I have just seen a parent on a bike with a trailer containing 2 toddlers (fair enough), and wearing a baby in a sling. Tell me just how U I was to raise an eyebrow...

[LewisNaiceHamilton]

Sling was one of those front-facing, Baby Bjorn type things. Baby would have been too small to go into a child seat (it looked about 4 months), which I guess is why it was in a sling (it would have flopped around in a carrier).

Given that I've long carted my now teen around in a tiny sportscar that would disintegrate in a collision, and that when he was little (from about a year to 4 iirc) he rode in something like this , my reaction is hypocritical and unreasonable, no?

Actually, is it even legal to carry a baby in a sling on a bike?

Poor woman. Sounds like really hard, hot work. Probably wouldn't be anyone's first choice of transporting 3 children.

Or man?

They should have had baby in trailer in baby seat (you can get them for trailers)

Also forward facing slings are bad.

Were they on the road?

It's a fucking stupid thing to do. Ridiculous.

She was a she. With far stronger legs than I, clearly

And yes, it's hot. And we have a lot of hills.

This reminds me of seeing a woman on a bike with one of those smaller bikes attached with small child whilst she was also holding a large rather bouncy dog on a lead. Some people have no sense whatsoever.

Yup, on the road. It does seem ridiculous - I'd be less worried about cars in a way than by just taking a tumble and squishing the baby (I've come off my bike a couple of times )

But is it actually more dangerous than a trailer or a proper carrier?

Or indeed more dangerous than carrying a baby in a seat in a fairly flimsy car (like mines)?

Well, if the mother fell off the bike the baby wouldn't be wearing a cycle helmet, would it? Bloody ridiculous thing to do.

You aren't supposed to put a little baby in a trailer either.

Why don't people have any bloody commonsense? I wouldn't put any of mine in a trailer until they were atleast two years old, even three!

I have a few friends who have ended up in hospital after being knocked off their bikes one with broken pelvis.

I've seen similar here but the baby was on her back in a sling.

It's no something I would be comfortable with because there is just no protection for that poor baby should a car hit her or should she come off her bike for whatever reason.

I have also seen someone attach a carseat inside a bike trailer with bungee cords. That's better imo but I still don't think I'd risk it!

Urgh this reminded me that last week I saw a dad ride away on his bike from a park (across a London suburban main-ish street, bus route anyway) with his toddler ON HIS SHOULDERS. I couldn't get the mental image out of my head what would happen to that poor kid's head if he fell from that height. Why are people such pillocks?!

I saw a couple out on bikes with a small toddler/large baby in a child seat on the back of one of them. Both adults, high-vis jackets, proper cycle helmets. Child - no helmet.

How's s/he going to fall off the bike? The trailer makes it very stable so she's not going to hit a pot hole, etc.

He/She's at no more danger of falling off a very stable bike than tripping over a kerb. Plenty of people walk with a baby in a sling.

Yes they could be hit by a car. But then with a small baby on a seat on the back of a bike you could be hit by a car.

It was an interesting sight (although not quite as as that, Tea )

Crash tests would be interesting. Maybe the way you fall would protect the baby or something?

I'm pondering all this because it looked bloody terrible, but unless you drive your child around in a super-safe car in one of those £££ child seats, and have a armour-plated pram for crossing the road, is it actually that bad? Or are proper cycle seats a bit like rice cakes (their sole purpose being to show other parents just how sensible you are)?

There is a parent at my dc school who used the ride his bike to collect his son. He was carrying the baby dc in a baby bjorn sling as he cycled.he would ride one handed because in his other hand he was carrying the school age child's bike for him to ride home on. No helmet on father or baby. I was pleased to note that now the baby is older it is put in a proper bike seat with a helmet. He does still ride one handed carrying a bike though and sometimes now brings the dog too. Really not something I would ever do.

Ah yes Fairy - the trailer would make the bike more stable

Sorry I meant if they do hit a pot hole they're hardly likely to tip the bike.

I guess it comes down to a risk assessment. How often and confident they are biking. I cycle 100s of miles every month.

In the last 20 years I've fallen off my bike twice. Once because I misjudged a kerb and tipped it and once when I forgot I was clipped into my pedals.

If its someone who cycles a lot they're going to feel very safe, especially with a trailer keeping the bike upright.

It doesn't matter if you cycle a lot. Accidents don't work that way!

YANBU OP.

A child at DS1's preschool used to be collected by shoulder-ride-on-a-bike. Horribly dangerous. Plus riding on and off the pavement.

In the last 20 years I've fallen off my bike twice. Once because I misjudged a kerb and tipped it and once when I forgot I was clipped into my pedals.

Sorry, but had to at that one. It's soooo embarrassing when you fall over from stationary isn't it? (Hope you were OK - and that not tooo many people were watching.)

They must be Dutch. Or Danish.

I know accidents don't work like that (have NC btw, its Fairy).

But the more you cycle the more competent and confident you'll be and you'll have a different perception of the risk than someone who rarely cycles.

I honestly don't see the risk being any different to having a six month old with a helmet on in one of those rear seats on the back. If anything I'd say the rear seat is riskier as that really de stabilises a bike. Plus with a baby in a sling the chances are the parent if they did fall could put their arms down to break the fall and protect the baby.

I used to drive along a very busy dual carriageway at school drop off time and regularly see a man career out of a side road, into the traffic, carrying his school age child in one arm whilst he "controlled" his bike