The bicycle high horse
3rd July 2007
After this beautiful long weekend, indulge me as I climb on a parental pedestal for a sec.
Why are there so many children riding bicycles without helmets? I definitely saw far more kids without them this weekend than with them.
There is absolutely no excuse for this as far as I’m concerned. How many more terrifying statistics do you need: Up to 85% of head injuries could be prevented with a helmet. Head injuries cause most bicycle-related deaths and can result in serious injury such as brain damage. And two thirds of all cyclist deaths involve head injuries.
Basically: when you fall, your head cracks open like a watermelon.
Lucy will never be allowed to ride her bike, no matter what her age, without a helmet. Period. Getting the helmet on her right now is a huge pain in the ass as she flails and whines, but she knows she can’t go in the bike trailer without. I figure now is the age to drill that into her.
And to all the parents who ride bikes without helmets: shame on you for not setting an example for your kids. You are hypocrites. And will fall from farther up and get hurt even worse.
Dismounting off the bicycle high horse now.
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Good for you, Carly. You get ‘em. I think with this, as with everything in life, parents should adopt the mantra ‘Do as I say, AND as I do’. How can we expect our children to grow up to make responsible decisions if by example we are teaching them that the rules only apply to everyone else?
I agree 100%… even though I hate my helmet, I wear it, because a) I don’t want to die and b) parenting is all about the example you set, and I want my child to wear hers.
What irks me the most about the bike/bike trailer/bike helmet situation is this: People who don’t understand why they can’t find a helmet to fit their 5 month old! Really?! You can’t find one because it’s not SAFE for an infant to be in a bike trailer (even if you did just spend $800 on a Chariot and you want to use it this summer!)
um … isn’t it the law that children wear helmets while riding bikes? I know it’s optional for adults, but I thought it was mandatory for kids …
oh .. and I forgot one thing .. Lexy’s 4th (!!!) birthday is next Thursday and we have bought her a bicycle with training wheels. She is getting a cute Dora Helmet/Knee/Elbow Pad set from one of her relatives.
She will not be riding her bike without them – training wheels or not.
You know, it’s not so much that the kid might fall off the bike, but rather – god forbid – that they get hit by a car. Imagine what a ncie projectile a youngling would make and what would happen when they land … *shudders*