I was going to blog this, but I think here is probably a better place.

I mentionned to dd's God-parents (great long-standing friends of both dh and I) that I was hoping to ride with dd in a trailer on-road later this year. They were both genuinely horrified that I'd even consider it. They're not cyclists. They live in London, whereas I'm in the country, so there's a bit of difference in terms of traffic. Round here the traffic is used to tractors and horses and carts, so is rather slower, and I would be hugely careful about mitigating any risk by taking some more instruction, practising on quiet roads, planning routes carefully and staying well within my capabilities. It's not as if we live in a risk-free bubble anyway, and I really want dd to grow up with choices to the car available to her.

I've spent a good hour this afternoon looking at UK accident stats, and it seems that cycling is signficantly safer than walking or driving. If I was learning to drive I don't think they'd have been in the slightest bit worried. I'm quite sad about it, they'd be the first people to encourage dd to be independent but I'm disappointed that they think I'd willingly be risking dd.

sigh. Thank you for reading.