I_bRAD

I'm not a parent... yet, but I will be in a few months and my pregnant partner rides to work every day as well. She just started commuting on the new "pregnant" bike I built for her with a more upright riding position

Nerdanel 

I wear my brain bucket and sport seizure-inducing blinkies on my bike because my family needs my pay more than my insurance. What gets me about colleagues looking out for my welfare is they all think they have to tell me about every bike wreck they have ever heard of, anywhere, any time, to convince me to be careful. I see them drive up in their cars, but I don't buttonhole them with every car crash story I ever heard!

mjw16

Provided I takes steps to mitigate the risks (wear a helmet, use bike lanes, mup, etc) I think my commuting is actually improving my family's outlook. I'm healthier than a sedentary person, I'm saving money compared to other modes of transportation, I'm happier and more energentic and, I'll pass those values along to my son, thereby improving his quality of life. My wife has gotten back into commuting after a year and a half absence so, her health outlook is improving.

This kind of reminds me of a local debate between some Alexandria residents and the Mirant power plant. Some want the plant closed and complain of the inherent risks to their health citing: coal dust on their cars, affects on their lungs, feeling generally bad the closer they live to this power plant. They want it shut down with power coming from a DC facility instead. I lived directly across from this plant for about 7 years and road past it twice daily for 5. I, on the other hand, could argue conversly that my proximity to the plant (and DC, where I work), allowed me to ride my bike on a daily basis and my health is much improved for it. A recent cardio/pulminary test showed that I was operating at 100% or better in every measurable catagory. I could argue that I'm healthier/fitter as a cylclist living near a big city than many of my sedentary co-workers who drive into work from the (presumably) cleaner suburbs of Northern Virginia. So, tell your friend that it's a matter of perspective.

cc700

why don't drivers think of his family? it's not his fault.

besides, getting fat and getting diabeetus as he drives around in a 6000lbs denali isn't thinking of his family either.

tbdean

This is backwards. His contribution to humanity is done, he's no longer needed. You have yet to reproduce and are therefor more potentially valuable.

I'm a father of 3. Most people in Atlanta are just upset that I'm on the road and not on the sidewalk or bike path. I'm still trying to find either of those...

Sirrus Rider

Some chicks are mentally impaired by the extra information found on the X-chromosome.

mjw16

I'm now a father of a 15 month old and love him dearly. I think about his care all the time and have made minor adjustments to my riding style as a result. I make sure that I'm always lit up with a blinkie, never ride w/out my helmet, and, most importantly, I won't take unecessary chances while on the road. I will no longer run red lights, squeeze between cars, or, shoot a gap. If I'm at all hesitant about riding on the streets in DC, I'll opt for the sidewalk (it's much slower with all the tourists, however, they're nice and wide and legal to ride on). I'm much more defensive a rider as a result. That said, I'm very fortunate to be on the Mount Vernon Trail for probably 80% of my ride and am completely separated from car traffic as a result. In addition, I'm out there so early that I'm way ahead of the worst of rush hour.

Nope, inherent risks aside, my family and I are much better off as a result of my cycle commuting. I'm not going to end up the overweight, high blood pressure, heart attack risk that many of my co-workers and friends have become. I want to be around for and enjoy my family for a long, long time.

jharte

OMG. I used to get that (and still get it occasionally). I tell people this is my 38th year of commuting (not to mention the thousands of miles of touring). I also tell them "I'm paid up".

I don't give a rats arse what [B]they[B] think. I'm older than most of them, healthier than most of them, and I feel good about saving as much carbon as I can by bike commuting.

Ok, I'm done. Sorry. It's a sore spot with me...

Jerry H

mrbrown

I get that A LOT. I have three children.

I tell people who say that to me that 3 years ago, I was overweight and dangerously close to following my dad and mom's family history of heart disease and strokes.

It shuts them up sometimes. But then a smartass will say, why don't you drive to the gym and ride the stationary bicycle there for exercise? That's safer, doncha think?

Sigh.

gremlin76

anybody ride a motorcycle? the criticism is way worse!

yes a bike is dangerous, either kind. but car accidents are more common. i've had 4 car accidents, and only one accident on a bicycle, and none on a motorcycle. so there's my stats, cars are more dangerous (for me at least).

cod.peace

Are you kidding? I don't watch local news broadcasts (aside from the fact that at 6pm the family is eating or I'm playing with my kids) because at least half the time the first 10 minutes is usually a roundup of the day's fatal car accidents in the state. It's so routine we don't even notice it...

