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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think they should not be letting child out like this

61 replies

Mrbojangles1 · 16/03/2012 21:20

Walking along this morning and saw the bike-ability people

School cycle training for people who don't know and I was surprised to see that sevral of the children were not wearing helmets
My son did his last year and the school would not allow the children to take part unless they had helmets

I just think that the bike ability people should not be allowing children to take part unless they have helmets BTW they sell helmets in wilko for as little as £5

Seeing as it cycle training they should be encouring children to be safe of the roads which includes helmets gurrr and the worst thing is the trainers were wearing helmets so they must think its important Confused

OP posts:
OriginalJamie · 16/03/2012 21:20

YANBU

mungojerrie · 16/03/2012 21:28

In our town, I recently saw a group of primary school children cycling as part of a lesson on a main road. Not one of the children had a helmet on, despite riding next to buses and cars. All of the trainers had helmets on. Because the group were wearing hi vis jackets sponsered by the council, I wrote an email to question this and highlight the obvious dangers. I received a reply that said it was up to the parents to provide a helmet. I still think this is totally unacceptable - they shouldn't be allowed on the course without the appropriate safety gear imo. YANBU

Bunbaker · 16/03/2012 21:36

I'm really surprised. DD did her Bikeability in year 5 and one of the conditions was that they wore a helmet. The deal was no helmet no Bikeability.

Avenged · 16/03/2012 21:38

YANBU. The wearing of helmets should be emphasised vigorously for the children's safety, BUT the whole point of cycle training is to keep as safe as possible on the roads with or without a helmet. This will probably be because out of school hours, once a child has passed their cycling proficiency test, it's up to them whether they wear a helmet or not.

I know quite a few kids, in my area, of 11/12yo who passed their cycling test, don't wear helmets and would give up cycling in a flash rather than wear one because it looks stupid. I know that's stupidity on their behalf, especially if they were to have an accident which left them brain damaged, but there's no convincing them to wear one and no-one can force them.

fussbucket · 16/03/2012 21:38

Same here, helmets were compulsory and all the bikes had to pass a bike 'MOT' too.

fussbucket · 16/03/2012 21:39

xposted with Avenged, same here bunbaker

Avenged · 16/03/2012 21:40

Meant to say that the kids who passed their cycling test wore helmets on the day of the test, but have never worn them since.

Original poster
Mrbojangles1 · 16/03/2012 21:54

Brought my son www.google.co.uk/search?q=skate+helmet&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=tLVjT8vcA8anhAezv_CbCA&biw=1024&bih=672&sei=ubVjT8GmEcqb8gPq1u2CBw this skater helemt and he loves it
Told him no helmet to bike and since hes watched the x games were their all wearing these type of helmets he fine with it oh and the done thing I am told is carrying round a sharpie and getting the girls to sighn their name Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Mrbojangles1 · 16/03/2012 21:54

Brought my son www.google.co.uk/search?q=skate+helmet&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=tLVjT8vcA8anhAezv_CbCA&biw=1024&bih=672&sei=ubVjT8GmEcqb8gPq1u2CBw this skater helemt and he loves it
Told him no helmet to bike and since hes watched the x games were their all wearing these type of helmets he fine with it oh and the done thing I am told is carrying round a sharpie and getting the girls to sighn their name Grin

OP posts:
rubyrubyruby · 21/03/2012 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

knowitallstrikesagain · 21/03/2012 23:16

YANBU.

Although not illegal I would worry about the message it sends. I don't buy the 'excluding some children from vital training'. It is not essential to travel anywhere by bike. It is not a necessary skill to have. Some children can't even afford a bike, so where is the exception for them? Can they attend the sessions bike-less because the training is vital?

KatAndKit · 22/03/2012 06:16

All children should be wearing helmets. In general, most children will own a bike at home and therefore their parents should already have purchased a helmet for them. If they haven't, then the letter home from school reminding them they need a helmet for bikeability should spur them into action.
Bikeability should have a small number of helmets available for those children who don't have their own (these would be the same children who don't have their own bike) to reinforce the message that cycling without a helmet on is not acceptable.
It might not actually be illegal, but we need to make children see that it is stupid not to wear a helmet. It's hard enough battling against the wanting to look cool. It sends the wrong message entirely if children are cycling with no helmet as part of a school activity.

