Teenage son won't wear a bike helmet

[JustSaying71]

Hi – Turning here given desperation - or more exasperation. My son, recently turned 18, has been working as a Deliveroo bicycle dispatch rider for about 5 months now. I was OK with him getting the job. He showed initiative in getting it, it’s better paid than the shop work he had been doing and cycling around for 4 or 5 hours keeps him fit. Against that was the risk of cycling amidst the buses, taxis and city centre crowds where we live. So I insisted (as did his Mum) that he wear a bike helmet. This I think he did – at least initially. However, in recent weeks when I have asked him about it having seen numerous Deliveroo riders without helmets, I got the impression that he hasn’t been. Saturday, he called by my flat between jobs without helmet. I asked him about it, he said that he’d left the helmet with his bike down stairs. However, I saw from my window when he was leaving that he was lying as he didn’t have one on. A telephone call to his Mum confirmed that he hasn’t been wearing a helmet for weeks, despite her imploring him to do so.

Two things here. One is that it’s another unfortunate bi-product of Deliveroo (and other ‘gig economy’ companies) not having employees, but hiring self-employed riders. Therefore, they can’t insist on their employees wearing particular kit as a condition of the job. Two, what to do as a parent? One could take the view that he’s no longer a child, he’s a young man, it’s unfortunate but ultimately his life, his decision. The other is to continue to be a controlling parent, threaten to stop paying for his iPhone until he consents to wear one. Or someway, somewhere between these two things. Like I say, the silliness (‘I KNOW I won’t fall off Dad’) and dishonesty are really annoying me. What would others do?

Zzzz, but it's distracting from the issue, what can the op do to get his son to wear a helmet. Why he pays for his iPhone isn't. He hasn't asked for opinions on that specifically so why ask the question? Lots and lots of parents pay for things for their adult children. Oh and i can do the face too

There was a story a few years ago about a teenage boy not wearing one and nearly loosing his life. If you could find that it might help?

Sticking a helmet in his head won't make everything OK. When DS started delivering I insisted every wear a helmet. DS did actually listen (much to my surprise!) He then managed to hurl himself though the back window of a car, causing ££££ of damage and slight injury to himself. (The lack of insurance of Deliveroo/UberEATS couriers is a whole different thread!) I then insisted he gave up his not very lucrative courier career. Not easy when they are over 18 and everyone is telling them they are an adult, but sometimes 18yo's still need parenting.
I would try talking about why it's so important and why you care about it so much before stopping paying for things or taking away his bike.

Have you thought about raising it with Deliveroo generally regarding their cyclists not wearing helmets? I'd be interested in their response.

i found the story easy enough on google. The boys name was Ryan Smith. the story has stuck with me.

People are seriously suggesting you take away an adults bike so they can't work?

If he was younger it would be no helmet, no bike but at 18 there's not much you can do.

Not the main issue but he is probably not actually, under tax and employment law, self employed.

Dozer, I think the couriers are technically self employed...and are given no advice re paying tax or having insurance. But that's OK because they are over 18 and should know all that....or so many MNetters would believe.

I don't disagree zzz

Thanks for all the feedback. Didn't see any initially whilst I was on online after posting, whilst racier msgs on 1 section of the MN body and soul blog were clocking up replies by the minute!

Anyway, yes, I went, as I always likely to (and to be honest I was as annoyed by the lies as anything) with the, 'OK, I think you're being an idiot in not wearing a helmet, but it's your choice. But one thing I'd like you to promise me is that you won't lie to me like this again' (which he did). I will mention it again from time to time, but not nag him over it.

A couple of other things. As pointed out, the issue isn't the relative benefits of health v safety. There can be no argument over whether helmets do provide protection to the head, brain.

The reason he gives for not wearing a helmet is that he doesn't need to as he won't fall off. I am sure many others have expereinced such teenage arguments - and not just from teenagers. I think part of the background is that he saw that most other Deliveroo riders weren't wearing helmets and thought that it wasn't cool to do so. So the easily influenced aspect of it annoyed me.

I thought of contacting Deliveroo but thought that it would be futile. But I will have a go.

Parenting like Trump! LOL. What would he do? Buy the company and close it down maybe? Bomb its HQ? Not that I'd imagine that many of his kids had such PT jobs..

Hi - I just posted again thanking posters for posting and giving a little feedback on some of the suggestions. But it doesn't seem to have gone up. So I'll try again, briefly. I went with the he's an adult line. But relunctantly. Intrigued by what Trump the parent would do!

