The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

[merlin6014]

I dont know wether this is "dumb" but as a father of two young kids it got me thinking and in my opinion its reckless. Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that. As someone who has ridden a motorcycle and bicycle extensively in peak hour there is no way in a million years i would let my 1 year old anywhere near these roads. I felt really upset even witnessing it to be honest.

[jules21]

I'm confused so let me try to clarify what I'm seeing - the advice you would give her is that she was riding too fast for the traffic, and not looking/being aware of cars and trucks and possible squishy moments with said trucks, is that the problem? Or did I miss something in there like her running a red light?

nup, just the stuff you listed. undertaking the truck was a really bad idea.

[il padrone]

Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that.

Hmm... you weren't working for the Daily Telegraph?

Sounds almost exactly the same as the video response by one of their journos last year to a mum just commuting about town - who has been doing this for some years with her kids.


I guess this would have to be even more irresponsible??

[human909]

I dont know wether this is "dumb" but as a father of two young kids it got me thinking and in my opinion its reckless. Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that. As someone who has ridden a motorcycle and bicycle extensively in peak hour there is no way in a million years i would let my 1 year old anywhere near these roads. I felt really upset even witnessing it to be honest.

When cyclists have attitudes like this we know we have some big problems to overcome. Rather than choosing to get annoying by your attitude I am choosing to be annoyed at how we as a society have encouraged this to occur.

[merlin6014]

Thats nice - as I said its legal but so is running with the bulls in Spain. You can advocate all you want but my 1 year old ain't getting on the back of my bike (powered or unpowered) in peak hour traffic.

Note the bolding of my as in my opinion

[merlin6014]

Actually throw your 1 year old into traffic "cause of the cause man"

[merlin6014]

I dont know wether this is "dumb" but as a father of two young kids it got me thinking and in my opinion its reckless. Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that. As someone who has ridden a motorcycle and bicycle extensively in peak hour there is no way in a million years i would let my 1 year old anywhere near these roads. I felt really upset even witnessing it to be honest.

When cyclists have attitudes like this we know we have some big problems to overcome. Rather than choosing to get annoying by your attitude I am choosing to be annoyed at how we as a society have encouraged this to occur.

encouraged what to occur? I'm not suggesting to make it illegal I am saying its a dumb thing to do. When youv'e ridden a motorbike + bicycle for 10 years in commuter traffic you can get back to me.

[merlin6014]

Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that.

Hmm... you weren't working for the Daily Telegraph?

Sounds almost exactly the same as the video response by one of their journos last year to a mum just commuting about town - who has been doing this for some years with her kids.


I guess this would have to be even more irresponsible??

Yeah how outrageous valuing your babies life over advocating for a cause! my beret popped off reading that from the outrage

[merlin6014]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

[zero]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

You are an idiot if you can't spot a particularly vulnerable road user given the trailer and flags and leave more space. its this kind of stupidity and reversal of responsibility that is really tiresome, and surely a motorcyclist would understand that a non-lane splitting, non leftside passing bicycle rider and trailer is under almost no danger during peak hour due to reduced traffic speed, and unlikelyhood of the rider entering a crush area.

[outnabike]

Back on topic now

No commute today, doc appointment. Drove to the docs. Must have seen 300 cars do nothing wrong. Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie. Cars overtake safely in the other lane, red light ahead, everybody stops ... except ... Fixie lane splits down the middle and flies through the red doing ~40kmh. Same cars have to pass him again as we go up the hill in front of the lights.

It pissed me off, and those drivers now have an even lower respect for people riding bicycles than they did before.

Correction - lower respect for shirtless fixie riders!

I cant understand how he got to 40 kays on a fixie. I can't do that with my gears, except going down hill,,,,,as dirty harry said to his mate,,,,,,to much lasagne...

[il padrone]

I am saying its a dumb thing to do. When youv'e ridden a motorbike + bicycle for 10 years in commuter traffic you can get back to me.

Yes, well you see that's where values and preferences come into the whole equation. I've commuted by bike on and off for most of the past 35 years in suburban and inner city Melbourne. My kids were transported from ~18 months old in a child trailer, on all sorts of roads, mostly for recreational rides. I don't favour kiddie-seats at all. But I value my role as a father too much to ever consider riding a motorbike That would be a dumb thing to do.

[bychosis]

I used to take my sons out on the bike when they were small enough. 10km/h? I don't think so. "Faster, Faster", i didn't mix it with traffic much but wasn't afraid to a little. Now, I wasn't there so can't comment on the traffic but why shouldn't we ride within the traffi - legally of course and get more bikes out there. It's your choice not to, not my first choice to do it if avoidable but it may be an only means of transport for some.

