Are helmets non-negotiable?

[Anonymous]

Your DH is a grown up and gets to make these decisions for himself. However, he is taking a risk that would affect you should he suffer a head injury because he isn't wearing a helmet. He needs to understand this and you both need to consider whether you have enough life insurance and/or long-term care insurance.

That said, I do not understand the problem people have with wearing a helmet. It's not cool? It's not comfortable? It's not convenient? It doesn't go with your outfit? No one is the boss of you? What? It is a simple, effective, inexpensive way to reduce a known risk. What is the problem?

[Anonymous]

No wearing a helmet is stupid. But climbing into a tree to cut down branches is cool. Someone has to cut those branches.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't be happy but this is not something worth throwing down over. I wouldn't get into a huge fight with DH about this.

[Anonymous]

I had a bike accident and I'm fairly certain i'd be dead or debilitated if I hadn't had one on. However, your husband is an adult, and all you can say to him is you care about his head and you'll put him in long term care if he gets into an accident without a helmet.

[Anonymous]

It's non-negotiable and really stupid.

I knew this guy - he was studying for an executive degree here in DC. He's Dutch and left his spouse and kids back in the Netherlands while here on a one-year program. He wasn't wearing a helmet and was involved in a slow moving accident (I think the car was traveling only 15 mph). He still sustained a fatal head injury when his head made contact with the ground.

http://wjla.com/news/local/cyclist-fatally-struck-near-u-st-metro-88898

But the Dutch don't wear helmets, right? The Dutch also don't have to deal with Maryland drivers.

[Anonymous]

The people who say not wearing a helmet is stupid, are stupid.

The annual rate of serious bicycle injuries is trivial.

If an adult doesn't want to wear a helmet, just STFU about it and let them make their own decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people who say not wearing a helmet is stupid, are stupid.

The annual rate of serious bicycle injuries is trivial.

If an adult doesn't want to wear a helmet, just STFU about it and let them make their own decisions.

Agree.

But a helmet can prevent a non-serious injury from developing into a fatal or permanently debilitating injury. To me, it's worth the minimal inconvenience of wearing a helmet to help prevent such a tail risk event with major consequences.

And I think a spouse - who would need to raise the kids alone, if his/her partner died - should get to have a say about such risky behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people who say not wearing a helmet is stupid, are stupid.

The annual rate of serious bicycle injuries is trivial.

If an adult doesn't want to wear a helmet, just STFU about it and let them make their own decisions.

I have had a loved one with a TBI, yes it is their decision but in the end it doesn't just effect them. I pray that none of you have to experience the pain and fear I did, when your loved one is in a medically induced coma and you don't know what they will be like if they survive. You get one brain, I play a contact sport that most people wouldn't dream of doing, but I damn well I have an excellent helmet on everytime, cause I care about my family if something should happen to me. Anything else is kinda short sighted and selfish.

[Anonymous]

It's non-negotiable for kids.

The adults get to make their own choices.

[Anonymous]

What exactly are you going to do do , OP?

You do realize your husband is your equal not your toddler, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I say non-negotiable. I hate seeing families riding with all the kids in helmets and the adults wearing nothing. What message does that send to the kids?

We used to argue about seat belts the same way as people do about bike helmets now. Eventually, everyone pretty much got on board with belts.

I mean, I am pro-helmet, but the evidence in favor of seat belts is a million times better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Denmark and Finland where bike riding is more popular than using cars, they don't use helmets.

Same in the Netherlands, rarely did I see kids or adults with helmets the whole time I lived there (moved back here about 5 years ago). However, in Scandinavia and other areas of Europe including NL, there are fewer cars, better bike lanes (full on bike roads with curbs on each side), etc. Biking there is much different than here.

With all that said, I knew a family with 3 children in NL. Non of them worse seat belts either. That, to me, is just crazy.

[Anonymous]

OP serious question - what do you even mean by "non negotiable". Are you going do divorce over this? You can say its "non negotiable" all you want - but he can say its a non negotiable that you can tell him what to wear, there's not really an overlap here.

[Anonymous]

"Non negotiable" to me means something the partner should not resist or negotiate about, even if he does not personally agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Non negotiable" to me means something the partner should not resist or negotiate about, even if he does not personally agree.

This isn't your choice op. You do not own and control your husband.