[PancakeGoddess]

Helmets, argh! I know this is a subject, like casearts, where people have very strong feelings and seem to come out of the woodwork with what often feels to me like huge judgmental opinions, but maybe that's just my being instantly defensive. Anyway. My son detests wearing his helmet and always has. He does wear it but it magically loosens somehow every few weeks and of course if it's loose it's useless.

Are there ways of demonstrating the point of helmets other than the obvious explanations? Are there helmets that are a little more comfortable? It's not that it's itchy or hot - it's that he hates the feeling of the strap pressed up under his throat.

eta - hmmm, didn't realize I had this in teen. The son in question is 10, so it can stay here but I'm sorta wishing I'd put it in Childhood Years. Is it OK to just paste in into a new thread there?

 

[the sunshine]

You might want to take him to a bike shop and have him fitted; I've had good luck doing that for myself.

Or, you could tell him the story of what happened when I was a kid. A child was riding his bike down the street when a car came flying around the corner. It hit him and dragged him, and ****warning disturbing********

*

*

*

*

He was dragged under the car, his skull cracked open and the contents came out in the street. That convinced me.

It's tough, because kids think they are invincible.

 

[TiredX2]

I don't know.

Just wanted to comment that I *think* 10 year olds fit here--- it is preteen & teen and I think Childhood is officially 3-8, or something like that.

 

[PancakeGoddess]

thanks - yea, he thinks because he's a good rider, he's safe. We've explained that he is indeed a good rider but that doesn't keep him safe. I've never thought of a kid being dragged, oh, man. We always say he'd go flying, which is obviously another possibility. I need a crash test dummy video or something...

Getting him fitted is a nice idea. He likes the skater style helmets, which I like because they're safer, but I wonder if a regular bike style might feel better.

 

[tiredmum]

I agree that taking him to a bike shop to be fitted is a great idea. Also I would think they would have a greater selection. I personally would think that a skater helmet although gives more coverage would be hotter and sweatier. I am thankful that here where I live wearing a helmet is law for ANYONE under 18 so all arguements aside DD has always known she must wear it!! But the bigger arguements start when I insist she wears a helmet at other activities such as snowboarding and when she does that she just wears her skater helmet as it does give more coverage and helps her head stay warmer too

My DD does not bike, rollerblade (on the street), snowboard, or skateboard with out her protection otherwise she knows she is not allowed to do it!!

 

[babybugmama]

Benjalo - the village cyclery could help out! They helped me with dd in getting a proper helmet for her and how it should fit. They could also do the scary story stuff...

 

[PancakeGoddess]

babybugmama, thanks! I'll try that.
tiredmum, no doubt the skater helmet is hot. DC assures me that heat isn't his issue - it's just the strap.

 

[tiredmum]

Oh okay

I know my dd's skater helmet strap is the same as her bike helmet. I wonder if they sell those ones with the chin cups.

 

[mama_daba]

there are several different brands of helmet and each one fits differently, and there are different shapes and sizes of heads, my partner has a very large head, and sadly the only helmet made that fits his head is called the king head helmet, no joke thats what it is called, he has a huge head, i on the otherhand wear a womens helmet but could easily wear a kids helmet, womens helmets run smaller and are about the same as kids helmets for me one brand fits a lot better than other brands so thats what i get, and it took a while but i got used to the strap
the best ways i know of to get kids to wear a helmet is for the adults around them to always wear helmets, this works best if the adults also ride bikes, i don't have a car my transportation is a bike, that or walking, i hate busses and trains i only take them if it is raining really hard or i am sick or it is more than 8 miles away,
getting fitted at a bike shop is the best way to get a helmet because fit is important and most people at bike shops will agree that it is cool to wear a helmet, so besides having a helmet thats mroe comfortable it could help just for him to see like cool bike people being cool about helmets,

good luck

i had a head injury from a bike fall several years ago, the helmet was broken and i had a headache for about 6 monthes but i had no serious injury at all, it was scary i got to ride in an ambulence, if i hadn't had a helmet on my head would have probably spil open or something, and i am a pretty good rider, no cars or anything i just lost control on a turn, since my fall i have been extremely pro helmet, i was already but after that yeah i really push helmets whenever i see anyone on a bike without a helmet i say something, i have changed a few peoples minds and gotten some to wear helmets

 

[PancakeGoddess]

thanks moonfroggy - it's interesting to know that you hurt yourself so seriously on the bike with no cars involved.

We definitely all ride bikes together. I wear my helmet, and I don't love it either, and I tell them I know how they feel but it doesn't help. wahhh.

we'll go to the bike shop and see what we find. I think a chin cup is a neat idea - it would keep the strap off the throat/neck? They'd like that

 

[tiredmum]

Well make sure you come back and let us know how it all goes at the bike shop benjalo

 

[KarenEMT]

I wish I had videotaped some of the many bicycle crashes I have seen. My DS is also 10, but he has started racing road bikes and also track bikes on the velodrome. There is no way he'd ever go without a helmet (this is not me talking - he has seen enough of his buddies saved by a helmet that was cracked in two).

If your son is complaining about the heat of the helmet, then he could save up for a higher-end model - those usually have more vents and are much cooler. He can also wear a wicking-type head cover such as a HeadSweat under the helmet to keep the sweat in check. My son and I wear Halo headbands to keep sweat out of our eyes while bicycling.

He needs that strap adjusted by a pro - mine is under the chin but never constricts my throat (otherwise my old wide butt would have a heckuva time doing a long climb).

Here is a link for your son to read about bicycle crashes with helmets: http://www.bhsi.org/crashes.htm

Here is a link about bicycle crashes without helmets:
http://www.bhsi.org/crashmor.htm

We are also members of our local bicycle club, and no one is permitted to do any club activity without a helmet - regardless of your age or ability.

Lastly, as an ambulance volunteer, I have seen so many bicyclists of all ages hurt worse than they had to be because they neglected to wear a helmet.