# I hope your stroller gets a flat.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [March 24, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104 "2005-03-24T23:05:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/81 "2005-03-27T04:52:09Z")
> [@fessie](#):
>
> If your “Multi-Use” trail is so damn narrow, how do you manage when you encounter a biker heading towards you? If it’s so fucking high-speed, why does the description I found (which you did not contradict) include: bicyclists, joggers, **walkers, wheelchairs** , skateboarders, bladers and skaters.
>
> …
>
> I would honor such a label. If it said “no strollers”, I wouldn’t go there and would join you in condemning people who do.
The sign said what was allowed. It didn’t say “strollers.” It’s obvious it meant individual persons, however transported. If you’re being as considerate as you claim you are, even though you don’t belong on that trail, the OP isn’t about you. If the OP is about you, then you are an asshole. It’s really that simple a division.
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### Author:  [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/82 "2005-03-27T05:01:10Z")
What amazes me is how many parents think that strollers project a magically forcefield that can repel cars, considering how many of them push them into the streets ahead of them into traffic when crossing streets.
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/83 "2005-03-27T07:01:24Z")
> [@fessie](#):
>
> Yeah. Right. Do you have any idea how arrogant, narcissistic and entitled you sound?
Pot? Kettle? Black?
I have no dog in this fight as I don’t use a stroller or a bike (no kids or coordination), but you really sound like you have a huge stick up your ass in this thread.
Don’t block the path. If you don’t then this rant isn’t aimed at you. This seems pretty straight forward to me.
In short, it’s not all about you. Every thread isn’t about you, and every thread that mentions strollers, children or parents, isn’t about you. Assuming you’re not lying, and you don’t block paths with your stroller, than this thread _isn’t about you_.
Calm down.
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### Author:  [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/84 "2005-03-27T07:21:23Z")
> [@Hamlet](#):
>
> Hey, that’s mine! We got it at Costco because, in addition to fitting two kids, it also can attach to our bikes (sorry **Dooku** ) and has a ton of storage, so it helps with carrying things. It can be a bit bulky, but we try and do our best to keep it out of other people’s ways.
>
> As **FaerieBeth** points out, assholes are assholes, whether they have kids or not.
>
> No kidding. We take our kids to places simply to annoy the piss out of people. I specifically refuse to wipe my child’s nose and make sure their hands are sticky with candy, and I make them go up to childless strangers and touch them and their things. Ahhh, the fun.
>
> I try to make sure my children are no “inconvenience” to anyone else, but, believe it or not, it’s impossible. On some occassions, my kid will cry in public. On others, I’ll need to change a diaper in the washroom. Still again, I’ll give my child leeway to explore the world more than 2 feet from me. I do apologize if that “inconveniences” you, and I try to keep it to a minimum, but it happens. I don’t expect you to fawn over my children. I don’t expect you to think their the cutest, nicest things in the world, hell, I don’t even think that. All I expect is that you treat them, just as you would treat any other person or even a fucking dog, with a bit of respect and tolerance. If that’s too much for you, and it sounds like it is, I guess that’s too bad.
Then you obviously aren’t the sort of parent that this thread is about. But those that are being complained about DO exist, and they are jerks.
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### Author:  [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/85 "2005-03-27T08:44:45Z")
I’ve always been a little amazed at how white Western culture has managed to convince people that they _need_ strollers for their babies. Especially the high-tech-it’ll-even-do-your-dishes-for-ya kind.
My ancestors used cradleboards. They were small, compact, and from what I hear, very comfortable for the baby. In fact a lady at our local Native centre uses one that used to be her grandfather’s for her son. I’ve seen her walking around with him, and he looked quite content bundled up on mom’s back. She looked content too, to not have to be lugging arond some space-age contraption.
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### Author:  [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/86 "2005-03-27T09:34:57Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#):
>
> I’ve always been a little amazed at how white Western culture has managed to convince people that they _need_ strollers for their babies. Especially the high-tech-it’ll-even-do-your-dishes-for-ya kind.
