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A collection of thoughts related to faith, finances, food, environment, and other sporadic thoughts.
Bike Helmets are Only for Kids
Last week I was on a bike ride on the Volksweg Trail in Pella. As I was nearing Wallashuck Campground, I met a mother with three children, ages 8 to 13 biking toward me. Each of the kids were wearing a bike helmet while the mother was not. I greeted them and thought about saying something, but didn't. Then I fumed on the inside. Why was the mother not wearing a helmet also? Such a purchase is a $50 life/health insurance policy. Why would a parent go to great lengths to get their child to wear a helmet, but not wear one also? These kids need their parents in good health more than they need their mother to have good-looking hair or their father to look tough.
I rode another 3 or 4 additional miles and then turned back. Eventually, I overtook them, but noticed that they were all stopped and looking at one particular bike. I stopped and offered assistance. One bike's brakes were grabbing too tightly to allow the wheel to spin freely. While I didn't have my tool bag on my bike (already packed to head north), I was able to make minor adjustments on the brake cable by the brake levers. I learned that they had come from the Howell Station Campground, which was another several more miles. I then commended her for having her children wear their helmets. She thanked me and then made an explanation of why she wasn't. I tried to find a way to stress the value for the kids that she was also safe and she acknowledged it. The bike was good enough to ride but needed more tweaking later, and so I said goodbye.
The next day I took another bike ride (to Fifield that day). What did I see as I rode on the trail past Central College? Another family consisting of a mother with three children, the latter wearing helmets and the former not. This is so common and so frustrating.
good bike helmet usage
Discussion on pros and 'cons' of bike helmets.
Published 2022-06-15. Revised 2025-07-01.
If you find any errors in the text, please let me know. Thanks. Contact me with errors or comments using hibbardac@gmail.com. [Back to the top] [About the author, Al]
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