What would send an even better message would be if we saw more adults wearing cycle helmets.

seeker · 22/03/2012 06:22

Our bike ability people provide helmets.

Is there actually any research to show that helmets make a difference? I might go and look.
I know th's research to show thqtbdrivers are less cautious if they are near a cyclist with a helmet on.

sunnydelight · 22/03/2012 06:22

That's outrageous. It is illegal not to wear a helmet here (Oz) and your chances of getting stopped and fined for not wearing one are pretty high. When we moved here DS1 was 14 and thought he was way to cool for one, it was fantastic to be able to tell him that no helmet meant no bike riding. Once he got used to it (and obviously all his mates were wearing them too) he never rode without one again. Now all they have to do is make them compulsory on skateboards............

YellowDinosaur · 22/03/2012 06:27

I seen going to be deliberately inflammatory here but the reason that wearing bike helmets is not a legal requirement (well one of them anyway) is because there is no evidence that wearing helmets reduces mortality in bike accidents. Although this sounds like it must be rubbish, the theory behind this is that people who wear helmets take more risks as they feel more projected than those who don't wear the helmets.

Disclaimer - both my children, my dh and I always wear helmets

Cyclebump · 22/03/2012 06:39

There are some people who argue that helmets can cause rotational neck injuries so refuse to wear them. If a child has parents who believe this and, therefore, refuse to buy them a helmet, should they be excluded from bike ability training?

(BTW, I think it's a crap argument and always wear a helmet, but am just making a point.)

Until it's a legal requirement it's tricky.

DowagersHump · 22/03/2012 06:45

I smashed my face up very badly when I was knocked off my bicycle not wearing a helmet. If I'd been wearing one, it'd have taken the brunt of the impact.

We don't go anywhere without helmets now

EdithWeston · 22/03/2012 07:01

The bike training at our school is provided via the Council, and you are not allowed to participate with a helmet. They have as one of their aims, the tacking of all aspects of bike safety - they cover things like basic checks of roadworthiness as well - and the importance of suitable clothing/helmet s an element, and one which they are required to demonstrate throughout the course. I've been very happy with the course content, delivery and ethos.

StarryEyedMama · 22/03/2012 07:06

@Avenged - actually I think as parents you can force the issue. I say to my DD "If you choose not to wear a helmet then I choose not to let you ride/have your bike"

IsabelleRinging · 22/03/2012 07:16

No helmet but trained to ride a bit more safely,

or

No helmet and no training either.

It's the lesser of two evils.

knowitallstrikesagain · 22/03/2012 07:28

Although this sounds like it must be rubbish, the theory behind this is that people who wear helmets take more risks as they feel more projected than those who don't wear the helmets.

Then these people are idiots who are likely to cause accidents. On the whole, the cyclists I know who wear helmets are the serious, sensible cyclists. Others are just bike riders.

exoticfruits · 22/03/2012 07:37

I am always shocked to see a family out cycling and only the DCs in helmets. When I got helmets for mine I bought one for myself.
DCs do as you do-they do not do as you say.
Some DCs are very unquestioning-my arguments for wearing them didn't stand up if I didn't do it myself.
The local school near me all have helmets when they take part.

StrandedBear · 22/03/2012 07:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

tantrumsandballoons · 22/03/2012 07:59

For the people who think you can "make" your DCs wear helmets if they don't want to, it's not cool, no one else wears them, you may see them leaving the house on the bike with a helmet- but then if they really don't want to wear it, they will take it off as soon as they get round the corner

knowitallstrikesagain · 22/03/2012 08:14

OK, this is going to sound like I am starting a fight, but if you want them to wear a helmet and you know they don't, why let them ride a bike? Can you talk to other parents and agree to have the same rules for all?

You can't make your DCs wear a helmet. But there is no need for them to wear a helmet if they are not allowed to ride a bike.

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