Manners/Social Conventions You Don't Follow

[CliffFletcher]

I only ride with a bike helmet when I'm commuting on the road. When I ride on the bike paths, or on the sidewalk and paths with my kids, there's no helmet.

And I get a laugh out of people who call me an idiot for this, when I am almost certainly far more informed about the incidence of bicycle crashes and head injuries vs pedestrian head injuries vs driving head injuries. Knowledge will set you free.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Cause people thought you just made everything up. Now that we know you actually are as zany as you say you are you've become a folk hero.

Almost like it was DESStined to happen.....

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I only ride with a bike helmet when I'm commuting on the road. When I ride on the bike paths, or on the sidewalk and paths with my kids, there's no helmet.

And I get a laugh out of people who call me an idiot for this, when I am almost certainly far more informed about the incidence of bicycle crashes and head injuries vs pedestrian head injuries vs driving head injuries. Knowledge will set you free.

I used to not wear a helmet when I rode with my kids. Then my daughter asked why she had to wear one but I didn't. I told her it was because I loved her and I wanted her to be safe.

She then asked me if I thought that she loved me..........


I now wear a helmet, stupid smart child.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I only ride with a bike helmet when I'm commuting on the road. When I ride on the bike paths, or on the sidewalk and paths with my kids, there's no helmet.

And I get a laugh out of people who call me an idiot for this, when I am almost certainly far more informed about the incidence of bicycle crashes and head injuries vs pedestrian head injuries vs driving head injuries. Knowledge will set you free.

I find this strange. I wear a helmet when I ride my bike and when I skateboard (and I used to never wear a helmet skateboarding) because I want to set a good example for them. I don't think you age out of wearing a helmet at any point.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I used to not wear a helmet when I rode with my kids. Then my daughter asked why she had to wear one but I didn't. I told her it was because I loved her and I wanted her to be safe.

She then asked me if I thought that she loved me..........


I now wear a helmet, stupid smart child.

There are all kinds of things kids can't do that adults do. My kids (who are under 8) can't go the mall alone. Or BBQ hamburgers. Or drive. Or start a campfire. Or drink alcohol. The reason has nothing to do with love, and everything to do with judgement and competence.

It's weird how dangerous people think cycling is, and yet no one bats an eye about driving their kids everywhere without helmets.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

There are all kinds of things kids can't do that adults do. My kids (who are under 8) can't go the mall alone. Or BBQ hamburgers. Or drive. Or start a campfire. Or drink alcohol. The reason has nothing to do with love, and everything to do with judgement and competence.

It's weird how dangerous people think cycling is, and yet no one bats an eye about driving their kids everywhere without helmets.

Oh...I'd say theres an element of hope involved in that....

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I find this strange. I wear a helmet when I ride my bike and when I skateboard (and I used to never wear a helmet skateboarding) because I want to set a good example for them. I don't think you age out of wearing a helmet at any point.

I can only imagine what people think when you are out with your mobility scooter and then out skateboarding. "Must buy Sliver's Magic Healer Elixer!"

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I can only imagine what people think when you are out with your mobility scooter and then out skateboarding. "Must buy Sliver's Magic Healer Elixer!"

His buddy drivers the scooter, and tows him.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Locke

Oh...I'd say theres an element of hope involved in that....

You mean hope that it doesn't become mandatory for children to wear helmets in automobiles?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

There are all kinds of things kids can't do that adults do. My kids (who are under 8) can't go the mall alone. Or BBQ hamburgers. Or drive. Or start a campfire. Or drink alcohol. The reason has nothing to do with love, and everything to do with judgement and competence.

It's weird how dangerous people think cycling is, and yet no one bats an eye about driving their kids everywhere without helmets.

So to be clear you think the a child wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle is at the same risk level as a child riding a bike that is hit by a vehicle?

I wonder if the big metal structure around the child makes them any safer.

How about kids launching themselves off the bike, how about any number of things that could happen....

Listen at the end of the day do what you want, it is your head, your kids, your life, your decisions.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

So to be clear you think the a child wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle is at the same risk level as a child riding a bike that is hit by a vehicle?

No. But there isn't nearly as much difference between the two as people seem to think. And when it comes to the incidence of head injuries suffered by pedestrians vs cyclists, there is even less difference. It's not a matter of one being save, and the other not safe. It's a matter of degrees. Children do suffer serious and fatal head injuries in cars accidents, and as pedestrians. Some would undoubtedly be prevented by helmets. By choosing not to put a helmet kids every time they get in a car or go for a walk, you a making a decision that puts them at greater risk.

Kids should wear bike helmets. They have poor coordination and judgement, and crash far more often than adults. Adults should exercise their own judgement. Personally, I base my judgement on statistical likelihood, not social norms. Because if there's one facet of life where social norms are usually spectacularly wrong, it's risk assessment.

From the data I've looked at, odds are it would take 30 years of commuting daily by bike (40 km round trip) to suffer a injury requiring a trip to the hospital. Around one-third of trips to the hospital for cyclists involved head injuries. So close to a hundred years for a head injury.

