Commuting Questions

[mamayogibear]

Hi,

In the past I have typically commuted using public transit or preferably riding my bike. I would usually hook the trailer up to the bike and ride to the daycare and leave the trailer there then cycle to work or school. For a few months out of the year the morning commute would be in the dark and the sun would rise right when I got to work or the campus. I had no problem commuting by bike in the dark knowing the drivers out there were mostly alert and on their way to work and the sun would be up soon.

However I am about to start working nights. I now have a car which is good because the public transit will not be running when I get off work. However I am the kind of person that always has to have a back up plan. If I were to walk to the daycare, pick up my kids and walk home it would take 1.5 hours, so I am thinking of getting a bike and trailer as a back up plan (long story but I lost my last set). The bike ride would only be 30 mins. I am pretty sure walking would be safer because the sidewalks are mostly set back from the streets and the bike trails are raerly trails but instead lanes in the road.

So my question is would you ever commute by bike with kids at night?

Thanks

[mandib50]

that's a good question. i guess for me it would depend on the route i was taking and if i generally trusted the drivers along that route. but i probably wouldn't unless i had no choice.

[MamaBookworm]

Ditto with the route and make sure you are lit up like the sun. Reflectors and blinky lights and a flag. Also, what time are you talking? The real danger hour for cyclists tends to be when bars let out, whatever time that is for you.

I would definitely do it as a back up plan. We had a situation like that over the past year where due to having one car and two working parents, DH had to bike DD to daycare in the dark. Most of the way was trails and quiet neighborhood, but we live on a busy road so there was no way around crossing that and going a short ways down it to the park. It admittedly made me nervous, but he put lights across the whole back of the trailer and hung a huge American flag on it, so it was pretty visible.

[mamayogibear]

Originally Posted by MamaBookworm 

Ditto with the route and make sure you are lit up like the sun. Reflectors and blinky lights and a flag. Also, what time are you talking? The real danger hour for cyclists tends to be when bars let out, whatever time that is for you.

I would definitely do it as a back up plan. We had a situation like that over the past year where due to having one car and two working parents, DH had to bike DD to daycare in the dark. Most of the way was trails and quiet neighborhood, but we live on a busy road so there was no way around crossing that and going a short ways down it to the park. It admittedly made me nervous, but he put lights across the whole back of the trailer and hung a huge American flag on it, so it was pretty visible.

I would get off of work at 10:30 pm and be home by around 11:15. Between work and the daycare would be safe and easy but I'm not sure about the route home. I just want to have a back up plan so if something happend to my car I could still get to and from work. I will definitely have to get some more lights an reflectors just in case I end up needing to use them. Public transit here is basically done by around 10 pm so my only other option would be to walk.

[chiromama01]

my back up plan would be a taxi cab. dont think i would trust drivers at that time of night.  thats just me, though.  good luck mama.