helmets are not optional

[Aint Doody]

I think not wearing a helmet is totally irresponsible. A dog caused my accident, and a helmet saved me. It had nothing to do with how fast or slow I was riding. It had nothing to do with how busy a road I was on. Things happen. Why wouldn't you want to protect yourself with something as simple as wearing a helmet?

But it's the children not wearing them that upsets me. It may not be cool, but it's not cool to be brain damaged either. There is a wonderful poster in a neurologist's office that has all sorts of medical devices and a helmet. The words at the bottom say, "Which one of these would you rather wear?"

I had a child approximately 8 years old who was not wearing a helmet tell me he'd been riding for years and didn't crash. I told him I'd been riding for over 50 years when I crashed. No impression was made. Parents have to insist that children wear helmets. They--some parents & children--don't understand the consequences of a crash without a helmet. Sorry-this is my personal soapbox.

[VeloVT]

On the local bike path, not only is it the case that probably 70% of riders are not wearing helmets (you definitely see a lot more "recreational" riders than "serious" riders, but still), but I'm astonished how many parents I see riding with young children (like 4-8 year olds), and the children have helmets but the parents do not.

[farrellcollie]

I think that people who do and do not wear helmets should have wills, guardians named for their children (or pets), and living wills and/or health care directives.

[KSH]

On the local bike path, not only is it the case that probably 70% of riders are not wearing helmets (you definitely see a lot more "recreational" riders than "serious" riders, but still), but I'm astonished how many parents I see riding with young children (like 4-8 year olds), and the children have helmets but the parents do not.

I don't care if adults wear helmets... that's their choice. I do care about kids though.

Adults should teach kids to wear helmets and should make them wear them properly from a young age, so the kid is OK wearing them when they get older.

One day I was out riding the lake, and on the side where a lot people ride in the street with cars (the path is skinny and beat up on that side)... I saw a Dad riding in front of his son (not watching the kid or protecting him by riding behind him)... the kid was maybe 8 years old, riding in the street, with the adult in front of him... and no helmet. I was upset seeing that. Of course the Dad was sans helmet, and smoking a cigarette while riding. NICE!

I have a friend who rides... and she refuses to wear her helmet properly. She won't tighten it on her head... it slides half way over her head... and she has taught her daughter (11 years old) to do the same thing. I pointed out that if she had a wreck, the helmet wouldn't do any good. She said it was uncomfortable the other way. So she wears it, but it's pointless really. Her and her daughter might as well not bother wearing them.


Otherwise, I know a lot people think a path is safer than the road so they don't wear a helmet. False sense of security there. My boyfriend demolished his first bike on a bike path.

[Aint Doody]

Liza, I think that sends the worst message of all. "When you grow up and are smart, you won't need to wear a helmet."

I still have an image of a young mother with a toddler in a child seat on the back of her bike and a baby in one of those pappoose sorta slings on her. The three of them were on a bicycle and not a helmet in sight. I wish I'd have called the police. She was definitely endangering those children. They were approaching railroad tracks. What was she thinking????

[Bad JuJu]

were approaching railroad tracks. What was she thinking????

She wasn't!

OT: Hiya, Susan. How was Cycle Zydeco? If you posted a ride report, I missed it. I'm hoping to do that next year!