However, even at those odds, I do wear a helmet while commuting and riding on the road. I'm cautious by nature.

However, I do not wear a helmet riding 10 km/hr down the sidewalk to the playground, or when I ride on the bike paths, since the vast majority of serious cycling collisions involve automobiles (and cyclists traveling at speed).*

As for the why not just wear one - who cares about the hassle and discomfort - argument, I hope I don't have to point out that the same argument could be made about wearing a helmet in an automobile, or walking across a mall parking lot (which is actually far more dangerous than people think). Helmets would undoubtedly make people more safe in cars and when walking. But of course, people don't wear helmets in those instances because other people don't. Social conventions and all that. Just as few people thought cycling was dangerous until most people in North American started wearing helmets. And now it's regarded as dangerous because people wear helmets when they cycle. In countries where cycling in a normal, every-day activity for most adults (Denmark, the Netherlands), almost nobody wears a helmet. And they have lower rates of head injuries from cycling than Canada does.

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Listen at the end of the day do what you want, it is your head, your kids, your life, your decisions.

You did see the part where I said my kids wear helmets whenever they're on bikes (or scooters, or rollerblades, or skating), right? As for the notion that my not wearing a helmet because would give my kids as excuse not to wear them, that's no better a rationale than my kids deciding to drive our mini-van because I do, or start a camp fire, or drink beer. They're quite clear on the concept of adults and kids having different rules.

* I'm excluding mountain-biking here. It's also prudent to wear a helmet when you're likely to go flying over your handlebars, or have a rock hurtle down on you.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

My kids (who are under 8) can't go the mall alone. Or BBQ hamburgers. Or drive. Or start a campfire. Or drink alcohol.

See, this is why this country is going to crap - helicopter parents.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

His buddy drivers the scooter, and tows him.

Thought I would look for a funny video of somebody towing a skateboard with a mobility scooter. Searched "towing things with mobility scooter".

Shocked by the stuff people will tow. No skateboards though.

[Johnny199r]

I think it's stupid in pictures (often group photos) where people raise their beer up in the air or quickly drink a beer as the photo is being taken. Yes, you have a beer and will probably drink from that beer, no need to show it off to be cool like you're 14 years old.

Also, when people raise their glass for a toast or cheers, I don't care about that and just ignore when other people do it.

[Tiger]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I only ride with a bike helmet when I'm commuting on the road. When I ride on the bike paths, or on the sidewalk and paths with my kids, there's no helmet.

And I get a laugh out of people who call me an idiot for this, when I am almost certainly far more informed about the incidence of bicycle crashes and head injuries vs pedestrian head injuries vs driving head injuries. Knowledge will set you free.

I have a friend who said he didn't need a helmet. We convinced him he did. he split the helmet right in half the first day wearing it and ended up with just a little cut. This was not a biking on the roads incident, just a simple ride fall. I have a few others friends in similar situations, do similar things. I never wore a helmet when I was young, even when my parents made me I would take it off when out of site (I even wiped out a few times). I wear mine boarding and biking not only to set an example, but also because I'm paid quite a lot and it isn't for my looks. And you never know what is going to happen, The wife wiped out bad once when her chain broke in half and jammed up her bike. That was a pathway ride too.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by jammies

See, this is why this country is going to crap - helicopter parents.

Helicopter parents is such a 90s phrase.

According to my changing demographic lecture at work, the new term is 'snow plow parents'.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Tiger

I have a friend who said he didn't need a helmet. We convinced him he did. he split the helmet right in half the first day wearing it and ended up with just a little cut. This was not a biking on the roads incident, just a simple ride fall. I have a few others friends in similar situations, do similar things. I never wore a helmet when I was young, even when my parents made me I would take it off when out of site (I even wiped out a few times). I wear mine boarding and biking not only to set an example, but also because I'm paid quite a lot and it isn't for my looks. And you never know what is going to happen, The wife wiped out bad once when her chain broke in half and jammed up her bike. That was a pathway ride too.

Mrs Ironhorse wiped out on some gravel on a pathway a number of years ago. Her head was the first thing to hit the tarmac. Her helmet, which split nearly in two and became quite deformed, prevented what would have likely been a very serious head injury.

[Slava]

I know it's a different argument but there are stories of guys not wearing helmets on motorcycles who have fallen in parking lots (i.e. not going fast at all) who have fallen for whatever reason and died. I mean sure, chances are remote, but then again why take that chance when the consequence can be that big?

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by Slava

I know it's a different argument but there are stories of guys not wearing helmets on motorcycles who have fallen in parking lots (i.e. not going fast at all) who have fallen for whatever reason and died. I mean sure, chances are remote, but then again why take that chance when the consequence can be that big?

Seth Meyers said it well, "motorcycles are the cigarette of transportation."

[Slava]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

Seth Meyers said it well, "motorcycles are the cigarette of transportation."

From my cold dead hands...er wait a second...