Transporting children

[mullett]

I wouldn't take any young child off road, either in a trailer or on a carrier as I feel its just plain irresponsible, how would you feel if they were badly injured? Think about it? A trailer bike is a good thing on road though, but not on a main road either and only when they get old enough. Get them up and on a bike as soon as they can ride tho and limit ur rides with them to short so they can cope. Being a parent inevitably means major sacrifices.

So riding slowly and carefully towing a kid off road is irresponsible then - sorry I just dont get that reasoning at all no matter how much i 'think about it' .

If they are on a tag along they cant fall over unless i do and im as likely to fall off at a jogging pace on easy tracks as i am on the road at 15-20mph if i hit a pothole - both situations could end up with my child seriously injured but at least off road she wont get hit by a car as well.
To be honest i worry more seeing my little girl learning to ride her solo bike up the lanes round my house, she seems to reach a heck of a speed before she remembers to use the brakes and theres sod all i can do to stop her except shout. The tag along is a safe way to teach her to enjoy riding off road while shes still too unsteady on her own bike to leave the tarmac, it also lets me take her a bit further afield. Her favourite ride is 4 miles along quiet lanes, a mile down a dirt track onto the beach, swim, picnic and back home. Thinking about entering the strathpuffer 24 with her as a team of two next january...best get some training in

 

[cherrybomb]

I just don't think trailers (or child seats for that matter) are safe. :? It's not about how careful you are, it's about how reckless others can be. The thought of a kid in a trailer that low down in traffic sends a chill down my spine if I'm honest and seeing some poor nipper sitting in traffic at exhaust height make me question the sense of them too.

I have no alternative suggestion other than just don't do it, but that's my thoughts. :?

Never used mine on the road, but on the trails or along the canal you cannot beat it

I reckon that's cool
I see loads jousting with traffic in Oxford and it scares the crap out of me. Mind you some of the folks I see riding the bikes with them would be a liability lying down! You do wonder if they have any clue to the risks they're exposing their kids to, but then seeing how oblivious they can be to other traffic......probably not :roll:

 

[hamster]

I cannot say how much I disagree on all levels with you. This' safety above all' argument means that kids get driven in SUVs for half a mile to school 'because of the dangers of traffic' (said SUV's).

The real danger to my kids is obesity and an inactive lifestyle, plus environmental damage. When I see some of the kids in my son's class who are already fat at age 5 I shudder to imagine their prospects.

The British Medical Association was unambiguous when it stated that cycling increased life expectancy. The risk/ benefit is clearly in favour of cycling as ordinary transport.

Of course I love my kids and want to care for them, but a balanced view of risk is also necessary. No, I wouldn't pull the trailer along an A road, and I avoid anything with a speed limit over 40.

 

[South Bound]

For me this would depend on the infrastructure available to ride on. Having lived in Bris'l where the traffic is dire and all drivers lunatics, there is no way I would take the smallies on the road; BUT, there was also a great cycle path network (good condition, safe ((during daylight!!)), mainly flat and quick) and I was gobsmacked at the numbers of people who would spend 30 minutes taking their kids to school in the car rather than 10 minutes cycling.

 

[South Bound]

Oh, and i am really piZZed off because I let Mrs SB convince me that 4 years old was too young for a proper bike (I wanted an Islabike) and that we should just make do with a cheapy. Now we have a crap bike that is a bit too big, a lot too heavy and hideous for my boy to ride and he hates it and I hate watching him 'ride' it. Arrgghhhh

 

[hamster]

I agree with that. My sons both have Islabikes and they are fantastic.

They also have resale value, unlike the gaspipe horrors from Toys R Us

 

[South Bound]

I now feel like a bad Dad and a traitor to proper bikes, want to go and buy him an IB now and skip the other one.

 

[cherrybomb]

I cannot say how much I disagree on all levels with you. This' safety above all' argument means that kids get driven in SUVs for half a mile to school 'because of the dangers of traffic' (said SUV's).

The real danger to my kids is obesity and an inactive lifestyle, plus environmental damage. When I see some of the kids in my son's class who are already fat at age 5 I shudder to imagine their prospects.

The British Medical Association was unambiguous when it stated that cycling increased life expectancy. The risk/ benefit is clearly in favour of cycling as ordinary transport.

Of course I love my kids and want to care for them, but a balanced view of risk is also necessary. No, I wouldn't pull the trailer along an A road, and I avoid anything with a speed limit over 40.

I appreciate what you're saying, but I just don't see the situation where childhood obesity and a road traffic accident would be an either or decision.
Peoples opinions and views on the safety of trailers are going to be coloured by where they live. I can't think of a single route I could take from where I live that would not take me into traffic where I'd not feel unsafe having an infant in a trailer. I live in a town centre (with ridicules traffic) surrounded by countryside where people drive way too fast. I can however think of loads of stuff I can do and places to go where kids can exercise without what I consider unnecessary risks.
That's it though isn't it. What you, I and anyone else consider unnecessary are going to be different, I'm not saying anyone's view is of less value......just different.