TheDL

So says the guy that's obviously never been hit by a car before.

rajman

1. A cyclist is far less likely to kill either their family members, neigbours or others than a motorist.

2. Cycling is good for the heart, disease of which is the LEADING cause of death by all causes in USA.

3. Um. I think 1 & 2 are enough.

Using caution while driving or cycling is a good idea, but there is no way to completely avoid the vagaries of chance or the maliciousness/neglect of others.

Given all this, I ride in part, BECAUSE I'm thinking of my family.

rajman

I've been hit by a car before, as has my wife(twice!).

My solution to the not being hit by a car is to not drive - if everyone did this, it would not be a problem.

At least I've got my end of the bargain covered, more or less - what about you?

Hydrated

I get that kind of criticism at work sometimes... I usually just remind them that I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and I'll still be around long after they stroke out. Unless I am crushed beneath the wheels of a log truck...

maddyfish

I commute ( helmetless) to the school I work at, with my kids ( on the road) all the time. I have not heard anything like this from anybody. But If I do, my response will be--the first girl I ever kissed, my best friend from middle school, my brother in law, and my wifes favorite uncle, all died in car crashes, how many poeple you know that have died in bike crashes?

GodsBassist

https://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/comparat.html
I like to tell them that since they have families they really should bike instead of drive because it's safer... health issues aside, even.

I bike without a helmet unless I have to, and have been hit by (and hit) a car.

prathmann

Not a commuter anymore and my daughter is grown up now. But when she was little my commute involved first riding with her on the back to her preschool to drop her off and then continuing on to my work. When she got to kindergarten age we switched to a tandem with the rear cranks moved up on the seattube so she could reach the pedals.
Never got any negative comments from either the schools or from co-workers.

DX-MAN

Maybe you should -- then they'd realize how ANNOYING they are!

JoeyBike

She should shut her pie-hole.

Think of all the parents who are police, firemen, military, astronauts, coal miners, refinery workers etc. If everybody was a worrywart nothing would ever get done.

DX-MAN

Yes, I'm a parent (and a grandparent, too!); haven't heard a nanny like this in a looooong time, so I guess I'm fortunate. I'm usually pretty abrupt with people who say stupid things to me anyway, so I can imagine how THAT talk would go:

NANNY: "You shouldn't ride your bike, you have a family to think of."

ME: "You should mind your own d*mn*d business! I'm healthier than the average 30-y-o, I survived 7 years in the military, and my kids love it!"

NANNY: "But it's DANGEROUS out there!"

ME: "The danger comes from self-righteous, self-important pukes like you! Shut your pie hole and get outta my face!"

Then someone else comes to me hours later, wondering what all the ruckus was about.

tatfiend 

Much of our current society seems to think that anything that they do not do is risky it seems. They also apparently feel that anything risky that they do not do should be discouraged. This certainly applies to both bike and motorcycle riding from my experience. They seem to forget that life itself is fatal!

As most accidents in the home statistically take place in the bathroom should we eliminate them as a health hazard? Dont go into the bathroom, it is dangerous.

calyth

I think being stuck in the traffic might drive me crazy and make me go on a rampage before riding my bike would cause concern for my family.

She's making things overblown, and driving a car is not exactly no-risk either. But there's no convincing of people who don't believe in facts, and are already prejudiced.

Just nod, say "uh huh" and move on.

heywood

I have two girls of which I always towed to pre-school on an "A" frame now they love to bike to school & friends. Spring this year I was diagnosed with hypertension that is now under control and my weight is dropping fast due to a few more extra commutes. If if wasn't for my bike i'd probably be dead or have a serious cardiac condition. My ex-wife on the other hand has been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and has to use a machine to breath at night...my wife eats right, doesn't smoke or drink excessivly..me, I smoke, eat terribly, and drank way too much beer but bike everywhere. I have changed my eating & drinking habits (hypertension now gone away my wife drives everywhere. Doctor said it was biking that was the reason for my great health, despite my stupid lifestyle, so what's more dangerous??

xtrajack

I am addicted to three things:Riding my bike,surfing the web and reading. I have had a co worker tell me I was crazy for commuting by bike. I just politely disagreed. I believe that I am healthier and happier than most of my coworkers.