Are helmets non-negotiable?

[Anonymous]

DH has never liked wearing a bike helmet but did until he started using capital bikeshare and now goes without even on his own bike sometimes. We both grew up in the age of required helmets so I don't understand this at all. Is this acceptable behavior now or does he really need to just suck it up and wear one 100% of the time?

[Anonymous]

Why not do a bit of research about the overall effectiveness of helmets in preventing injury. Figure out your comfort zone. And then decide what works best for you. Then talk to DH.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I just can't imagine giving an ultimatum over this.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

When I grew up in the early 60's we actually rode bikes without helmets. No head injuries remembered. Imagine that 8 year old kids and no one got hurt. We also walked to school and drank from the hose. After school we played with no adult supervision until dinner time.

He's s big boy, if he doesn't want to wear a helmet MYOB.

[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.

It sends the message that adults can do things kids can't.

See:
1. Staying up late at night
2. Drinking alcohol
3. Not going to school
4. etc.

[Anonymous]

Non-negotiable. my friend's DH hurt his head skiing and required a lot of medical care, and it took him a year to fully get over the effects of the concussion and return to work full-time. I don't want to put myself and our family through that. Ask him who he thinks will have to care for him and pick up his slack if he is injured.

[Anonymous]

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

Two things about this statement:

1) It implies that the way they do things in Denmark and Finland is inherently more virtuous. It's not.

2) If there are fewer cars because there are more cyclists, it stands to reason that the risk of a crash is lower.

[Anonymous]

2 spills on the asphalt in last several years, one permanent injury. Both times I cracked my helmet, so yeah, wear a helmet.

[Anonymous]

Did I mis-read somewhere? Are you asking if helmets are non-negotiable for your DH? If so, WTF? Your DH is a grown ass adult. You don't make things like helmets "non-negotiable" for adults.

[Anonymous]

If he doesn't want to wear a helmet tell him you don't have to take care of him if he had brain damage from a fall.

[Anonymous]

How's' his life insurance? There is so many things that can go wrong when riding a bike. Why take the risk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Non-negotiable. my friend's DH hurt his head skiing and required a lot of medical care, and it took him a year to fully get over the effects of the concussion and return to work full-time. I don't want to put myself and our family through that. Ask him who he thinks will have to care for him and pick up his slack if he is injured.

+1. If you're not wearing a helmet and you get injured, I'm not taking care of you. You're on your own. plan on taking it out of your personal savings to hire a nurse, babysitter, maid, etc. to pick up your slack while you're injured.

[Anonymous]

Non-negotiable, but my husband has done worse things on impulse, like recently climbing really high into a tree and cutting down a huge branch that crashed to the ground and narrowly missed him. You wonder where their brains are, sometimes.