Cycling and wearing a helmet

[Butterfly44]

13yo DS won't wear his helmet - or if I force him he takes it off when out of sight. A new one with a fancy light hasn't persuaded otherwise . It doesn't help he's with friends who don't wear one either. I know they think "they're safe" or it's not cool or god forbid ruins their hairstyle...but I want him to be safe when out. They do stick to cycle paths as much as possible. Anyone successfully managed to convince their teen successfully to wear a helmet without negatively? Looking for some non confrontational ideas.

offer to pay him

Skateboarding herinnerd are a bit cooler, but you poetically have to buy a skateboard to go with it.

I have some sympathy with him though. I stopped riding as a teenager because my parents insisted and only restarted as an adult. I only wear a helmet on my racing bike now but I live in a cycling city.

Do you know where my name came from??? the bloody idiot is still riding without one 6 years later. He would rather die than see himself with one on.

I luckily got to know my son's best mates mum. When I had this situation I messaged her who also told her son he had to wear his helmet.... as they both were told the same thing they wore them! I was very sure though she'd also insist on it otherwise I suppose it could have backfired! Both boys knew we had spoken so they had nowhere to hide!

Mine won't either. I sympathise and cross my fingers.

I cycled a lot in my 20s in London and was once clipped by a car wing mirror. Landed on my head in a double lane crossroads on the north side of Lambeth Bridge.

My helmet split in half. If I hadn't been wearing it, I'd be dead or brain damaged.

Find real-life stories of cycling accidents in the news or via Google and explain the consequences of not wearing a helmet. Ban the bike otherwise. Wearing a helmet is a given in my household now, as my kids have grown up on my experience and understand the possibility of serious head injury while road cycling.