Topic: Am I the only one who thinks this is dangerous?

[Squash64]

I've just got back home from walking the dogs and as I pulled into the drive a man on a motorbike passed me - with a child sitting behind him on the bike.  She was aged about 8/9 and did have a crash helmet on but had bare legs.  I hope he doesn't have to stop suddenly because she will go flying into the road. 
We have to wear safety-belts in cars, but what protects passengers on motor bikes?
I'm really concerned now about this little girl.

[grannyjanny]

I agree Squash, very dangerous indeed.

[lillian]

I hate to see babes and tots on the back of pedal cycles.

[Poppy Mole]

Everyone on a motorbike should wear full protecting leathers, the resulting damage to the body from sliding along the road when they come off is just too horrible to even imagine.

[Emagggie]

Crikey, that sounds a foolhardy thing to do. Why would anyone subject a child to such danger? In my opinion it's bad enough being on the back of a bike, let alone without leathers. :o
You can be the safest rider in the world but there are plenty who are not and are the cause of accidents.

[landimad]

The fool hardy law states that the minimum requirement to ride a bike is Helmet and Gloves.
Few years back my son came off at fifty miles an hour with full leathers on and he had gravel rash down one side of him. He was lucky to get up and carry on with his life.
Trouble with that is the fact that I beat the emergency services to him and they were astonished to see me holding his neck in one position.
They asked me if I had witnessed it and I said no just the father. That surprised them. :D

[brown thumb]

i agree very dangerous and stupid if the girl came off and was lucky enough not to suffer any broken bones the gravel rash is painful on its own with out getting any bacteria in it from the road surface i  know from personal experience so i go out properly booted and suited even on a small cc bike went to a course a few weeks ago and left one of my gloves behind so went back and asked the course instructor if he seen my glove so him being a smart alec said why do you need gloves for its red hot out side (helmet slung over my arm)so i said ill need them if i come off             it was an health and safety course       ( what a wally)

[Gadget]

Sadly we are growing a society that seems to no regard to safety towards their children, if they (the adult)wish to act irresponsible, fine, but do not subject anyone else to their whims  :)

[ACE]

STUPID FOOL. As a rider myself I always wear leather or special jeans and jackets that have built in protection. I have seen people in shorts, t shirts and flip flops and cringe when I think of what would happen, even at slow speeds. Skin strips vey easily and can leave scars for life. They should be reported to the police as that child is in their care and should be safeguarded against injuries.

It gets hot in all the proper gear, but wind up the throttle and get a move on you will soon cool down with a wind chill of 70mph or a tad more if there are no cameras about. ;) If you want to flash your bits, get a nissan micra an drive around naked. Nobody will take offence at you, they might get a bit annoyed at being held up at 25 mph though.

[shirlton]

Ooooer Betty naked in a nissan micra. ;D

[macmac]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_724057_categoryId_165542_langId_-1?cm_sp=Intelligent_Offer-_-Product_List_Zone_1-_-Blank&iozone=PLPz1
I know it's not the same thing but I've always thought these things were dangerous,so flimsy if something runs into them. :o

[BarriedaleNick]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_724057_categoryId_165542_langId_-1?cm_sp=Intelligent_Offer-_-Product_List_Zone_1-_-Blank&iozone=PLPz1
I know it's not the same thing but I've always thought these things were dangerous,so flimsy if something runs into them. :o

Basically if you are on a bike and someone runs into you then you are in do-do regardless.  Personally I love to see kids transported on bikes as long as it is done sensibly (not motorised bikes btw) - at least they are not stuck in a car.  The amount of traffic generated by the school run is nuts here in London. ...

[taurus]

Very dangerous.  Other half got knocked of his motor bike couple years ago and as never really fully recoversd.  Car driver turned right without signaling as he was overtaking.  Thank god he had all the right kit on because I don't think he would be here today.  Perhaps its just me.  But life seems to have become cheap the more the world becomes over populated.  
macmac there great for tranfering gardening kit to the allotments  ;D  wouldn't put a child in one though, not the way they drive round here.

[macmac]

What a brilliant idea Taurus :)

[Squash64]

Ooooer Betty naked in a nissan micra. ;D

Being naked is nothing to worry about - it's the thought of getting the Micra up to 25mph that's bothering me.

[OllieC]

I don't think it has anything to do with life being cheap or society having no regard to safety towards children. It's one person who clearly lacks the capacity to care for one child. That is all and that is why it stands out.

I think society in general is very (some would say perhaps overly) protective of children - remember the climbing frames you had in school as a kid? They're not there now. Child seats and seat belts in cars? We used to roll around in the back of the Sherpa van in a cloud of dad's cigarette smoke. CRB checks, enhanced CRB checks, risk assessments before school trips, nut allergy warnings on everything, grapes needing to be cut in half before sending them in to school, walking to school with your children instead of sending them off from the front gate... the list goes on! Society gives us plenty of cotton wool in which to wrap our little cherubs.

[Squash64]

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

But is there anything I could do about it?  I have a feeling the man must live in my road as I saw him pull into a drive as I was going past.

[Lishka]

Betty, you're obviously very concerned - do you have Community Police you could speak to? Ours round here in S.B'ham are very approachable and are great at having a 'quiet word' where necesary to sort things out, without getting 'formal' about things.

I really had v. mixed feelings about the CP, but I must say they actually do do a great job by sorting stuff out before it escalates, so I'm thinking that if poss. a quiet word by them to the father of the child to point out the bl**din obvious, might do the trick?

[cornykev]

I've lost count of the times abroad that I've seen a family of four on a scooter, dad in his flip flops, mum with her shopping and the two kids sitting in front of dad.          :(

[Jeannine]

It sounds to me like endangering a minor actually, a call to Social Services might be in order.It may just be a parent who doesn't realise the danger on a bike but if may indicate a general lack of concern and they may be aware of other things. If they have no previous history  with this family they may have a gentle chat with the parent..or may not..if there is more they would be appreciative of the report. It is anonymous for you, they can't reveal their source.

If they are a good family but uninformed about the dangers you could be helping therm, maybe the bike is new and they simply don't know.

I would have to do something.

XX Jeannine