Am effing fuming. H has just cycled dds to school

[earlgrey]

And as they left they had no cycle helmets on. This is on one of the busiest roads leading into our city. They are 7 and 8 FFS.

did you not see until they left?i'll be betting hes in for it later!

Put the helmets with their school bags and insist on them putting them on or no cycling. Or is he trying to wind you up ?

Sadly LIZS I think you're right. And no, I didn't see till I saw them cycle down the drive from our living room window. I shan't be able to say anything to H when he returns either - I'll be in the wrong and get belittled for mentioning or it'll cause a huge row.

earlgrey.if cant talk to dh about it.have word with dc,drum into them as lizs says no helmets no bikes.

oh god i would be

my parerents don't see the point of cycle helmets. consequently they dont get to take their grandkids cycling.

HOW they can have this attitude as londoners, who have had several friends being hit by a jugganaught-christ knows

omg i would be fuming too! i would say something regardless. You are NOT in the wrong. HE is. Tell him so! A policeman would soon tell him he was wrong. Trouble is, it might be when it's too late. Please say something to him.

This was it:

H comes in back door.

Me: Did you manage to put dd1's name down for baking club?
Him: Yes.
Me: Why didn't they wear their cycle helmets this morning?
Him: Because I forgot.

H goes upstairs, puts a tie on, and leaves.

That's it, end of story.

I don't see the point in cycle helmets. There's also research to back this up. Aparently they give a false sense of security and very little if any protection in a proper impact.

However, if you feel safer when your kids have them on then your dh should respect this. I think use MN to vent, but don't be angry with him for not using them. Just ask him nicely to use them in future. Otherwise, if he's anything like my dh, he'll get all defensive and the subject will become a big, thorny issue.

FWIW I think it's great that they're cycyling to school and good on him for overseeing that.

I have a friend who might have survived being knocked off his bike if he'd been wearing a cycle helmet. He wasn't and therefore his two DCs are growing up without a father.

The truth is that there is no simple answer. Certainly, in some accidents a helmet can reduce the risk of severe head injury but every accident is different and therefore the outcome can never be judged before the incident.
Indeed the majority of head injuries which result in death are caused by collision with other vehicles, travelling at comparative high speed, something which a bicycle helmet is not designed to cope with (See "What can a helmet do?" below).

In reality, the numbers of these serious head injuries is extremely low and it is felt that the overall health benefits offered by regular cycling far far outweigh the small amount of risk involved.

Spidermama, my brother was recently knocked off his bike by a car speeding out of a side road. His helmet cracked down the middle as it hit the windscreen first and he was in intensive care for 3 days.

If he had not been wearing a helmet I would not have a brother.