My silly little arguement about bicycles

[Radio Talk Show Host]

GATORBACK I don't think you realize that the helmet law only reduces the number of 13-16 year olds that ride bikes. I think they are safer riding a bicycle then walking. I KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T A SIMPLE ISSUE AND THAT MIGHT BE PRETTY HARD FOR YOU. Maybe if people like you would rally that kids should just wear helmets at all times they might ride bikes again.
Please don't respond until you have actually seen a 13 year old riding a bicycle with a helmet on.
OR
Please don't respond until you spend 20 bucks a week driving a teenager around that would be happy to ride a bike if she wouldn't have to wear a helmet.

[second_pancake]

GATORBACK I don't think you realize that the helmet law only reduces the number of 13-16 year olds that ride bikes.

Really?  But I thought you just said that you see 13-16 year olds riding around with no helmets all the time.  I think you're underestimating and patronizing kids this age.  They're going to do what they want to do.  What teenager have you known to listen to their parents all the time and play by the rules?  That's what being a teenager is all about...pushing the line.  The kids that want to ride will ride regardless of what the law is.  Just like they rollerblade and skateboard on sidewalks right past signs that say "no skating."  Removing the law is not going to change this.  In fact, you may see fewer kids in this age bracket riding because they're not sticking-it-to-the-man anymore.

It sounds like you're opposed to this law because you have a child that is more concerned about what her friends think or what her hair looks like than safety.  If you could only realize what would happen to her if she got hit and reiterate that to her, she might start caring.  Bicycle helmets might look nerdy, but having your head bandaged and having to have your face completely recontructed is much nerdier.

Adulthood is legally defined as being 18 years of age.  It is not until that time that a person can legally choose what is best for them and their own well-being.  A 13 year-old is still a child.  A 16 year-old is still a child.  No matter how mature that child acts or appears to be, they do not get to decide what to do with their life until they are out in the world and actually have a life.  Up until they're 18, everything is just play-acting.  It is up to you, as a responsible adult, to teach them the ways of the world and responsibility as it pertains to their life and others so when they are of age to make decisions, they make the right ones.  Maybe you have an exceptional child. In that case, I would suggest emancipation.  I lived on my own at the age of 16 and my only transporation was a bicycle.  But, of course, I understood the importance of my brain so I wore a helmet.  Your girl might not fair so well.

Btw, like I stated before, I have an 8 and 12 year old.  They wear helmets.  They've seen kids who don't wear them, get seriously hurt simply by falling off their bicycle.  They've seen their dad crash at 25mph, land on his head WITH a helmet and walk away.  They've seen people riding at 5 mph on the sidewalk and have a car pull out right in front of them nearly hitting them.  They know what can happen.  Kids like that don't need the law, they'd wear a helmet regardless.  Kids like the ones you're describing DO need the law because they simply don't know what's best for them.

[gatorback]

GATORBACK I don't think you realize that the helmet law only reduces the number of 13-16 year olds that ride bikes. I think they are safer riding a bicycle then walking. I KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T A SIMPLE ISSUE AND THAT MIGHT BE PRETTY HARD FOR YOU. Maybe if people like you would rally that kids should just wear helmets at all times they might ride bikes again.
Please don't respond until you have actually seen a 13 year old riding a bicycle with a helmet on.
OR
Please don't respond until you spend 20 bucks a week driving a teenager around that would be happy to ride a bike if she wouldn't have to wear a helmet.

Well then, that's your problem RTSH.  Next time, don't think.  Continue to let your kid demand your time because "Daddy" is to much of a pussy-whip to say Ride Your Bike With Your Helmet.  Sell the bike to pay for gas and demand gas money from their allowance. 

[second_pancake]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  GB, you are freakin killing me!

[gatorback]

Did anybody pick up the Wall Street Journal today and notice the Front Page coverstory "Hidden Trauma?" 

Studies Cite Head Injuries As Factor in Some Social Ills.
Brain Researchers Link Mental Woes, Alcoholism, To Long-Ago Blows.
By Thomas M Burton
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Researchers studying brain injury believe they've found a common thread running through many cases of seemingly unrelates social problems: a long-forgotten blow to the head.

They've found that providing therapy for an underlying  brain injury often helps people with a variety of ills ranging from learning disabilities to chronic homelessness and alcoholsim...That severe head injuries can lead to cognitive and behavioral problems....What's new is the contention of some researchers that there are many other cases where a severe past blow to the head...is the unrecognized source of such problems.

There's a nice little graph with "Causes of traumatic brain injuries: Falls 28%, Bike accident 3%..."

Okay, here's the kicker, the study shows "Children at risk."

