Somehow I suspect that my toddler daughter will use this more than me....
The high-viz tassles clearly a boon. Motorists whose attention has to be split between driving, phone calls, texting and emails, should be able to simply catch sight of the tassles through their peripheral vision whilst engaged in more important activities.
I am concerned though.
My daughter learnt to ride a cycle very quickly. Probably because riding a bike is as easy as - well - riding a bike. But she is showing a worrying lack of road awareness skills.
For a start she just doesn't seem to understand about vehicular cycling and primary position. It would appear that using a vulnerable cycle to control the actions of cars and lorries isn't something that comes naturally. She seems confused when I try to push her in front of fast moving traffic in order to take primary. She seems to think that this might be risky. She has so much to learn.
Also, one can see in the picture that there is a second seat for a doll. In the picture Dora the Explorer is at terrible risk because she hasn't dressed in high viz and a helmet before going on a ride. This is tantamount to recklessness and if Dora ever had the misfortune to get in the way of important road users (ie motorised ones) then she would only have herself to blame for the consequences. As some judges have pointed out more than once or twice.
When my daughter rides the cycle, it appears she actually enjoys doing so. Sometimes she even breaks out into a little song or has a chuckle to herself. This is simply unacceptable. How do I instil in her that cycling is a serious business requiring specialist clothing and protective equipment and should be conducted grim-faced whilst negotiating angry motorists on inhospitable roads?
Frankly, I wonder whether my daughter is cut out for cycling....
Brilliant post!
ReplyDeleteMany happy years of biking to your daughter!