Take precautions, minimise the risks you can't eliminate them.

[high_tea]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

Shrug. I see parents doing things that I wouldn't contemplate doing with mine, oh, all the time. But risk is one of those things that no two people look at the same way. I save my indignation for really bad stuff and riding with a kid in traffic is no such thing. 'Course, I've done it and will continue to. Other people wouldn't and that's fine with me.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

[merlin6014]

I used to take my sons out on the bike when they were small enough. 10km/h? I don't think so. "Faster, Faster", i didn't mix it with traffic much but wasn't afraid to a little. Now, I wasn't there so can't comment on the traffic but why shouldn't we ride within the traffi - legally of course and get more bikes out there. It's your choice not to, not my first choice to do it if avoidable but it may be an only means of transport for some.

Take precautions, minimise the risks you can't eliminate them.

Exactly - you said it - "its your choice". Once again I'm not saying make it illegal, Im saying I think its dumb - like I'm sure some of you think riding a motorbike is dumb or jumping out of an aeroplane.

[merlin6014]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

IMO its dumb, obviously not in yours - we dont have to agree

[merlin6014]

But I value my role as a father too much to ever consider riding a motorbike That would be a dumb thing to do.

[/quote]

I agree with you - I gave up the motorbike when I became a father (3 years ago), and only recently got back on for short commutes. Still have to have rocks in my head to do it, but at least I dont put a baby on the back (wont someone think of the children!! ).

Theres a whole list of perfectly legal behaviors that are "dumb" in the world (I have listed several examples - cleaning a loaded rifle is another) - our willingness to take "risks" decides wether we do them or not. What you and I see as dumb changes according to our life experience i.e. having kids; having accidents; getting sick ect.

[il padrone]

Once again I'm not saying make it illegal, Im saying I think its dumb

Maybe on this, a cycling forum where a good proportion of people may do this sort of child tranpsort, you could consider the golden rule - "If you can't say something positive, say nothing" ??

Calling it "dumb" and people "idiots" is not going to win favour.

[merlin6014]

Once again I'm not saying make it illegal, Im saying I think its dumb

Maybe on this, a cycling forum where a good proportion of people may do this sort of child tranpsort, you could consider the golden rule - "If you can't say something positive, say nothing" ??

Calling it "dumb" and people "idiots" is not going to win favour.

I see what your saying but I'm not here to "win favour" - I call it as I see it. Its your choice but dont come crying to me when Mr SUV runs over baby Pengrove is all I'm saying.

Actually I think its human909 that really rustled my jimmies - just because I pull the lcyra on dosn't make me some crusading cyclists advocate like some people here think you must be. I ride train and ride TT at present because I currently enjoy going as fast as one can go, I have no interest in being a smelly cycling advocate.

[high_tea]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

IMO its dumb, obviously not in yours - we dont have to agree

Hey, nice selective quoting. I particularly like the way you cut out the bit where I said I didn't mind dissenting opinions. Cute.

[merlin6014]

Hey, nice selective quoting. I particularly like the way you cut out the bit where I said I didn't mind dissenting opinions. Cute.

My apologies (I missed it). truce.

[outnabike]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

IMO its dumb, obviously not in yours - we dont have to agree

Hi merlin, agreeing or not is one thing, I reckon no one appreciates being shouted at. Don't forget you you are shouting at every one who reads you post.

[il padrone]

I see what your saying but I'm not here to "win favour" - I call it as I see it.

OK, so express your view that it's riskier behaviour than you'd do. "Dumb" and "idiot" takes on a strong flavour of insult to most people.


Like this follow up

I have no interest in being a smelly cycling advocate.

Totally pointless

[merlin6014]

OK, so express your view that it's riskier behaviour than you'd do. "Dumb" and "idiot" takes on a strong flavour of insult to most people.

I did express my view and was attacked for it so I had to spell out my opinion.

Like this follow up
Totally pointless

Its not pointless - its how I feel. I try and discuss cycling with my friends and all I get is a hatred of cyclists which is spurned on by these so called "advocates" and their stupid blockades. Sick of being lumped in with the hippies.

Edit - sure I try to educate them. Its the same with motorcycles and peoples general hatred towards those evil lane splitting speeding hoons as well.

[il padrone]

I did express my view and was attacked for it so I had to spell out my opinion.

OK, I see now that you did. It has been the thread title (which I also don't like), your qualified question about whether it was "dumb", and the later comments about idiots that coloured my comments here.