What is your current family bike setup?
I have a trailer for wet and cold days, or longer trips and a bike seat on the back of my other bike.
My partner doesn’t really cycle unless with me, so all of our toddler’s set ups are on my bike because he doesn’t feel comfortable enough unless at Kidical Mass rides.
How does cycling fit into your life?
I don’t drive so cycling is my main mode of transport. I don’t cycle for the sake of cycling only very often, more as a way to get to A,B,C and D. But during maternity leave, those commutes would be about 100 miles a week to all our baby classes and seeing friends.
Why did you get involved in Kidical Mass?
I started organising Kidical Masses because my cycling changed: I could no longer weave between traffic in the way I could, B and our trailer were part of traffic. Some junctions we couldn’t fit down the cycle lane to get the stop box.
We’d spent 2 months in hospital when he was born, and I was determined we wouldn’t spend another day there because lack of decent infrastructure put us in unnecessary danger from people driving metal boxes recklessly.
My son deserves a planet that is habitable, he deserves clean air and a healthy and fit Mum. Cycling achieves all of that but feeling unsafe stops so many people from using it as their main form of transport. Kidical Mass helps raise awareness of the need for safe infrastructure which will benefit everyone.
What is your role in Kidical Mass?
I’m one of the organisers and can often be found marshalling a ride while my partner takes our son, and feels safe doing so because I’m there protecting them from people in cars.