hopefully all) road users. Amazing just how quickly things can turn, isn't it?

Well done mate! And that's why we shouldn't give a toss about impatient car drivers wanting us to ride right next to parked cars.

Exactly.

 

[Arch]

I used reins and also the elastic wrist strap with my eldest who walked beside the buggy with her sibling in it from about the age of 2. But my youngest never seemed to need it ... seeming to be careful near roads from almost the moment they could walk - he even stopped at drives so I didn't need reins.

Kids do just vary. I've always been a very cautious sort (helped by seeing a girl knocked down outside school when I was about 7 or 8).

To this day, if I'm out with friends, and they take a chance to cross a road, I'll probably be left behind looking both ways.