Paul Y.

When you think about all the close calls over the years when cycling, near misses or brush backs by big pickup truck mirrors,I sometimes wonder if I want to pass this great sport on to my kids. I've always considered myself extremely lucky. Many times I've come home and thought you know this day could have gone in a complete different direction. I still love it, but always keep in mind the vehicle in back of you could give you a bad day. Not trying to be a downer,just maybe some other opinions on this.

patentcad

Not me.

making

I bought my 14 yo son a fuji newest 1.0 last year. It scared me to death to realize he would actually ride it out there were I ride, in traffic. So yesterday he brought home a scooter(got it from a buddy of mine) I can send it back anytime. I really hate it but I cannot protect my kids forever. I was a nut on a bike when I was my kids age, never had a helmet. Rearended a car once. You have to just let them live. He also wants to go into the Marine Corps cause I did. Dam.

badfishgood

Nope. They will play tennis or golf.

Recent example as to why (caution graphic photos):

https://laist.com/2008/07/07/road_rag...lists_on_m.php

carpediemracing 

I don't have kids but I have nephews, all under 5 years old. I watch them play, run, jump, fall, etc. I'm amazed they don't get brain damage every time they fall.

My brother and I talked about all of our close calls. Sometimes he was there for mine (two very exciting but ultimately harmless car accidents). It's a game of chance. First you pray that your kid isn't the 1 in whatever that has some genetic defect etc. Then you pray that your kid IS the one in a bazillioin that makes it out of the insane situation he got himself into when he's 16, going 80 in a 35, and swerves to avoid a car backing out of a driveway (or whatever). Based on how I drove when I was 16-18 years old, my kids will have 90 hp Honda Civics. And since they'll probably have 300 hp in 18-20 years, I'll just disconnect some spark plugs (or a bunch of solar panels or batteries or whatever) to keep the car's speed down. If he can corner fast enough to build up speed, okay, fine, I'll let him do that.

When I think of what I'm afraid to do - motorcycles, sky diving, bungee jumping - versus what I like doing (or have liked doing) - rock climbing (I don't know what to call it but it was 2 lengths of rope so 300 feet up?) and rappelling, bicycle riding/racing, car driving (and sometimes solo racing), shooting a gun - I realized that I've taken what I consider to be very calculated risks. For example, I tried to ride motorcycles, I really wanted to, but I was almost frozen with fear at 30 mph. I can bike faster than that but for some reason the big, heavy (relatively speaking) motorcycle made it different. So no motorcycles for me, even though every winter I start buying motorcycle magazines again.

On the bike I'm good to about 55-60 mph, then I get nervous. Rock climbing, as long as I'm roped in, I'm okay with whatever height, but unroped I'm shaking like a leaf at 10-15 feet up. Guns I don't mind but I was paranoid enough about mishandling a gun that I never bought one. Instead I went to a range and rented various guns. If I could store a gun at a range I'd probably own a few.

If I do have kids, I think I'd feel comfortable passing on to them the things I felt comfortable doing - cycling, rock climbing, car sports, guns. I'd be nervous if they did things I didn't feel comfy with myself - motorcycles, bungee type stuff, sky diving, base jumping, etc.

Ask me this again when I actually have kids. They'll probably be locked up in a padded room, filtered air, security system all around.

cdr

making

yea but then their life would not be worth bothering with. gotta live a little.

sojourn

I can't imagine living my life any differently....I can't imagine not allowing others that same freedom.....regardless of the dangers, the sorrows, the joys, the happiness. It seems to me that you can't have one aspect of life without having the other. Playing it safe is one way of living, total disregard another. I'll stick with somewhere in between....

NYJayhawk

I've skiied since I was 4, and have busted myself up there pretty good. Haven't had my big one on a bike yet, but I'm sure it's out there lurking.

Still, my kids ski with me, and I know they could be injured. My son is 10, and got his first "real bike", a low-end Trek MTB, and now he wants to do "long rides" with me (10 miles or so is "long" for him). Route selection, common sense, and experience can help you avoid injuries in any speed-oreinted sport, but still anything can happen.

