Teenage son wanting a bike

[SheldonCooper77]

Totally prepared to be told I ABU. DS1 who is 16 is desperate for a bike. He wants to use it to get to college and to get to friends houses who do not live locally.
I've said he can have one if he uses a helmet but he's adamant that won't wear one.
So AIBU to say no, not having one unless you have a helmet.

Like the beanie hat idea and he said he wear one of those but not in the summer
He's agreed to on a cycling course of some description so that's a least a tiny step in the right direction.
He had bikes when he was younger and obviously wore a helmet then but hasn't had one for a while now.

Our local neurology hospital has a high number of organ donors because many of the people who die there are young with traumatic brain injuries from falls and crashes that they would never wake up from.
And didn't the actress Natasha Richardson die from a skiing accident because she wasn't wearing a helmet? Fell on a beginners slope and had an epidural haematoma? Obviously isn't the same, but a helmet could potentially have saved her life.
Have you noticed how all of the Tour de France cyclists wear helmets?
It can, and does, happen to anyone. He may be the best cyclist in the whole world. It only takes one mistake. Sorry for being harsh? I think I would need to scare mine into wearing one.

A couple of lads near us have died in the last few weeks on their bikes tragically. I'd insist on a helmet, they save lives.
My son isn't a cyclist but he scoots and always wears a helmet. I'm fortunate he's realised how important protecting your head is...

I was behind a car a few months ago that hit a cyclist. He had on all the protective gear etc..it was a completely straight road, it was 100% avoidable. And should never ever of happened. The driver was a very old woman and just drove straight into him at 55 mph. I watched him fly 15 foot in the air and land face down, on the road. The grunting noises he made will stay with me forever. It was the most horrific thing I have ever witnessed. How he didn't die is unbelievable!!
He now has horrific life changing injuries. My neighbour was an avid cyclist, but after this happened has now stopped riding. It is so so dangerous!!
To not even wear a helmet shows his immaturity.
Please please dont let him!! Some drivers just don't pay enough attention. That is the risk. A fatal or at the very least life changing risk!!

A friend of mine was killed on his bike in the summer and he was wearing a helmet. He needs to realise that he needs to take every precaution possible and be aware of all the dangers.

Do you want me to send him my husband mangled helmet from when he was knocked down by a car?
Broken leg and collar bone but I think he would have been dead if not for the helmet

If helmets are that good, why don’t pedestrians wear them? And people travelling in cars? Both of those groups are vulnerable to head injuries too....

My friend's ex is now in residential care because of a head injury he sustained while cycling. He was only in his early 40s when it happened.

He can't walk, speak or dress himself.

Not sure if it's possible where you are, but what about getting him to do some volunteer work at a brain injury centre or hospital?

I think this argument has been done to death on MN but helmets don't save lives. They might prevent a head injury at 14mph (the speed at which you might hit the road from falling from a stationary/slow speed). They are of no use if you're hit by a car. In fact, drivers are more like to drive recklessly and cyclists wearing helmets then those who aren't.

However, if my child were to be riding on the roads, I would insist on a helmet so YANBU. Yet, until drivers adjust their behaviour around cyclists, no child of mine is road cycling.

recklessly around cyclists

I'm baffled a 16 year old has never had a bicycle! Myself and all my friends had them from around 6 or 7. At sixteen surely it's up to him? You can advise re. helmets but as a pp said you can't be with him all the time so you'll just have to hope he's smart enough to wear it

I wear a helmet, my dd declared at 14 she wouldn’t ride with me if I didn’t wear one. Now I ride with a club and you have to - it’s become habit

Have come off twice and have had to buy a new helmet, git concussion the first time, second time I hit black ice and ended up with cut head and black eye

Helmets are great for little accidents but drivers are the worst problem, if they looked and took care the roads would be much safer.

Tell him to go to Holland as no one there commutes with helmets

My DS is 16 and cycles to College, town etc. He has been honest and said he will not wear a helmet despite me asking him to. Not quite sure what I can actually do ...... except ask him to be super careful and always have the lights on - he does have plenty of lights and thankful there are plenty of cycle paths - we live in Brighton.

At some point you just have to let go...even though you don't want to.

According to the department of transport, mile for mile, you are more likely to die whilst walking than cycling.

If he won't wear a helmet, you don't buy him a bike.

My teenagers have always worn helmets so know no different.

I think the OP said he had a bike when younger Albatross but not now.
We are a family of keen cyclists and the dc get a new bike every 2 - 2 1/2 years as they are getting too small for their current one. If your child wasn’t using their bike much, you would just not replace it once outgrown.