ScottCommutes

There is one narrow stretch by me that my three kids and I ride sometimes. Passing us requires taking the opposite lane for a considerable time as you pass four riders in one go. Not passing us requires a driver to drive at 5-year-old cycling speed for an obnoxious time. All drivers eventually decide to pass, but most decide to pass slowly and badly underestimate how much distance the pass will require. This results in a lot of drivers sheepishly ending up nose to nose with an oncoming car in the opposite lane. No crashes yet, but always a concern.

Has anyone's biking ever causes a car to hit another car or any other type of accident that didn't involve you?

jadmt

if i were on a bike with kids in tow in a situation like that I would have them stop off to the side until the car passed....why take a chance of causing an accident that could cause a car to take swerve over and hit you to avoid being hit head on.....people react differently so may try and swerve out of the bigger threat's way

ScottCommutes

I totally agree with you here, but in this case, there is no shoulder or side of the road to move to - it immediately drops down into a bit of a ravine.

jadmt

sounds like might be too dangerous for kids.....at the very least if you hear a car just stop riding so they can get past you quicker....

ScottCommutes

I see how it seems that way, but this particular stretch actually feels fairly safe to bike on. We don't go during rush hour or anything. One lane each direction, 25mph. The whole narrow stretch is about 150 yards long. Lights on all the bikes. I put my oldest in front to lead, and I take the rear to signal to passing drivers. The five-year-old is directly in front of me so I can remind him to keep close to the curb and to keep the pedals turning. Stopping isn't a good option because we ride with several bikelengths between us due to rider skill level and to avoid bike-to-bike crashes. Yelling directions up and trying to stop would make us unpredictable and further spread apart.

ScottCommutes

Another situation I see all the time is an oncoming driver that misses his green left turn arrow. He often thinks he can turn tighter to get in front of my bike (coming straight toward him) and ends up facing the wrong way in the left turn lane of the crossing street. No crashes yet, fortunately. Again - no danger to the bike but a car is cutting in front of me and again ends up nose-to-nose with another car.

Chuck M 

I'd probably be more concerned with my kid's safety than if it was going to cause a head-on for a motorist, which I would not want either. For that reason I'd choose another route.

Rick

Purchase a trailercycle for the 5 year old to ride attached to you. I still have mine and will hook it to my sons bicycle so my grandson can come along.

ScottCommutes

The other one I see perhaps once a week is the simple driver making a left turn onto a side street. To save three seconds off his journey, he turns in front of me. Everything is cool and safe there, because we see and account for each other. The dangerous bit is when the driver underestimates my speed and ends up turning across the area of the side street where the white line for the stop sign is/would be painted. I haven't seen that crash yet either, but if it occurred, it would be because the turning driver was avoiding a cyclist. He would cut the corner better if there was no bicycle to avoid.

ScottCommutes

I understand this comment, but part of the role of parenting is introducing your kids to dangerous situations (like traffic) in a controlled manner.

I've talked to drivers on this narrow stretch as they roll up on me, and they support what I am doing.

Please understand my five-year-old is not on training wheels and a Spider Man bike anymore. He can easily do 6 miles each way with us in light traffic to the playground. He also did 15 miles nonstop on a dedicated bike rail trail. That kicked his butt a little bit.

ScottCommutes

We aged out of and discarded the trailer when my youngest son started abrading the fabric floor of the trailer along the road.

Leisesturm

No one has ever crashed avoiding me and I am somewhat concerned about the blithe tone of the o.p. What exactly is the point of outlining a situation that elicits concern and leaving it hanging?

roadcrankr

Plus 100. Ultimately, motorists do unpredictable maneuvers. Why depend on them to do the right thing.
From the OP's description, that stretch of road sounds unsafe for normal cycling.
A 5-year old seems too young to put in such a dangerous situation. Better to simply ride around the block at that age.
My kids grew up in a hilly area. Except for riding around our level driveway, we often drove our bikes to rideable areas.

indyfabz

Dang! I'm sorry. I posted that link in the wrong thread. It was mean for the thread by the guy who go in an accident and is worried about getting back on the bike.

