Raising awareness- bike helmets, skate parks etc

[dutch 68]

Hi forummers

 

I am interested in raising awareness and encouraging use of bike helmets for our children, particularly in skate parks. I notice at my local park (Millhouses) lots of kids doing stunts without helmets. Anyone interested or have ideas?

 

My background is that I work with children with brain injury, including those sustained in parks like this without helmets (or even on their own driveway but this is more difficult to tackle). I also have links with some of the brain injury charities.

 

Obviously people don't like being told what to do including both kids and parents, so I am thinking about how this can be encouraged at our parks by raising awareness of the risks, as I think a lot parents don't realise. Whilst teenagers will do their own thing, I also see nice parents with good kids but no helmet, possibly just not aware of the risks?

 

Interested in thoughts and ideas

 

I would like to raise awareness about alcohol and drink driving.

 

No matter how good a helmet you have a drink driver can kill you and will only get four years for it if they confess.

[samsparro 10]

Having seen my 4 year old daughter fall off her bike at clumber park a few weeks ago and put a massive dent in the side of her helmet, I can't get my head round those parents who don't get their kids to wear them whilst cycling.

 

If she hadn't been wearing a helmet then i can't imagine what it would have done to her head... And it wasn't a particularly fast crash!!!

 

Surely if you start kids wearing helmets at a young age, they will carry it through as its accepted as the norm!

[cgksheff 44]

It is not a case for argument, because the subject is more of opinion and belief.

There is a school of thought which suggests that helmets create a sense of security which prevents full development of the skills and awareness needed for the self-protection that gets us through life.

[999tigger 10]

Its an emotive subject Sam.

 

Why not have a word with Headway the brain injury association?

 

https://www.headway.org.uk/position-statements/cycle-helmets.aspx

Free helpline 0808 800 2244

 

[email protected]

[samsparro 10]

Yep I do see your point, but for those kids who get seriously injured not wearing one, it's a tough lesson learnt when the wearing of a helmet would have prevented the injury in the first place?

[999tigger 10]

sam you arent going to won any discussion on here, people are too polarised.

 

Personally if I was having an accident and my head was about to smash into the concrete then id rather have a helmet on. You are talking about a specific place a skate park which means cars are removed from the equation and renders many of the arguments against irrelevant.

[samsparro 10]

Your right they are.

 

I understand the argument that if you get hit by a car then a helmet isn't going to do much good... However I can see insurance companies getting cute to this and saying if you are involved in a collision with a car and not wearing a helmet, then your payout will be reduced. They will do anything to avoid paying out.

 

I suppose it's not seen as cool to wear one on a skate park though!!!

[dutch 68]

It is not a case for argument, because the subject is more of opinion and belief.

There is a school of thought which suggests that helmets create a sense of security which prevents full development of the skills and awareness needed for the self-protection that gets us through life.

 

I can see where that comes from, have never used a helmet but started cycling on a tricycle before I learned to write my name.

Can say with certainty it makes you more aware, alert, conscious in what you do.

Edited September 20, 2014 by dutch

[999tigger 10]

I can see where that comes from, have never used a helmet but started cycling on a tricycle before I learned to write my name.

Can say with certainty it makes you more aware, alert, conscious in what you do.

 

That may be the case for yourself but other people are different. A careless person who doesnt wear a helmet is going to be at more of a risk than a careful person with a helmet.

[teeny 10]

I have to tell you a friend of mine had an accident when she was younger , attempting to show her son how to skate board now the accident has left her with brain damage which according to her surgeon would have been far worse if she hadn't been wearing her helmet ! The accident has left her with short term memory problems for example she could watch a film today and then watch it again tomorrow and not realise.

having had care of children who like skateboarding for me its a no brainer right equipment protects them! and keeps them safer than with out

[dutch 68]

That may be the case for yourself but other people are different. A careless person who doesnt wear a helmet is going to be at more of a risk than a careful person with a helmet.

 

You are right that not everyone is the same, everyone is unique.

But a careless person who wants to take risks with or without protection is like putting your hand in the fire knowing it is going to get burned.

 

This learning without a helmet only works if the child is very young, starts on a very little bike, little can happen.

If the child is learning little later and moves considerable distance with higher risk while learning it can be distracted easily, that is dangerous.

A kid cycles, you call, the child will immediately move its attention away from safety and listen to the call and fall down.

Children cannot focus as well on multiple responsibilities at the same time.

 

When the child learns earlier while really little that safety process becomes build in, like walking, it becomes a natural automatic build in process.

This child will have natural build in reflexes towards dangerous situations on a bike. 100% of safety responsibility is with the cyclist.

 

When a child learns later on with a helmet it starts with a cloud of fear from the parents and always associate danger and risk with cycling.

Now this child will see cycling as something dangerous and protection is the solution. There is now only 80% of responsibility with the cyclist, relaxes thinking he/she is little safer and that remaining 20% stays with a helmet that cannot think or see.

 

---------- Post added 20-09-2014 at 12:27 ----------

 

I have to tell you a friend of mine had an accident when she was younger , attempting to show her son how to skate board now the accident has left her with brain damage which according to her surgeon would have been far worse if she hadn't been wearing her helmet ! The accident has left her with short term memory problems for example she could watch a film today and then watch it again tomorrow and not realise.

having had care of children who like skateboarding for me its a no brainer right equipment protects them! and keeps them safer than with out

 

Also learn how to use them step by step before trying to prove you are some experienced hero on them

UK people always want to be the best, immediately, on the top.

 

Starting at the beginning and learn at the right pace, slowly, patient, is safer than wearing a helmet.

[samsparro 10]

I see what your saying Dutch, but if your trying to teach children to be safe then from the start they should wear a helmet. It's about being responsible for your own health and wellbeing.

 

It's like if your doing some grinding, you would wear safety glasses as its only one little piece of metal that can blind you.

 

Why expose your child to unnecessary risks by not putting a helmet on them? You make them wear a seatbelt...