Bike helmets & safety rant - Spinoff

msoulz wrote:

It never ceases to amaze ME that some parents do not provide or make their kids wear helmets. A boy my son was playing with at the beginning of the summer does not wear a helmet. Apparently his back brakes are also bad, as he was flying down the street, hit the brakes and flew over his handlebars. My son started screaming and DH ran down (he saw it happen) and was shocked that this kid seemed to have nothing wrong with him. Then we sent him home (my son went with him) but he came back because no one was there (he is 9) and the boy thought his dad was home. So I left a message on their answering machine explaining what happened and probably 1-1/2 hours later mom calls and said she had been home for a while but did not see the message. All she said was she would keep an eye on him (well, thanks, since he landed on his head on the pavement), never said thanks to us for helping him out, nothing. So he went home again and we haven't seen him since.

It just scares the you-know-what out of me to think what if that boy had been seriously injured and no one was there, he didn't know where they are, they obviously don't know where he is. I just don't understand. It takes a minute to make a call and let us know where to reach them but they don't do that. But then you'd have to know where your 9 year old child is to acutally do that. This boy has been wandering the neighborhoods for at least 3 years.

And then there is the boy next door who is 11 and has never worn a helmet and has been transported in the front seat since we have known him at 5 years old. He is being raised primarily by his grandparents who have the philosophy that they lived without helmets and in the front seat . . .

And then there is the tackle football league that starts at 8. DH has seen too many kids injured to let our son start this, which really upsets my son, but we really want his brains to say in place for as long as possible before getting knocked around.

Now I know I am not a perfect parent and I am sure I do things that others find offensive or irresponsible. But I do wish parents would do things to keep their kids safer.

K, I'm done now

lisar replied: I know how you feel in a sense. When any of the kids at my house it is a VERY strict rule to wear your helmet when they are riding the 4-wheelers. But we have 2 other houses on the street that have kids and 4-wheelers and NONE of them wear helmets. It drives me crazy. They can seriously get hurt. Especially the one house where the kids cant be more than 5 years old. And NO HELMET. Lexi actually told one of them that they needed helmet if they wanted to ride.

cameragirl21 replied: It's really nice of you to care about this boy, Mary, because clearly his parents don't. Or should I say, they are not extremely concerned, Idk if it's fair for me to say they don't when I don't know them or know their situation. But it seems your family has shown more concern and attention when he got injured than his own parents and that is a real shame.
As for the helmets and front seat, well, I admit, growing up in the 80s, I didn't wear a helmet and I was an avid bike rider...I took a few spills, once when I hit my head and went unconscious. I also rode in the front seat and turned out ok for all of it BUT it doesn't mean I would do the same with my own kids now that we have more information and better options for children's safety.
From what I can see, you are an exemplary mom and your kids are lucky to have you...so are the neighborhood kids.

msoulz replied:

You are way too kind. I could spill my faults here, but then, why ruin such a nice moment for me??? Thank you.

gr33n3y3z replied: We see it here also with kids with no helmets or they just plop them on top of the head and call it a day or hanging off the handle bars.

Hey its the law here and the cops dont even right them up for it sad isnt it

boyohboyohboy replied: we have a state cop that lives right in our neighborhood, where all the kids are riding their bikes and no helmets...most of them are riding right in the middle of road, swerving between the cars. the cop speeds thru this cud de sac himself..no one ever says a thing..

our kids have to ride with pads and helmets, even jake on a trike, and they have to stay in the drive way. and we are looked at as the meanest parents in the block...

lisar replied:
Let them think that when their kid gets hurt. They wont be thinking that, they are gona wish they were more like you and had a helmet on their kid.

msoulz replied:
You and me both!!

Calimama replied:
I saw that one! It was scary how fast he was going without helmets.

Anyway Miabella has a helmet for her trike and her barbie jeep. I see kids out there all the time skateboarding especially without helmets. It makes me want to shake their parents.

Teesa®© replied:
Me three!!

We have a HUGE rule at our house: No helmet, NO BIKE.

Ours didn't have tricycles, they started out on 2 wheelers [with trainers]. They HAD to wear their helmets, knee pads and elbow pads.

We measured each child on each bike and adjusted the seats accordingly. We made sure they could reach the handle bars properly. Not that they're allowed to, but they have the lights on their bikes to ride at night.

When they got the hang of riding pretty good, the elbow and knee pads went, BUT, the helmets stayed! Now that they've been wanting the trainers off, the elbow and knee pads will probably be worn again. It depends on how co-ordinated they are riding. We're all pavement here.

Honestly, I don't care if it is a law or not, MY children will wear helmets or they won't have bikes anymore.

msoulz replied:
Can you move to my neighborhood???

Teesa®© replied:
Ummmm..... maybe? Where are you? lol

msoulz replied:
Yeah, I was afraid you'd ask . . . I am in suburban Detroit, not the best place to be these days. But my city is delightful, in the top 25 places to live according to CNN money and one of the safest in Michigan!! So don't let Detroit or Michigan scare you - move on in!

Teesa®© replied:
Ah, well, ummmm, er...

No offense in ANY way, but you couldn't pay me enough to even set foot in the States. It's not the people, it's the whole Bush thing.

You could move here . Our city is so quiet, the worst that happens here is MAYBE the occasional mugging and some bar fights. We had our 3rd murder in like 10 years. We've had some bank robberies, but no one was ever hurt. Some arsons, but they were empty buildings.

The people here are very friendly. Walk down the street and smile at anyone and they smile back.

And... we have Health Care

my2monkeyboys replied: I know I'll get yelled at for this, but I will post anyway. Don't hold back if you want to reply - I won't leave the board over it (unless of course you all want me to).
I actually do not make Will wear a helmet on his bike, but I do on his 4-wheeler. Now, when he gets a bit older and is riding out on the sidewalks/streets I will probably make him then, but for now he just rides around our yard/driveway.
And yes, it is somewhat bc I never wore one, even in the street (when we actually lived somewhere other than the woods). I also know that yes, they can fall off and get hurt, but they can do that just walking. Like I said, when he's out in the street riding when he gets older, then the helmet will probably be mandatory. Until then though he only wears it if/when he wants to.
Ok... you can all yell now.

msoulz replied:
No offense taken - I have never voted for the man, and even if I did, your opinion is totally respected!! And if we decide to move anywhere I will for sure keep it in mind - we are almost in Canada here in the Detroit area!

msoulz replied:
No yelling allowed!

But maybe our conversation here will change your mind?? If he gets used to wearing it now it won't be any big deal when he does ride on cement.

Just a thought.

Calimama replied:
DH brought this up when we got Miabella a trike. She only rides it on the field and obviously she's low to the ground but DH said that we needed to start the helmet rule now, rather than confuse her by saying, "okay you have to wear one when you're riding here.. but not there..".. kwim? Now she automatically knows if she wants to ride she needs to get her helmet. No if, ands, or buts.

She's singing at the top of her lungs in my ear so if it doesn't make sense sorry.

BAC'sMom replied: My kids don’t wear helmets in our yard either but our yard is carpet grass and sand. When we go to the park to ride bikes or if they are on our skateboard ramp then they wear helmets and safety gear.