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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think children do not need crash helmets when on a scooter?

23 replies

deaddei · 09/08/2009 15:24

Just returned from lovely time in local park where there was a group of 4 children aged about 6, all on little scooters and all wearing cycle helmets. Now fair dos, cycle helmets when on bikes on roads/busy areas, but on a scooter, 1 inch off the floor on grass?
Is that not a bit precious?

OP posts:

LIZS · 09/08/2009 15:27

yabu maybe they had scootered there rather than been driven ? I encouraged dc to wear helmets even when on trikes, saves battles later on

mamas12 · 09/08/2009 15:28

Helmets YABU

Tamarto · 09/08/2009 15:32

Why does it matter to you?

trixymalixy · 09/08/2009 15:35

YABU, they can go really fast on scooters and it's better to be consistent. No helmet, no scooter.

edam · 09/08/2009 15:36

I don't make ds wear a helmet for scooting. Vaguely think the thing about cycling is you are more likely to hit your head when you fall off, don't think the same applies to scooting. And he doesn't go as fast as he might on a bike.

But I could well be wrong on this.

Original poster

deaddei · 09/08/2009 15:36

It's an observation Tamarto- my dcs are older, and I have never seen children wear helmets on scooters before!!!
Mind you mine never wore knee or elbow pads whilst rollerblading either, so I probably am a neglectful mother.

OP posts:

Tamarto · 09/08/2009 15:40

If it was just an observation you would not have bothered with the 'Is that not a bit precious? ' bit at the end of your post nor put in AIBU If you are going to judge and mock at least do it openly.

It doesn't hurt anyone so i don't see the problem, if your kids wear them great if not it's equally as great but i doubt mums appreciate you calling them precious because you think the idea is daft.

cheesesarnie · 09/08/2009 15:49

mine do its not precious.

Original poster

deaddei · 09/08/2009 16:02

Apologies cheesesarnie, didn't mean to offend. I agree, if it saves battles later, do it as soon as they get on something with wheels,but I had never seen a dc on a scooter before with helmet!

OP posts:

cheesesarnie · 09/08/2009 16:05

not offended at all

MollieO · 09/08/2009 16:10

Ds asks to wear his and won't scooter without it. As far as I can see you can have just as nasty accidents on scooters as on bikes.

Weegle · 09/08/2009 16:10

YABU - my DS came off his scooter at considerable speed at 2.5 yrs - considering the damage to his helmet I'm pretty glad it wasn't his head. All wheeled toys that my DS can negotiate at speed HELMET ON - and I'm not precious...

teamcullen · 09/08/2009 16:24

my DDs friend (aged 10) was playing on her scooter. She rolled down her path and onto the road.

She was hit by a car traveling 20 mph.

She was in intensive care for 4 days before she lost her fight for life.

At the inquest the coroner said she probably would have survived if she was wearing a helmet.

shabster · 09/08/2009 16:29

Was just going to post and saw your message teamcullen

From bitter experience I would say helmets from the minute a child gets on a bike, scooter, rollerblades etc etc. The earlier they get used to wearing them the better. I wish a celebrity that the children look up to would promote helmets to encourage it.

Teamcullen I was also told the same after my 7 year old DS3 was knocked off his bike and killed by a reversing lorry (which was only doing about 3 miles an hour).

Original poster

deaddei · 09/08/2009 16:41

Wow ladies, I totally stand corrected.
Shabster- how awful for you, and as I said to cheesesarnie, I hope you're not offended.

OP posts:

cheesesarnie · 09/08/2009 16:43

teamcullen and shabster-very

i agree as soon as bike or scooter etc is brought a helmet should be brought at the same time.we have a no helmet no bike rule in our house.

awayfromhome · 09/08/2009 16:50

Sorry another YABU here - my dd wears a helmet for her scooter.

When she got hit by a cyclist going through a red light, fell back on the pavement and hit her head, I was very glad that she had it on.

shabster · 09/08/2009 16:50

Not offended whatsoever.

I didn't realise the importance of helmets until it was too late with my little lad Matt. I'm almost sure that it is illegal for a child to ride a bike without a helmet where my BIL lives in Germany.

Think its a brilliant idea to have a 'no helmet - no ride' rule with children.

Please dont think you have offended or upset me at all - its good to debate topics like this.

teamcullen · 09/08/2009 17:00

So sorry to hear about your little boy Shabster. Its been just over three years since my DD lost her friend. It upset me more than the death of my father.

After it happened, the school got people in to teach the children how to ride safely on the road.

I couldnt beleive it when the letter came home saying that wearing a helmet wasnt compulsary with a leaflet promoting not wearing helmets!!!

This year when my DS did the cycle course, the school had the sense to say they couldnt participate unless wearing one.

danthe4th · 09/08/2009 17:55

I also think children should wear long shorts and t shirts while on scooters,I saw a young girl about age 7 fall off her scooter yesterday and she only had shorts on, she was really grazed and I bet she's really sore today. I don't make my children wear helmets while riding scooters but I do when on their bikes.

mumeeee · 09/08/2009 18:26

YABU. You can have nasty accidents on scooters.

PeachyLaPeche · 09/08/2009 18:54

Shabster , i'm sorry for your little ones loss.

I'm funny about bike helmets but I increasingly find it a challenge as so many don't wear them- tehre's a child ds1 is friendly with that sits there in the car going @I don't need a seatbelt Mum says its silly' (insert helemtt / carseat/ etc). I told him he would be waling to the farmpark in that case but it does upset the boys.

nevertheless I am adament about it but fully expect in a few years when they can cycle alone for them to remove it when out of sight for cool value. It's a damned shame.

DS3 took his scooter ut for the first time yesterday and I did let him go without a helmet as he doesnt have one (well he did but he buried it. Arrrrrggggh). He only scooted one step or so before insisting on carrying it which was what I suspected woulod happen but I have put helmet for him and ds1 (DS1's a bit damaged on close inspection) on my payday ahopping list after reading theis thread.

Scorpette · 09/08/2009 19:52

When I was 6 or 7 I was playing on my scooter in a big group of kids in a field with our parents nearby. None of us were wearing helmets (it was @1979). A slightly older boy hit a hidden stone with his front wheel and went flying and fell straight onto his face - unfortunately onto a nearby patch of concrete path, which he slid along on his face for quite a distance. He broke nearly every bone in his face and cut his face to ribbons, as well as breaking both wrists and several ribs and broke either his hip or thigh, I forget which. He also had concussion and suffered petit mal fits for a few years. He was left permanently facially disfigured, which required him to have many surgeries well into his 20s, still has a limp and he was never able to fully speak normally again, as he broke his palate and teeth badly (still see him around from time to time - lovely guy). Now, I accept this was a freak accident, but after that, my Mum used to make us wear helmets as the Doctors told his mum that if he'd been wearing one he would at least have not done most of that damage to his face and head.

Don't mean to be a scaremonger with this story. Just think it's better to be safe than sorry. Incidentally, we kids who saw the whole thing were v traumatised as it was gory and terrifying and I actually had occasional nightmares about it right into my teens.

Shabster my heart goes out to you.

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