Phil (ascentale)

@skyfaller also asks:

Q7. What additional precautions do you take to protect children while you are carrying them on your bicycle? Do you advertise their presence, in hopes drivers will be more careful around you? Do you use flags, or a "baby on board" placard?

We have a large front loader with a baby car seat adapter and it'll be our main form of child transport; we're car free.

Post w/pics: https://sfba.social/@[email protected]lub/116295916229758238

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Mar 27 at 11:48pmWeb
Show threadPhil (ascentale)1d ago

@skyfaller @bikenite A7. I've taken many precautions, though am not sure about their efficacy:
* I made flag pole lights. Pickup trucks have hoods that are 5+ feet tall and I needed something tall for visibility for me and my kid on their own bike.
* I have also ridden with a flag and a koinobori fish streamer.
* Loud music can help make sure others are aware of your presence, but your kid might not like that at all
* Bubble machines are fun and I believe that drivers give you more space because they might not like getting bubbles on their windshield (soap!)
* Sometimes I'd run lights during the daytime also
* I have a camera that I mount on a selfie stick to record our Bike Buses. I think it also makes drivers slow down or drive more safely because they either don't know what it is but it looks *weird* or they know it's a camera and know that they might be recorded if they do anything unsafe

Hope that helps! We have been car-free, riding with child for more than a decade.

#BikeNite

Show threadoheso16h ago

@ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite Kudos for koinobori!

#BikeNite

Show threadMarty Cormack1d ago
@ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite
#BikeNite A7:
I only carry the grandchildren for the week in summer when they visit. I have a Burley D'Lite trailer. It is somewhat more obvious; it is a well known and popular kid trailer. But I only take them on multiuse trails and low volume streets and they wear helmets. I also have blinking lights on the bike and trailer.
Show threadBob Jonkman1d ago

#BikeNite A7: I was going to suggest a pool noodle mounted horizontally as a guide to passing motorists to stay away. But the site from which I got the picture suggests this is not the best idea, and recommends "taking control of the lane."

https://cyclingsavvy.org/2018/04/how-to-get-great-passing/

@ascentale
@skyfaller @bikenite

Show threadDaniel1d ago
@bobjonkman @ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite the most considerate passes I've ever had while cycling were when I was carrying a garden lawn trimmer on my back. I guess you could substitute a rake, or a hockey stick, or a scimitar ... (check local laws and make sure whatever you choose is legal to carry in public)
Show threadoheso16h ago

@bobjonkman @ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite I will second taking control of the lane.

#BikeNite

Show threadJon Roach16h ago
@oheso @bobjonkman @ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite +1 "You were forced to consider other road users? Diddums." #BikeNite
Show threadLovesTha🥧16h ago

@bobjonkman @ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite #BikeNite If a lane isn't wide enough to safely have a car and bike side by side, don't ride where a driver might think they can squeeze past you without using another lane.

Don't give the drivers the option to make your journey unsafe.

Show threadajft [SEC=continvoucly morged]1d ago

@ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite #BikeNite A7 some years ago now, given that the teenager is now well past being carried. I generally found that the mere presence of the kid, either in a trailer or on the tag-a-long suddenly made motorists who 'cannot see cyclists' overtake with 2m to spare, stop to let us turn even when legally they shouldn't, and follow us slowly if they couldn't pass

There was also the once or twice a year we'd get some screamed abuse about us endangering our child by taking them on the public road, usually by a person driving who was clearly the sort who would endanger our child by driving on a public road

Show threadNelson11h ago
@ajft @ascentale @bikenite I hope for drivers to be more careful around children, but that's why I asked about advertising the presence of a child. I fear that by the time they get close enough to see my child clearly it may be too late for them to drive more carefully. My frontloader means the child is in the front, so cars approaching from behind may not see the child until they have already passed me.
Show threadedd22h ago

@ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite A7. I'm mostly more attentive to taking quiet roads or cycleways when possible. Our flag was snapped off by the kid it was supposed to announce...

Our kids ride in a trailer, so there's a LOT more looking back.

#BikeNite

Show threadDaniele Verducci 🧉17h ago
@edd @ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite A7: We've got a front loader cargo bike (a backfiets clone) and my 18 months old daughter travels in the front box, strapped with a 5-point belt to a bicycle child seat. It's similar to the ones used in cars, but smaller. The seat is mounted lower than usual: this leave less space to the legs, but she's more protected by the bicycle box.
Other than that, reflectors adhesive strips and lights always on.
I tend to avoid fast or traffiked roads as much as possible.
Show threadLovesTha🥧16h ago
@ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite A7 #bikeNite My only kids on bike is on the rear of my long tail, so drivers can easily see them. I also rarely ride that way on busy roads, but I have done and it has been fine. But they are roads with good visibility and plenty of room for drivers to pass without needing to change lanes (just nice wide lanes)
Show threadJF  5h ago

@ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite

A7: Nothing special really. The seat was visible, we are visible but that you can do against selfishness and mobile phones

Show threadMegan Lynch (she/her)2h ago

@ascentale @skyfaller @bikenite A7. I don't have kids, nor do I take care of some, but I would probably add the proverbial pool noodle to any other precautions you're taking.

There does seem to be some psychological effect they have and I think most non-homicidal drivers give some extra room due to a horizontal pool noodle strapped appropriately. #BikeNite