Of course he won't fall off! He's 18 and all 18 yo's believe they are immortal.

The line I went with was "It's not you, it's the other road users; there are a lot of idiotic drivers out there who might not see you" and "If you are going to be a professional courier you need to behave like a professional courier. You don't see couriers in London not wearing helmets"

I would contact Deliveroo as a customer/road user expressing your concern generally at their couriers not wearing helmets. It probably won't do much good, but better than doing nothing.

They're TOLD they're self employed but if challenged in court it may well be they're "workers" in employment law: that has happened with Uber.

So if they don't insure couriers who does the company argue is liable in the event of an accident harming others or damaging others' property: the couriers?!

Partly because of advice here, I'd been meaning to anyway, I tried to contact the company this morning. And guess what? Deliveroo don't have an company email address or a street address - not one to contact them re such things anyway. They have a chat line to discuss the finer points of pizza toppings etc, a press email, one other one, but not that seems destined for the UK operations of the company. I know that their profits (like Uber) in part derive from having very low overheads, i.e. a tiny TF staff. I did email them using the addresses I could find and asked for my enquiry about whether they have take any responsibility for staff safety to be passed on, but I am not holding my breath.

Doing this makes me have the horrible feeling that issues like this only elicit a response from a company like this, when there's been a trajedy.

Drop a very ripe tomato on the road in front of him and tell him that's what his head could end up resembling.
He's a typical know-it-all teenager, sadly; I've nursed several who would have survived pretty much unscathed had helmets been worn, instead of which their quality of life is now pretty much nonexistent.
Totally unnecessary.

There was a case I'm aware of where a woman took City Sprint (I think) to court and won - re holiday pay Hope the link works:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/06/courier-wins-holiday-pay-in-latest-key-tribunal-ruling-for-gig-economy&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari

I've questioned Uber about insurance and was basically told road users who have their vehicles damaged by UberEATS cycle couriers should claim on their own insurance. Getting a staight answer out of them was a bit line getting blood from a stone, but I was eventually told: ."Regrettably, our policy is that we can't pay for any damages to your vehicle to be repaired.
You will have to cover your own insurance for your vehicle. I hope this information helps."

My DS didn't have anywhere near the funds to cover the damage he did to the drivers car. We are paying for him. Maybe as he's an adult we shouldn't, and let the driver take him to the small claims court as they threatened to. Or maybe as responsible parents we protect him from that. I calculated would have had to work for two years to earn enough money to continue vet the damage. I'm just really glad he was wearing a helmet and wasn't badly injured.

I jwish I had the time and money to take UberEATS to court, just to see the outcome.

I haven't been able to find an insurance company willing to insure Deliveroo/UberEATS couriers. If anyone can suggest one that will I'd be very interested.

He needs to meet someone who has suffered brain damage as a result of a cycling accident. I
I never used to wear a helmet. Then my brother had an accident and his helmet was seriously smashed. He suffered concussio which lasted weeks. If he hadn't been wearing a helmet he would be dead now.

JustSaying if you tweet them you're more likely to get a response. A tragedy wouldn't make any difference to them. If someone chooses not to wear a helmet while delivering for them it's perfectly legal. What would they care?

It isn't actually 100% on cycle helmets for adults - it is for motorbikes.

I know someone who was injured by a helmet, although the prime cause aad the motorist that ran him down. I know others who had injuries reduced by helmets.

Helmets may also allow survival of some brain injuries where death would be better.

Get informed, and if a helmet is worn make sure it is fitted correctly.

To my surprise Deliveroo did get back to me. Here's the response for anybody interested:

'Thank you for your email.

We take safety incredibly seriously, making helmets and lights available to all riders free of charge. Correct, riders are not required to wear this equipment however we have also worked in consultation with Brake, the UK road safety organisation, to design a new hyper-reflective rider kit which maximises visibility of riders to all road users.

We require that every rider meets our minimum safety standards and, as with all road users, obey the highway code at all times while working with us.

If (deleted) needs new helmet, he can get in touch with us and we will arrange for him to get a new one'.

So, contradictory. I know that what Deliveroo say about encouraging riders to be safe is true. And they do provide decent quality kit. However, they don't insist that their staff where basic safety equipment, i.e. helmets. Does anybody know whether they could if they wanted to, i.e. could they make this a contractual, legal, requirement, of working for Deliveroo even though they don't legally (yet) employ their riders?

Thanks for suggestions about videos and so on.

I am about to face the same problem,was wondering how I would get round it