AIBU to ask if bicycle towing a child carrier looks unbelievably unsafe?

[longwayoff]

I don't spend much time in traffic but noticed one of these the other day which made me feel a bit concerned. Today, the Mail has video of someone crossing 3 lanes of traffic with one attached. They look dangerous on so many levels. How can they be legal?

Itsallgoingtobefine
When there’s no consequences there is no need to alter behaviour

Well it did!

In a trailer? That shouldn't be possible if the child is correctly secured. The five point seatbelt attached to the roll cage wouldn't allow the body to move enough for the head (or any other part of the body) to hit the ground

Well it did!

Back to this thread and find this -

wigglexx many wheelchair users find cycling easier

easier than what? breathing?

That's the stupidest thing I have ever read.

Do you genuinely not understand that for a huge amount of people struggling through life with a serious physical disability just getting out of bed and getting up can use over a quarter of the day's energy allocation? Look up spoon theory, educate yourself and then seriously reconsider spouting offensive "just try harder" guff at people worse off than yourself health wise.

Your own link states

Without consistently good inclusive infrastructure and facilities, disabled cyclists are unable to complete a journey

Quit the disablist clap trap. This is an important message for ivykaty44 because bullying wheelchair users who need cars by telling them to cycle instead is totally unacceptable. The consequences for people being bullied about disability are cumulative and destructive.

I feel sick just imagining strapping my children into one of those and going out into the road with them behind me. Whether it’s the moral fault of drivers or not, I could never do it.

Where have I bullied disabled people into cycling instead of using cars? wiggle

People take those on the road??!!!

Are you completely fucking insane?

I've cycled on busy city roads for twenty years and there is no fucking way I'd do that. To be quite honest, I'd ring the police if I saw one with a child inside on the road.

They're for country tracks and cycle paths. Not a road. I doubt they're even road legal.

All it takes if for a bus to not see it and pull out a bit sharply behind you, crushing the trailer.

Completely fucking stupid thing to have on a road.

Yes of course people use them on the road. Don't be daft.

squeezy you'd call the police? Seriously ? I don't agree with them really and wouldn't use them myself but you can't just call the police because you disagree with something. I think people smoking while pushing their buggy absolutely and wouldn't do it but can't just call the police!

We used to take ours out in a trailer. In traffic.

One cycle towing the trailer
trailer with a flag on a long stick with a Baby on Board sticker, flashing bike light and a small teddy tied to it.
2nd rider riding in line with the righthand wheel of the trailer.

So less than a bike length between the front adult rider and the second adult rider. With a trailer that was bright yellow, 2 helmeted adults & 2 helmeted kids all dressed in high vis. (3 yellow 1 pink). Both adult bikes with static and flashing front and rear. All 3 had bells.

We still had cars overtaking too close, trying to overtake and pulling into the "gap" where the trailer was, pulling out into stopping distance, misjudging the speed of the bike / trailer train - and stopping to hurl abuse because they had lost their exhaust on a speed hump because they hadn't slowed down for it as they wanted to overtake. We could not be held responsible for any of these things - but as a cyclist you are.

You cannot say we were under visible - it was just the mentality of some drivers that as soon as a person gets on a bike they are no longer human. They are in the minority but the consequence of their actions is life changing. Unfortunately I think there is a greater us vs them attitude, more badly designed bike lanes and it is becoming more dangerous for cyclists. I wouldn't take my kids in a trailer on a road now.

Why? Are they stupid?

I had my back wheel crushed by a bus two years ago. If there had been a trailer there, the child would have died instantly.

Just no.

Only appropriate on a campsite or holiday park / center parcs type place I think. Someone I know used to cycle through inner city traffic with two toddlers in the carrier to get to nursery. I think it's so dangerous.

Smoking over a buggy is horrible, but won't kill them instantly.

ivykaty44 I put this,

If you have any infirmity to deal with in your family it makes things very personal and quite frightening hearing over and over again how anyone who won't cycle must be bad, it's simply not the case. The elderly and disabled population is growing and they need safe transport to live their lives not staying trapped at home.

And you put links to an amputee cyclist video and a guardian article (which does not agree with you) and made the statement that many wheelchair users find cycling easier.

That's totally ignoring someone who is telling you that car use is essential for them because of wheelchair needs. Trying to instead contradict them with "others can do it and so should you" implication. You are being insensitive and disablist.

Please consider the consequences of your statements, belittling someone's difficulty in this manner is offensive. Making a sweeping statement about wheelchair users is offensive. Try to put yourself in someone else's shoes (or wheels) before you try to be clever about other people's lives. It's called empathy.

squeezy again you can't just call the police about it. It's not for you. And it is not for me. Statistically the child is fine.

Statistically? Care to back that up. A bus clips that thing and the child is dead. Why risk that?

Yes I can call the police and I would. Same as if some loon started running about in a busy road with a buggy. No different.

I don't see what you're trying to argue?

I agree I wouldn't use them on a road. But they are legal so what would calling the police achieve ? It's just a different parenting choice.

Very few wheelchair users will be able to cycle. Most either can not walk or only walk a very very short distance.

Very few wheelchair users will be able to cycle

This is not related to this thread, but I thought it was really important to point out that many people with various disabilities are able to cycle for pleasure:

• If you are blind there are tandems
• If you are unable to balance there are tricycles (recumbents are a lot more stable)
• If your legs are weak you can add a powerful electric motor to almost any bi/Tri cycle
• If you cannot use your legs there are hand cranked tricycles

Please don't assume that you are no longer able to cycle, there are many many options out there.

wiggle for ivykaty44 because bullying wheelchair users who need cars by telling them to cycle instead is totally unacceptable

Knowhere have I said that wheelchair users should cycle instead of using the car it’s not what I have posted anywhere and certainly not on this thread

I never insinuated that anyone using a wheelchair should be able to use a bike, you have decided that without justification

You tell me to put myself in someone else’s shoes without knowing anything about me

I'm arguing that pulling children through speeding traffic, in a small wire framed box, at a level way below eye level is completely insane.

I had a double decker bus crush the back wheel of my bike once. It was three inches from my saddle when it stopped. What would have happened to a trailer, do you think?

They shouldn't be road legal if they are. Yes, I would ring the police.

Argh squeezy you're preaching to the wrong person. I've already told you I agree with you. I do not think they should be used in the road at all. Not worth putting a child's life at risk in my opinion.
But what I'm saying is you can't call the police on someone who is not doing anything illegal. It's a waste of police time.

Perhaps instead of wasting your energy here, you could perhaps start a campaign to actually make them illegal to use on the road!

For pleasure is very different to no needing a vehicle for transport ever and again makes presumptions about health, comfort and ability.

Many people with various disabilities need vehicles for various reasons and should not be bullied for that.

Many people with various disabilities are not able to or would not choose to cycle in various forms and should not be bullied for that.

Many people with various disabilities are living without the options taken for granted by the able bodied and should not be patronised or bullied for that.

I'm arguing that pulling children through speeding traffic, in a small wire framed box, at a level way below eye level is completely insane.

This is entirely correct.

I used to take my kids out in one. On the continent. I wouldn't dare do it here. Britain's roads are awful, and the hate for cyclists worse.

Perhaps instead of starting campaigns to make perfectly normal and environmentally friendly modes of conveyance illegal, just because Britain has an attitude problem, you could start campaigns to stop people making unnecessary car trips, or bring public infrastructure back into public ownership and improve it, and improve cycling lanes. The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany have done it, and wasn't Britain exiting the EU because it's so superior?