Biker with 14yr old pillion - 122mph

Originally Posted by ogden

Out of curiosity, how many fingers do you have on each hand, and are they webbed?

ahh,see what you did there....very good

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

However doing silly speeds with a young child on the back is just downright irresponsible, he should have known better.

That's a rather sweeping statement. Exactly what is a "silly speed" with a child on the back of a bike?

Assuming the child in question doesn't have the right protective clothing, I'd suggest 10mph is silly. Again, if they have the right kit, but wriggle around a lot (like my eldest), then 70mph could be silly.

My 4 year old has seen 30mph on the bike, and whinged like mad when I refused to go any faster with him on the bike!!

The point is, that the speed is only "silly" given all the conditions.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

... lots of sensible stuff...

+1

Originally Posted by Berlin

He's only an Eejit because he got caught!

...

There's no difference between having a 14 year old on the back to having a 40 year old on the back.

+1

Originally Posted by sinbad

Most 14 year olds are smart enough, but if it was a 5 year old you'd raise an eyebrow wouldn't you? 6 year old, 7 year old? Where would you draw the line and say the kid is the one that makes his decision and that's the end of the matter, especially considering not all kids are the same.

As above, my 4 year old has been on the back to 30mph. Does anyone want to raise an eyebrow at that? My eldest has seen 40mph.

My daughter has seen "NSL" speeds when I took her to a party, and at the time, she loved it (8year old getting off a bike grinning like a cheshire cat at a friends party - all the friends seeing her arrive ). She's since decided that she'd rather not go on the bike if possible - because she's seen the state I've been in after crashes & worries about it. That's fair play IMO.

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by G

When I first read the title I thought it was a pete and lissa spotted thread

(Runs and hides)

OI!!!! You can run but.............etc, etc, etc.

Right, back on topic!

He deserves a slap for the lad having no proper protective gear on, but are people really saying that it's bad because a 14 year old's life is worth more than say, a 23 year old's or a 40 year olds? Would there be so much outrage if it had been an adult pillion? I doubt it. But isn't any person's life of equal worth?

Originally Posted by Baph

Assuming the child in question doesn't have the right protective clothing, I'd suggest 10mph is silly. Again, if they have the right kit, but wriggle around a lot (like my eldest), then 70mph could be silly.

The point is, that the speed is only "silly" given all the conditions.

Definitely agreed and not being a parent I probably can't comment, however I think 122 is excessive and unnecessary on a busy road like that. Obviously circumstances vary, some children are more mature than others and can be trusted on the back. It's up to the parents to judge how their child may react.

How do we know that kid wasn't scared rigid on the back of that bike and desperately wanting him to stop, hence why he slowed down? Yes maybe unlikely seeing as most young lads are speed demons but the possibility is there.

If the kid had been a couple of years older I doubt there would be as much fuss, either that or he may have been labeled a hooligan or whatever.

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

How do we know that kid wasn't scared rigid on the back of that bike and desperately wanting him to stop, hence why he slowed down? Yes maybe unlikely seeing as most young lads are speed demons but the possibility is there.

Equally, how do we know that the father wasn't riding perfectly sensibly, until the kid egged his dad on to go faster & faster... The father usually doesn't go that fast, so observations weren't up to scratch & he didn't see the camera?

Fact is, all we know is what the media have told us.

Like I originally said, he was caught speeding, and admitted to it. The fact he had a pillion shouldn't come into it, let alone the fact that the pillion he had was legally a minor.

Originally Posted by Baph

That's a rather sweeping statement. Exactly what is a "silly speed" with a child on the back of a bike?

Assuming the child in question doesn't have the right protective clothing, I'd suggest 10mph is silly. Again, if they have the right kit, but wriggle around a lot (like my eldest), then 70mph could be silly.

My 4 year old has seen 30mph on the bike, and whinged like mad when I refused to go any faster with him on the bike!!

The point is, that the speed is only "silly" given all the conditions.


+1


+1



As above, my 4 year old has been on the back to 30mph. Does anyone want to raise an eyebrow at that? My eldest has seen 40mph.

My daughter has seen "NSL" speeds when I took her to a party, and at the time, she loved it (8year old getting off a bike grinning like a cheshire cat at a friends party - all the friends seeing her arrive ). She's since decided that she'd rather not go on the bike if possible - because she's seen the state I've been in after crashes & worries about it. That's fair play IMO.

+1 to all of the above quote.

My son has ridden pillion since he was 4, slowly increasing speed, road type and conditions as he grew.

He has been treated as an 'adult' pillion since he was about 10 in the sense that I did not restrict my riding because he was pillion and nor did I expect anyone else who took him pillion to do so, however I was (and still am) careful of who I allow him to ride pillion with.

Riding at the same pace as other traffic is safer that riding slower than it, as slow riding only frustrates car drivers and in some cases encourages them to overtake without giving you the consideration you would prefer.

I personally would not ride at 120mph with my son on the back, but then it is unlikely I'd ride at that speed solo either, and to be honest I'd rather be having fun on the twisties below or at the speed limit than blasting down the straights at breakneck speeds.

Doof

[ogden]

Originally Posted by Baph

Like I originally said, he was caught speeding, and admitted to it.

No, he was caught speeding and admitted to dangerous driving.

Not the same thing at all. Not even in the same ballpark.

14 year old lad, 120mph on a Busa? COOOOOOOLLLLLL

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

Definitely agreed and not being a parent I probably can't comment, however I think 122 is excessive and unnecessary on a busy road like that. Obviously circumstances vary, some children are more mature than others and can be trusted on the back. It's up to the parents to judge how their child may react.

.

but what really is the difference between .....say you sat on the back of YC and doing over a ton? and a mature 14 yr old with all the gear on......nowt. Of course YC doesn't go over a ton with you on the bike being restricted and all does he? but you are tiny and could quite easily be lost off the back in an instant just the same as a 14 yr old.
Obviously every parent who has a bike has to make the decision do I, don't I? and I do get the eyebrows raised when I say i'll be taking Dylan on the back soon enough......but it'll be when I decide he is mature enough in the head. Of course hes big enough to go on now, and theres no law how old they should be. BUT, when he is, am I really going to stick to 60 when we're off down the motorway for instance, just in case we might have an accident, and everyone who isn't his mum trys to shame me into thinking its wrong?

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

but what really is the difference between .....say you sat on the back of YC and doing over a ton? and a mature 14 yr old with all the gear on......nowt.

No there isn't but read my previous post and I have said that.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

but it'll be when I decide he is mature enough in the head. BUT, when he is, am I really going to stick to 60 when we're off down the motorway for instance, just in case we might have an accident, and everyone who isn't his mum trys to shame me into thinking its wrong?

Exactly, YOU are deciding when you think it will be the right time. I'm not saying that every parent who takes anyone under 16 on the back is irresponsible, not at all, I'm saying that IMO 122mph - if that was indeed what this bloke was doing - is irresponsible in these circumstances.

I am not, I repeat not, saying all parents who take their young children on the back are irresponsible, just that in these circumstances I happen to think this parent was.

Lissa said he wasn't wearing the protective gear either which is just ridiculous. I didn't read that anywhere though?