Aibu to think this was pretty dangerous and a little irresponsible?

[Slugsandsnails2014]

Fully prepared to be corrected and told I'm BU, however I'm very intrigued to hear opinions

Yesterday I saw a woman cycling and when she stopped to get off the bike I noticed that she had a baby in a sling strapped to her front. It struck me that this seemed like a rather risky activity?! For context I should add that the baby was clearly very very tiny-couple of weeks max judging by the size and was in one of those stretchy wraps, the area she was cycling in is one that even a confident cyclist might get a little nervous about-a very busy roundabout in central London so it's not like she was in a park or pedestrianised area.

I suppose I wondered if she was trying to make a point because I couldn't think of a reason why you would want to cycle with a little baby strapped to you when there are other less dangerous options available. Perhaps she was in a hurry to get somewhere so decided not to walk and couldn't afford the bus etc? I'm not sure. Anyway, aibu to think this is dangerous?! Is this a thing that cyclists with babies do?

Sounds pretty dangerous to me.

What 'point' did you think she was attempting to make though?

Very dangerous and I might be wrong but not allowed, all I can think about now is the awful things That could happen to that poor baby in an accident ??

Yes, I agree, but lots of things people do with Dc on bikes seem unreasonably risky to me. Would the baby have been any safer in one of those trailer things?

As far as I remember a baby cannot be in a bike seat til they can wear a helmet - which is about one year old so that baby would have been pretty vulnerable on a bike so no, YANBU

This makes me feel all ouchy and sick at the thought of the poor newborn hitting anything. I've been in cycle accidents. Even at very low speeds you feel the hit, hard.

Sure this cannot be allowed.

are you saying the 'point' she is making would be about how lovely and natural it is to sling up your baby? or another point?

You're right, it's a dangerous and stupid thing to do. I know a lot of people who do it though.

Yanbu, totally unneccessary risk.

I dunno, cycling in London is a way of life for some people-maybe she was trying to prove that even having a baby wouldn't stop her cycling, or that she's so confident in her abilities as a cyclist she's even taking her newborn baby out with her when she goes?
This is one of those scenarios where I think if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I'm not sure I would have believed it because it seems like such a bizarre thing to do!

Maybe she was trying to prove that even having a baby wouldn't stop her cycling

Or maybe like me she has NO other way of getting to where she needs to go.

What a stupid judgy post. You saw a tiny piece of someone's life.

Don't want to dispute your story OP, but there's no way I was getting on a bike when DSs were newborn, with or without them.....

Dunno about the rest of you but there's no way in hell I could even contemplate getting on a bike only a couple of weeks after giving birth!!!

I agree with a pp in that it makes feel uncomfortable to think if there was an accident, tiny wee baba :(

NO other way of getting where she needs to go
In London?!
There are buses, tubes, trains, taxis, water taxis, many many wais of getting around.
Ok, they're not free, but surely a couple of quid on bus fare is better than potentially squashing your baby if you fall off your bike?

I think this kind of thing is quite common in other countries though- the Netherlands especially. but then, cycling there is much safer.

Would the baby not be well protected by the mum's body in the event of an accident? Maybe she felt the beneficial effects of cycling - exercise, fresh(ish!) air, autonomy of movement (keeping on moving instead of sitting in often stationary bus), getting where they needed to be quickly - outweighed the risk of an accident. Maybe she is a confident cyclist who knows that route well. Maybe the baby was asleep when she wanted to go out.

I wouldn't do it myself, but it's prob the best way to cycle w a newborn.

Germ yes! In London! A couple of quid is very often out of my league....and London is expensive so I'm certain many people there quite often don't have money either.

MrsFlannel, as I mentioned in my previous post its quite possible she couldn't afford to get a bus (for example). I am quite aware that cicumstace dictates our mode of transport. However it just seems that this, to me, was such a dangerous choice that perhaps it wasn't about not having another option but more about making a point. It is merely another line of enquiry to consider.

I agree that the last thing I felt like doing for some weeks after birth was cycling!

Well then I think I'd walk. I wouldn't risk a tiny baby on a bike.

Germ I'd have a good time walking 4 miles to school wouldn't I? If I went by your advice I mean.

OP I seriously doubt she was "making a point" SHe probably had somewhere to go and got on her bike...it being her main mode of transport.

I don't think the baby would be very well protected by the mothers body if the mother landed on top of it

All slings manufacters / sites absolutely state you don't cycle wearing a sling.

It's dangerous.

I had a cargo bike from the Netherlands with a child seat with 5point harness strapped in. That's what parents do in the Netherlands.

I disagree that she was making a point. I do think she was a bloody idiot though.

YANBU, I felt a bit sick on reading that, a very risky thing to do IMO.

What if her "only" mode of transport was a moped or motor bike, would that be ok too?

Oh I give up.
Personally I wouldn't ride a bike with a child strapped to me. I would walk or get a bus or tube.
And if anyone asked me, I wouldn't recommend it either.
But whatever, I don't really care what people do. Up to them. I was expressing an opinion. I should know better really.