We were talking about this over appetizers at McCormick and Schmicks this evening.  Turns out, my next door neighbor mentioned his nephew is pretty much brain dead from a skateboard accident.  To make matters worse, other horrific stories came up that speaks directly to head injury. 

Perhaps we should all start wearing our helmets event to breakfeast. 

[second_pancake]

Many moons ago, there was this guy where I worked that would put on a football helmet before getting in his car and driving home.  He looked really weird and people commented that he might have a mental issue, which may/may not have been true, but if he were to ever go through a windshield I bet dollars to doughnuts he'd fair a hell of a lot better than those of us bare-headed.

[gatorback]

GATORBACK I don't think you realize that the helmet law only reduces the number of 13-16 year olds that ride bikes. I think they are safer riding a bicycle then walking. I KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T A SIMPLE ISSUE AND THAT MIGHT BE PRETTY HARD FOR YOU. Maybe if people like you would rally that kids should just wear helmets at all times they might ride bikes again.
Please don't respond until you have actually seen a 13 year old riding a bicycle with a helmet on.
OR
Please don't respond until you spend 20 bucks a week driving a teenager around that would be happy to ride a bike if she wouldn't have to wear a helmet.

Well then, that's your problem RTSH.  Next time, don't think.  Continue to let your kid demand your time because "Daddy" is to much of a pussy-whip to say Ride Your Bike With Your Helmet.  Sell the bike to pay for gas and demand gas money from their allowance. 

After reading the Wall Street Journal's article, I realized that I've been a little rough in my blogging.  I am now retracting the above.  Forgive me.  You never really know where somebody is coming from.  I need to give people the benefit of the doubt...that perhaps there was a head injury in the long ago past and that's why you'll never be able to change somebody's mind. 

[Radio Talk Show Host]

ITS FEBRUARY THIRD I HAVE YET TO SEE A TEENAGER RIDING A BIKE WITH A helmet,HAVE YOU?

I RODE PROBABLY 30 OR 40 MILES TODAY PUTTING UP SIGNS FOR 1460

have you seen them yet?

[Charles Hunter]

Oh, so you're the one putting up illegal signs in the public right-of-way?  Litter-bug!! 

Actually, I don't see that many teens riding, helmets or no. 

[second_pancake]

ITS FEBRUARY THIRD I HAVE YET TO SEE A TEENAGER RIDING A BIKE WITH A helmet,HAVE YOU?

I RODE PROBABLY 30 OR 40 MILES TODAY PUTTING UP SIGNS FOR 1460

have you seen them yet?

Saying more teens will ride bikes with/without helmets by doing away with the helmet-law is like thinking America's obesity problem will be cured by taking away all trans-fat, portion-control, and various other food regulations.  People aren't suddenly going to start eating right because the government is not controlling what goes into their food and kids aren't suddenly going to start riding because the state helmet-law is eliminated.  And, if what you say does happen (more kids riding) then they'll be an increased number of deaths and serious head-injuries because of it.  Do you really want that on your conscience?

[lynnegh]

Hey, RTSH?  Were you perchance riding down Scotten Road today at 5:14 pm?  A man on a yellow recumbent, wearing a helmet, passed my window as I was reading this thread.  Interesting coincidence...

As a (regretfully former) motorcyclist, I know full well how valuable a helmet is, and the law about wearing them meant nothing to me, as I did it regardless, and owe my life, on at least one, and probably two, occasions to doing so.  However, I do think that adults should be allowed to make their own decisions in such matters, though I also think that the burden of care for those who chose not to do so should be borne by those who make that choice, not the taxpayer, in the form of cost-underwritten EMR treatment, ambulances, etc.

However, for kids its a different story.  If their parents aren't willing to enforce safety rules on their behalf, it falls to society, in the form of laws, to do so.

[gatorback]

lynnegh:  I totally agree with you that for kids it's a different story.  Us old folks have already formed learning modalities that with the younguns, an insult to the brain will form differently if at all.  That's proven.

[Radio Talk Show Host]

so you still think its better to make riding a bicycle the way most kids actually ride them illegal even after you haven't actually seen a 13-16year old riding a bicycle witha helmet

its a sad commentary on the way people perceive what is meant by pursuit of happiness

[Driven1]

in a related story, i signed up for the ms150 today & booked the hotel room in daytona

[gatorback]

so you still think its better to make riding a bicycle the way most kids actually ride them illegal even after you haven't actually seen a 13-16year old riding a bicycle witha helmet

its a sad commentary on the way people perceive what is meant by pursuit of happiness

Kids don't have the same rights  as adults.  That they can't vote, bare arms etc., and correct me if I'm wrong, as soon as they turn 18 they can take the helmet off.  Us adults have to show them the way to the pursuit of happiness and wearing a helmet is the way fror them on their bikes.