After a while you get used to cars not giving you the space you really want, but when you've got your offspring loaded-up on the back you suddenly become re-sensitised to any lack of elbow room. Or at least I do, as I found the other day when the Co-Pilot and I were squeezed by a Saab driver on High St, Glen Iris, despite the empty right hand lane that the overtaker could have used.
And I'd have thought the presence of a small bike helmet sticking out of rear kiddie seat was obvious enough. I didn't think we needed to resort to "Baby on Board" stickers for bikes (and I've never understood their purpose on cars for that matter). But maybe we do need 'em, just for the slow-witted.
However, I think I've discovered a more subtle proxy: the Thomas the Tank Engine backpack. The Co-Pilot transports all his essentials around in his Thomas Bag and it was with him yesterday when I collected him from ~~periodic detention~~ the day centre. A charming look though it is, I didn't want to wear the thing myself (too hot for backpacks, that was my excuse) so I slung it around the headrest of the pillion seat.
We travelled some busy roads to get home with every passing car giving us plenty of clearance. And I can only put it down to the cheery countenance of the No. 1 loco smiling out at all those drivers from the back of the bike. ~~And the absence of Saab drivers.~~
Does anyone else notice that they are treated differently when carrying a child on their bike?
Comments
Ahh, yes. Genuine WTF technology is still the best safety device for your bike :-)
I know the thing hielke's talking about, it's a safety wing, 5 from Abbotsford Cycles.
I guess the different clearances given to bikes with kiddie seats vs bikes with trailers vs bikes without comes down to how unusual each is. To a driver, an unloaded bike is "just a bike, no further analysis required"; a bike with a kiddie seat is "just a bike, hang on isn't that a kiddie seat?"; and a trailer is "what the hell is that?!?" I guess it also helps that a trailer is considerably wider than an unloaded bike!
I'm prepared to accept that I may have unfairly maligned Saab drivers. Yes, I've fallen into the same logical trap that many non-cyclists do about cyclists: see some bad behaviour in one or two representatives and generalise to the whole group. There are idiots in all groups, but that doesn't necessarily condemn the whole group. So on mature reflection, I take it back.
I don't carry our kids on a rear carrier but a front carrier, so cars generally are unaware. What I noticed that really does make a difference is the trailer. Hook up a trailer and cars gives you so much way they actually end up on the wrong side of the road. What drivers don't know is that when I use it in the city it's just stuffed with groceries. By the way, the unusual part of the story for me was that it was a Saab driver. Audi driver would have made sense, but Saab is so out of character. Full disclosure compels me to say that I used to drive an old Saab.
I remember bikes in the 70s and 80s, especially in Austria/Germany, had this reflector that would fold out. I'll try my best to describe it. It was an orange reflector shaped as a ping-pong paddle with a really really long handle. It would be mounted on your rack and folded parallel to it when the bike was parked. When you would ride you would fold it out, 90 degree angle to your rack. Its akin to creating your own (midget-sized) door zone. In all fairness though, if a driver hit the reflector paddle he/she would probably hit you too, but at least it created a focus point that was a bit further to the side of your body. I tried to look for a photo on the web, but maybe they're not being sold anymore. Can't comment on the Thomas the Tank Engine bag. We use a Bob The Builder backpack...
Now that puzzles me. Why should a driver take extra care when a child is present? Surely we are all people, and equally deserving of consideration. I want my children to be kept safe, but equally I'm damn sure my mum wants me to be safe too.
Everyone is someone's daughter or son.
We have noticed that if we have children along on our BUG rides, drivers are generally much kinder to the whole group of riders.
Well, let me know the results of your experiment. :-)
At first I thought it would work with any child's "character" bag but now I'm not so sure—would people give the same clearance to a Barbie or Elmo bag? It might turn out that displaying an Elmo backpack could be downright dangerous…
Interesting, I don't have too many close calls when I'm riding with my two year old. I did have someone get a little close this week, and you are right...you really notice it. I've even been right into the CBD with him this week, which has been interesting.
We do have a Thomas backpack though, I'll have to give that a shot :)