Solo touring Western Europe - is it safe?

[doktathunda]

Hi,

In less than 2 months, I plan to cycle from London, UK to Barcelona, Spain over the course of a month. I am a 20-year old male from Canada, with several years of cycling experience and camping experience. I was planning on wild camping in the countryside, and using hostels in the bigger cities. My touring partner just bailed on me a few weeks ago, so now I am most likely going solo.

Unfortunately, I am still living at home until September when I hopefully head off to medical school, but my parents are now putting up huge resistance against me doing this trip. At first, they seemed supportive, probably because they didn't believe I was actually serious. Now, they have recruited friends and family to try to force me from doing the trip, mainly citing that it is not safe. They are also trying to use the reason that while I am under their roof, I have no choice but to listen to them. I find this absolutely ridiculous, since it simply means that I will have to wait another year to go, but I will be much busier with school then.

How should I handle this, and is this trip excessively unsafe for a solo ride?

[stewartpratt]

I can't think of any particularly risky aspects to such a trip, or any safer place to be riding a bike or touring alone. Many on here will have toured solo in those areas, myself included. What specific risks do your parents perceive?

As to how to handle it politically, that's up to you. But if my lad is still living at home at 20 I'll expect him to start getting out and getting independent pretty sharpish

[meic]

Speaking as a parent, it is hard to believe that your little baby will ever be big enough to stand on their own two feet and survive in the big bad world.
Speaking as a world tourer it is best to lie to your parents.

Try running some of these ideas past them but I doubt that they will listen.

Honestly, you are going to medical school and will soon be deciding by your actions if other people live or die. You have to be able to decide your own life a few years before that.
Someone has to slacken the reins or you will never get the experience that you need.

Many of your and our citizens are dying for the oil companies out in Middle East now, they are younger than you!

I dont know about Canada but Western Europe is far safer than the USA, isnt it?

The natives are actually very friendly if you keep out of the inner cities at night.


I think that a twenty year old male is in VERY little danger out in the countryside, I am never really concerned while wild camping but I would be worried about cycling in London.
Though thousands of other people manage alright.

Or you could prove your independence by saying "I am going anyway, if that means I have to leave home then I will!!! "

[Dudley Manlove]

I can't think it would be anymore dangerous than at home and that's not much. Many here will tour europe solo all the time.

Only thing, the population density will be a fair bit higher here (in the UK) than Canada and wild-camping might not be a great option all the time. Scotland it's legal, in England/Wales it is mostly illegal - although if you're sensible you're highly unlikely to get in trouble for it (camp late, move early, etc).

[tatanab]

Is it safe? I hope so because I solo tour in Western Europe most years. From the UK I take in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and so on. I do not think there are any dangers here that are greater than you see at home. Some inner cities can seem a bit unsavoury, so just trust your own judgement and move on. Out of the big cities I don't recall ever being concerned. Wild camping is generally illegal, but in the more remote areas (like the Pyrenees) you should be able to get away with it, although I prefer a camp site. In small towns, talk to the bar tender or people serving in the stores, they are generally helpful and friendly as is the man in the street when things go wrong and you need help or directions. Traffic - excluding the UK I'd say drivers are very good at watching out for you and giving adequate clearance. Particularly in mountain areas they might wave and shout encouagement. They can seem more agrressive in the UK, maybe due to poulation density, but it is a matter of what you are used to.

[slowpeddler]

I always solo camp around Europe. I've never once felt threatened.
In fact the opposite, I always marvel at the people I meet along the way, the friendships that are forged and the generosity of strangers.
In Belgium and France, modern camping tends to be "le motor home" so cyclist tend to be all together up a corner and I've never had a problem., in fact the exact opposite, sharing wine and food.
I always lock the bike to a tree at night but that is all.