I wouldn't keep my kids from the sport if they want to persue it.

EventServices

It's a bit like sex, idnit?
If you try to hide it from them, they'll find it on their own.

Teach.... your children well.
I hate that song, but the line fits.

My dad was a safety engineer for the county road commission. He taught his kids how traffic works at an early age. At age 9, I knew that freeway cloverleafs were engineered to hold a constant speed/radius.

urbanknight

I sometimes wonder if I want to bring kids into this crappy world.

badfishgood

Lol. +1

Creakyknees

If you don't, you're conceding the battle to the idiots and the evil ones.

Saint

Exactly and despite the same mentality, I brought one into this world (hopefully for the better, rather than contributing to the social and moral decay in which we revel in).

urbanknight

Correct, and I'm leaning towards doing my part. It's just too bad they procreate much faster than we do.

CAAD5AL

I have two boys, 11 and 7, and I can't even begin to tell you how many nights I've spent worrying that they'll pull the same stupid stuff I did as a kid and young man, but not be as lucky as I was. And, of course, I definitely worry that by introducing them to things I love like skiing, cycling, working on old (and fast) cars I'm setting them up for an accident or worse. But it's just the tip of the iceberg in a parent's responsibility of teaching your children to be sensible, safe, good, and all the rest. The constant worry is part of the deal you made when you decided to have them!

A few years ago my oldest son was swinging his new baseball bat in the back yard and his little brother sneaked up behind him and caught the thing flush on the face, breaking his nose and splitting his forehead. Of course, once someone has an accident like that, it seems like EVERYONE you talk to has a similar story. He healed and all is well, but believe me, there was a while there I even thought about keeping them out of baseball! It's not just bikes that'll make you crazy with worry!

twocoasttb

I'm glad that I chose not to. My parenting skills would have been crap anyway.

rusto

We lucked out: my daughter makes it look like we know what we are doing.

Machka 

My father taught me how to ride when I was 6 years old ... and I was riding in heavy downtown traffic with him, my mother, and my brother by the time I was 10 years old.

If I had kids, I'd teach them how to ride ... and how to ride properly and carefully.

bigtea

Both of my kids are in their 20s now and neither has taken up cycling. Nevertheless, they learned by my example the value of good health and the effort necessary to maintain fitness. They both take excellent care of themselves but enjoy activities other than the one I love. Teach your kids fitness and let them decide how they will achieve it and maintain it for themselves.

MedicMan55

There is an inherent danger involved with everything. Every time you start up your car to go to work, there is that chance that you could be injured/killed. I could collapse right now at this moment, with a brain aneurism, but I'm taking that chance.

I'd rather go out doing something I loved to do, enjoying life, rather than timidly, waiting for death to come for me.

umd

If you do have kids, they will probably want to do all the stuff you weren't comfortable with, and not want to do all the things you want to do...

benajah

all us boys want to OUT-DO DAD!! Males are a competitive sex, period. If you show it to us, we will try our best to be better than you. We love our dads, but one day, we want you, to respect us.

tinrobot

With a world population of almost 7 billion and climbing -- not having kids is probably the least evil thing you can do.

pista

In my life I have raced bikes, mountain climbed, ice climbing, rock climbed where the vertical was 700 feet, kayaked down rapids, skydived and rallyed cars.I have even jumped over crevasess in glaciers and climbed them as well. You could look at all of these things somewhat dangerous activities. On the other hand I could have just watched TV or be recluse. You have a life and you have to make it what you want it to be.

As far as my son goes, what he does with his life is totally up to him. Whatever he takes up I will endorse him. Whatever dangers he may come across I know he will deal with it the best he can. That's the best I can do. I can't discourage my son simply because I thing it may be dangerous. I can say "Well, this is something to be careful about." That's the advice I can give to him. But knowing him, I know he will turn out well.

merlinextraligh

Besides if you actually look at numbers, the risk from cycling si much lower than the risk of sedentary lifestyle.

The real dangerous place is on your couch.