Helmets

CNN has a thing today about kids and bike helmets. I have a few things to say, but CNN can have its say first.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Fewer than half of all U.S. children wear helmets while biking, skating and riding scooters, a survey by safety researchers said Tuesday.

Many children observed in the survey who were wearing helmets were wearing them improperly, leaving them vulnerable to head injury, the nonprofit Safe Kids campaign found.

The researchers found that helmet use was lowest on residential streets, although that is where most accidents occur because that is where children play most frequently. Only 33 percent of children watched on residential streets were using helmets, the campaign said.

But in states with mandatory helmet laws, 45 percent of child bikers were seen wearing helmets, as opposed to 39 percent in states with no helmet laws.

Somebody want to find the main idea for me? <sarcasm>Make a law!</sarcasm>

First, what's the purpose of the helmet? No, first, did you know that you should only "use" a helmet once? Yes, really. If you smash your noggin while wearing the helmet, that helmet's fin for the scrap heap. Or it should be. Back on track. What's the purpose of a helmet? Does kid riding fall under that purpose?

I rode a lot as a child. I never, and I mean NEVER, wore a helmet. On my kid bike and my sportin' 3 speed that I had in junior high, I'm pretty sure I never exceeded 12 mph, too. If a kid's clipped in, that kid should be serious enough to wear a helmet. If not, guess what...kid's probably smart enough and possess enough reaction time to land on a different body part.

Adults need helmets more than kids, and many organized rides require them so as to reduce liability. And this is smart. If I'm careening down a poorly paved road at 30 mph, I need a helmet. It's usually a sign of a serious cyclist; you know, a sign that the person obeys traffic laws and doesn't run over kids pedalling on the sidewalk...because that cyclist is ON THE ROAD.

Okay, that turned into a rant. Yes, CNN, the brain is fragile. Kids, if you're planning to do some serious riding, you'd be wise to acclimate yourselves to bicycle helmets. CNN, shhhhhh. Can't you focus on slamming Big Food or something? Tomorrow? Ok.

hln

Posted by: hln at 10:02 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Initiation

The first long ride of the season was Saturday. Six of us took off from U City and rode around Mid County and out west. My total for the day was 33.5 miles, though a few others rode more like 50 and 60 miles.

Must ride more. Hilly = very slow right now.

There are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening rides as well as sponsored weekend rides (this one Saturday was a coworker ride). No softball this summer, so over the course of the next few months, I should lessen hill hell into hill torture.

hln

Posted by: hln at 12:07 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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