>
> My ancestors used cradleboards. They were small, compact, and from what I hear, very comfortable for the baby. In fact a lady at our local Native centre uses one that used to be her grandfather’s for her son. I’ve seen her walking around with him, and he looked quite content bundled up on mom’s back. She looked content too, to not have to be lugging arond some space-age contraption.
Well, in defense of the stroller users, the little darlings DO get pretty heavy as they get older! I started out with an ancient baby backpack sort of thing that worked pretty well until he started getting up there. Plus when shopping and doing other errands, a ton of stuff will fit into a stroller.
Another great thing about them, although when my son got older, I got a jogger instead, is that toddlers can’t keep up with a rapidly walking or jogging parent, so they’re great to take the kid with you and still get exercise. I used mine until my son was really too tall for it, and he probably weighed in at 40 or 50 pounds (the limit for the brand of jogger I had, IIRC), I don’t know about other people, but imho that’d be WAY too heavy to lug around on one’s back, especially with gangly toddler/little kid legs hanging down
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### Author:  [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/87 "2005-03-27T14:13:14Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#):
>
> I have no dog in this fight as I don’t use a stroller or a bike
:: mental image of a souped up stroller battling an automated bike in a robot cage fight ::
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/88 "2005-03-27T16:17:45Z")
> [@fessie](#):
>
> Yeah. Right. Do you have any idea how arrogant, narcissistic and entitled you sound?
Sorry, **fessie** , I love kids and I treat parents with respect, but I don’t think **Dooku** is acting arrogant or entitled. Dooku simply said “don’t use the path if your stroller covers both lanes.” This creates a hazard for everyone: you and oncoming traffic. You cited some rules and regulations, which actually supported **Dooku’s** point quite succinctly:
> [@](#):
>
> **Don’t Block The Trail.**
>
> When in a group or with your pets, use no more than half the trail so as not to block the flow of other users.
You poignant rhetorical rebuttal to this was to call him names and accuse him of megalomania.
The rules you cited on this are clear. If you’re blocking the whole trail, you have no business being on it. Where’s the argument?
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### Author:  [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/89 "2005-03-28T14:31:01Z")
Not exactly that, but take a close look at [Shogun assassin](http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1077219,00.html)
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### Author:  [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/90 "2005-03-28T14:54:41Z")
> [@Hamlet](#):
>
> Hey, that’s mine! We got it at Costco because, in addition to fitting two kids, it also can attach to our bikes (sorry **Dooku** ) and has a ton of storage, so it helps with carrying things. It can be a bit bulky, but we try and do our best to keep it out of other people’s ways.
You have a stroller that can attach to a bike? What kind is it? Does it attach so the kid can ride in it behind the bike? We are looking for something like this.
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### Author:  [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/91 "2005-03-28T15:42:31Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#):
>
> Well, in defense of the stroller users, the little darlings DO get pretty heavy as they get older! I started out with an ancient baby backpack sort of thing that worked pretty well until he started getting up there. Plus when shopping and doing other errands, a ton of stuff will fit into a stroller.
>
> Another great thing about them, although when my son got older, I got a jogger instead, is that toddlers can’t keep up with a rapidly walking or jogging parent, so they’re great to take the kid with you and still get exercise. I used mine until my son was really too tall for it, and he probably weighed in at 40 or 50 pounds (the limit for the brand of jogger I had, IIRC), I don’t know about other people, but imho that’d be WAY too heavy to lug around on one’s back, especially with gangly toddler/little kid legs hanging down
It seems to me that at some point, kids need to walk. And maybe the grownups can slow down a bit. I agree that there should be tolerance of courteous stroller users and their charges. But how about if maybe the parents could slow down a bit and let their kids walk? That’s what I did. We regularly used strollers for long dreamy pre-bedtime or nap walks, and that’s it. Didn’t use them at the airport, didn’t use them at the mall, didn’t use them at the museum. We were done with strollers by age 3 and a half. I got plenty of exercise chasing after the kids; we dealt with occasional embarrassing moments of misbehavior. My arms would get tired. But it seemed to me that, in a very natural way, the kids grew up very engaged, observant, and eventually, considerate of the world around them.