John

[pedal-pusher]

I am a nearly 40 year old mum of two having left home at the age of 17...........I am doing John O Groats to Lands End solo in a few weeks and MY Mum is STILL freakin out!! lol!! What Im trying to say is that its not the age thing per se but how difficult it is for parents to "let go" from protecting their kids.....even when their kids have their own kids!

And I know if one of my kids wanted to do the same I KNOW id get in a flap too! although Id try hard to get a handle on it as its bad parenting to stifle a childs independence!

I think Meic made some very good points and I would go along with that advice. I know I have stressed the "safety factors" I have put in place to my parents for example thinking about doing live tracking on the ride, calling in to the B&B's for ETA's so they know when Im expected and to alert if I dont turn up! A list of emergency numbers of people who can help like local bike shops / bike clubs who might be prepared to assist if you got stuck. All of these things might just help your cause by getting your parents to realise you have thought about hazards and put controls in place as much as you reasonably can.

And I think you also have to be quite adamant and resolute that this is NOT up for discussion but you would appreciate their support. Its an important part of you gaining your independence, gaining self confidence and life skills that are necessary for the big wide world that eventually they will have to let you live in!!

Good luck

[vernon]

As a father i had no hesitation letting my son disappear into mainland Europe including eastern Europe for three months with his friends. Admittedly it wasn't solo but they visited some dubious places.

Western Europe is a calm safe environment and I've spent three of the last four summers cycle camping the length and breadth of France and found it to be far less stressful than doing the equivalent in the UK. Car drivers treat you with respect, the minor roads are really very quiet and camp sites are so cheap I'd not bother too much about wild camping - besides it's sometimes easier to find a camp site than a wild camping site.

I can not comment on Spain but I imagine it being as safe as France.

It can be difficult trying to break free of parental restraint. When you do decide to go anyway make sure that you contact your kother regularly to put her mind at rest on a daily basis.

My wife c aould only relax once I'd texted her in the evening.

[Barrenfluffit]

Yes its pretty safe in the countryside but wild camping in cities much less so. There was an example in Italy a couple of years ago. I suspect that the cycling risks are the similar to Canada.

I met an 18 year german guy in Istanbul who was cycling home. Fantastic thing to do, get a much better idea of how people live and what the world is like. Its an important part of your education.

Some med schools require their students to work in developing nations.

[hondated]

I can understand your parents fears and even my wife is frightened about me setting off to France alone and I am 60.
The only help that I could offer, as I could not even offer to accommodate you, is if you do decide to come over is to provide you with my telephone number for when you are in the South East and you feel you need assistance.
Knowing my other Forum members I am sure that many of them will be willing to do the same for when you are cycling through other areas in GB where they live.
At least then you will not feel alone.Oh yes and having two grown up children of my own I fully understand your parents fears.

[megilleland]

In order to placate your parents have you seen the Warmshowers website where cyclists offer hospitality to those passing through their area. I hosted a Canadian couple travelling around the world last year and found the experience rewarding. The site has over 11,000 members worldwide and you could reduce your wild camping radically.

[shane]

See my mums thoughts on my next trip though the last sentence in my soon to be ex girlfriends thought's are probably better leverage for you

Shanes FAQ's

I suspect western europe is one of the safest place to tour, like cycling on the roads in the US/Canada are safe?>

[doktathunda]

Wow, thanks for all the input! Also that warmshowers.org link seems very useful. I found dozens of people just in London, UK!

[JJF]

Like other posters on here, I don't know how you can persuade your parents.
I don't know what dangers your parents are worried about.
Solo cycle touring in western Europe is a very safe activity. There are lots of us who do it. I have now reached the age where, if anybody was going to question my safety or my sanity it's my children. And they aren't in the least concerned.
Good luck for a successful outcome.

[horizon]

When I was 19 I hitch-hiked across Canada alone from East to West, mainly wild camping (once having seen bears crossing the road in front of me). My parents did worry. Cycling would have been a lot safer I think. Each week I sent a postcard home - that's all they got. Nowadays I would email/text message them - why not?