No joke at all! Bike trailers come as child trailers, cargo trailers, and even pet trailers! So many brands make them, and they work with just about any bike😀

I've had a burley travoy, like a dolly that attaches to your seat post, and an old burley bee, it attaches to the wheel hub. They make it possible to do large infrequent grocery runs and pick up stuff I would have to rent a car to do otherwise. Much cheaper and more flexible than a cargo bike as well.

Commonly known in North America under the genericized brand name "Coroplast," BTW.

Sounds more premium than our budget politicians can afford. I'll have to check them out next time 40 of them in a row show up at every highway interchange and see what they use these days.

It needs to be shaped like a scoop, and not a flap. A slightly more rigid material (i.e. thin plastic sheet) would be better than something softer.

Most fender extenders you can buy are rubber, but they aren't nearly as long as the one I made, and thus, not nearly as effective.

It's on the bike, the tire is just turned a bit too the side so that the back of the tire is more prominent since that's where the fender extension is. The frame and rear tire visible are for this bike

I didn't take it as a knock at all! I saw plenty of leather ones, which helped to give me ideas for size/shape, it's just not a material I choose to use.

I drill two holes about an inch apart vertically and use small bolts with washers and locking nuts.

Nice! I think I may do that if I decide to keep this as a permanent fixture. 👌

Reclaimed leather doesn't contribute to animal (ab)use, so I don't really have any ethical problems with people buying or using it.

I find certain animal products (leather or fur) to be off-putting, but that's a personal thing. If you have use for them, and you've already got them (or can get them second-hand), I don't see anything wrong with that.

We donated all of our fur years ago, and I think the only leather in our home are old knife sheaths and patches on old jeans. 😂

That's just awful.

I tend to be the type to say "just ride, or you'll be waiting forever for infrastructure to be perfect", but when it's as hostile and dangerous as you describe, it's super difficult.

Rather than main roads, have you tried looking up alternates to your destination that use side-roads or more residential roads? I've found some very creative routes over the past year that keep me off most of the main roads around me. Doesn't eliminate the use of those roads entirely, but they offer safer options.