**Canvas** , I don’t mean this as a diss.
And I guess for parents who run or jog, a stroller is a godsend.
I suppose some parents just assume it is a stroller world, but for others, wheels are optional but not imperative.
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### Author:  [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/92 "2005-03-28T17:18:08Z")
I do encourage my twins to walk as much as possible when there’s another adult with me. But when a woman has two toddlers to chase, safety demands they be under control. Can you imagine the dilemma when they run off in separate directions (which is what they immediately do)? Particularly with speedy bicyclists careening about.
Same thing with using a sling. I suppose there are some women who can wear two babies, but I’m not one of them. Carrying two babies in your arms is very dangerous, as there’s no way to break your fall should you trip.
Oh, and my kids are in the 85th percentile for height - so what? WTF business is that of anyone else’s? And why does it matter how my twins were conceived, or how old I am? So fucking what?
What’s made me so angry is the overall tone of this thread, not just **Dooku** but particulary **Mercy Street** ’s OP. Because I know how frightening it is to be a mommy and how much work it is to get a baby out of the house. I’m sorry for directing all of my ire at **Dooku** , that really wasn’t fair.
I polled some online mommies to ask their views on this. My anger is pretty powerful and might well be clouding my judgement. Five out of the six replies said, in essence, life is too short to get bent out of shape by minor irritations.
I’ll make one more point before letting go of this minor irritation myself. You wonder why parents are so myopic and involved when it comes to their kids? Because they damned well better be. If we weren’t biologically programmed to find them endlessly intriguing, nobody would make it to kindergarten.
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/93 "2005-03-28T20:03:54Z")
Sorry to miss all this - I don’t post on the weekends.
Thank you **FaerieBeth** and **alice\_in\_wonderland** - you summed up my point better than I have.
Blocking the trail = jerk. Double-wides block the trail. Double-wides on this trail = jerk. If it didn’t block the entire trail, I wouldn’t have a problem. (And no, you cannot pass safely on either side - the right side is the Wetlands - mud and water. The left side is a hill of unmowed grass - plus it’s full of peopple trying to avoid the stroller coming towards you).
I had much more rebuttal about the rest of your post, b]fessie\*\*, but seeing as how you most recently said
> [@](#):
>
> I’m sorry for directing all of my ire at Dooku, that really wasn’t fair.
I will also take the high road and apologize for dumping all my “discourteous parental entitlement” anger on you.
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### Author:  [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/94 "2005-03-28T23:57:05Z")
> [@Caprese](#):
>
> **Canvas** , I don’t mean this as a diss.
> And I guess for parents who run or jog, a stroller is a godsend.
> I suppose some parents just assume it is a stroller world, but for others, wheels are optional but not imperative.
🙂
No diss taken. And good points above. I guess I fell into the middle of your categories, whereas I used a the jogger (which did double as a bike trailer, you can get them at REI and sometimes wallyworld), so that I could take my child along when I exercised. But for other places, as you said, the child walked.
A slight hijack here. I am a parent, I’ve got two kids, one 25 years old and one who is 13. The thing is, that there are some places and instances where parents need to realize that children either don’t belong, or where THEY, the parent, needs to curtail childrearing activities so as to keep the child as safe as possible and to be considerate to others.
As someone else mentioned, some of these parents are inconsiderate and act like assholes in the “my little angel can do no wrong” way. But those same people would be jerks whether parents or not imho.
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### Author:  [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hope-your-stroller-gets-a-flat/296104/95 "2005-03-29T00:11:54Z")
> [@Velma](#):
>
> You have a stroller that can attach to a bike? What kind is it? Does it attach so the kid can ride in it behind the bike? We are looking for something like this.
You can use it as a double wide stroller, or as a child’s bike trailer.
[Here’s their website](http://kidarooz.com/html/features.htm)
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