Trakhak

I occasionally see parents riding with kids on their own bikes in front of or behind them on roads that seem to me odd and bad choices. My guess is that they're the roads that the parent usually chooses for solo rides and so unthinkingly uses them for family rides as well.

If the OP's surrounding community is anything like mine, there are plenty of roads nearby with little or no regular traffic (because they're not good for getting somewhere in a hurry) where drivers would, as a matter of course, maneuver carefully around parents and kids on bikes.

Troul 

teach the kids hand signals to know when to slow, stop, yield for caution, & other mannerisms prior to engaging with other's commuting. Use the hand signals with the kids when the above conflict arises to avoid the unnecessary mess. Put all domesticated animals on a short leash when out on the MUP. If your animals hates other people, do not take your animal out in public.
/basiccommonsense

I-Like-To-Bike

I am surprised that an 150 yard narrow stretch of 25 mph road causes all that drama for you or the drivers. If there are no other road alternatives, to avoid this drama I would have the group walk the bikes facing traffic for the 150 yard narrow stretch, starting the walking trek when the coast was clear.

Chuck M 

My wife's Pekinese hated everyone. But he was all bark and no bite. However if he thought you may hurt this little girl, his teeth could have made a pretty nasty scratch on your ankle.

Alan K

Find a different, safer place to ride with your children!
Not only you are putting your children at risk, while doing it, you are teaching them wrong lessons - children learn from your actions.

Alan K

It’s the holiday - so it’s either going out on a drizzly and foggy day on a bicycle or this drama, and the drama wins.

flangehead

No.

Rick

trailercycle not trailer. It hooks to your bicycle and the child helps by pedaling. I still have ours from when my son was younger. My son was kind of small and I used it between 5 and 11 years old. My 3 year old grandson Is 3 1/2 feet tall and I am going to try him out on it soon.

PeteHski

That situation describes pretty much ALL our local roads in the UK. But I wouldn’t ride on them 4 up with small children. I’ve seen family groups riding like that a few times (especially during the pandemic) and it didn’t look very safe. IME cars are often impatient to pass and often willing to take risks in doing so. It is just a matter of time before something bad happens.

Leisesturm

Seriously. I visited the UK w/my DW who is from there and I'm not sure I could ever bike there! And we were in a small town (Burnley) but the traffic was insane. But to your last point. Absolutely, I'm certain that nearly everyone that winds up seriously hurt (or worse) in a bicycle crash had one or more close calls that should have clued them in that their roadcraft needed some TLC.

FBinNY 

No driver has ever crashed, though there have been concerning close calls. The thing to know is that a driver who miscalculates a pass and finds himself facing a potential head on will instinctively move right, so the real issue isn't the potential head on, but what the driver's response means to you or your kids.

Best practice is to actively prevent unsafe passes where timing and sight lines are a problem. In your shoes, on a long narrow stretch is to ride behind your kids, slightly to the left (more in the lane than they are), to discourage passes or at least send a message calling for added caution. Also, instruct your kids to space themselves either very closely so the entire passing distance is minimized, or better, space themselves about 20' apart to create options for a drive to pass them one or two at a time. Also teach them to slow and open the gap as a passing car comes abreast.

Of course, spacing and slowing as being passed call for some maturity, so you have to make a decision. I'd probably keep the younger (slower?) children in back close to me, and in my "shadow". The older ones can ride farther ahead spaced for safe individual passing.

Of course, and if possible, the wisest solution might be to avoid roads where safe passing is so problematic.

BTW- this isn't only a problem with children. My daily commute includes a narrow 200 yard steep climb with zero sight line past the crest. I normally take the dead center of the road, making passing impossible until I crest the hill. I once blocked a cop who got upset and gave me lights and siren, pulling me over after the hill. I explained my logic, and asked him to think about what he'd do if a car came over the top as he was passing. He was less than thrilled, but admitted understanding my position.

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