Living Car Free - Article on biking with kids (cross post from Family forum)

I just wrote an article about options for biking for transportation with children here: http://austinbikeblog.org/?p=528

I'm interested in others' experiences. What works for you?

I want to get a trailer, but I'm a little concerned about taking it on busier roads. How have your experiences been? Would you take it on a 45 mph road (not highway)?

Not a big issue, especially if you have one of those flags on the trailer. The boxy-looking trailer with the flapping flag seems to get attention, and even the mouth-breathers figure out there's a child in there. I get WAY more respect with the trailer hooked up.

Trouble is, by now, it's reduced to a grocery-getter. But they don't know that...heh, heh, heh....

I want to get a trailer, but I'm a little concerned about taking it on busier roads. How have your experiences been? Would you take it on a 45 mph road (not highway)?

I try to avoid busier roads with the trailer if there is not a bike lane or shoulder. I don't avoid such roads without the trailer, but I have a hard time judging my rear width clearance sometimes.

Riding is traffic is more psychologically than anything else, so some may be OK on such roads.

Trouble is, by now, it's reduced to a grocery-getter. But they don't know that...heh, heh, heh....

Yeah, I drop off the kids in the morning then ride home before heading to work. The drivers give me more space, but the pedestrians give me strange looks when they see the empty trailer. Sometimes they ask me if I forgot something! (I also take them to day care jogging a running stroller a couple days a week with similar response.)

Yeah, I drop off the kids in the morning then ride home before heading to work. The drivers give me more space, but the pedestrians give me strange looks when they see the empty trailer.
Can you leave the trailer (and stroller) at the daycare? I dislike having an empty trailer especially with high winds. I lock mine to the fence at the school where I drop kids, where it waits for DW who is doing the pickup.

Can you leave the trailer (and stroller) at the daycare? I dislike having an empty trailer especially with high winds. I lock mine to the fence at the school where I drop kids, where it waits for DW who is doing the pickup.

Yes, I can but don't right now because my wife usually picks up the kids in our shared car. When I know I'll be picking them up or she bikes to get them, I do leave it there. I've not noticed any wind problems with empty trailer other than the drag it always has, loaded or not.