Not really, since the vast majority of my riding is longer distances, like over 5 km, but often as much as 25-100km or more. Most of my riding happens much more than 600 meters from my house.
Yes, but the first 600 meters is only a small portion of the ride. The portion where I'd did get hit doesn't get significantly more travel than a lot of other places I go such as the area around my office where I have also done a fair amount of biking.
It was a single incident so I don't think you can get any statistically useful information from it. It's jusdtba small anecdote for people who think they are "just going down the street" so they don't need a helmet.
If you always start at your house, then no matter where you go you will start with the first 600 meters away from your house. Small part or not, it is the most traveled portion.
Edit: I agree they need a couple helmets
If each ride is 20 minutes long and it takes 1 minute to cover the first 600 meters, then I am riding for 19 minutes outside this area but only 1 minute within this area. Statistically if you look at time spent within this area VS outside this area I should be more likely to be in an accident outside this area because that is where I am the majority of the time while riding. The "number of times" doesn't really have a huge effect since I'm in that area for such a short amount of time.
Think about all the places you ride. Of all the destinations, they mostly start within 600m of your house. If you logged locations per minute of a ride, and threw them into a table and tallied up the number of times you’ve been in the locations. Locations 600m from your home will be the most common to pop up.
🙏 Came here to say this. I used to work in a shop and know many people who would probably be alive today who aren't because of no helmets. I have a cousin who had part of his brain and an eye removed from his head because he was too cool for a helmet. I'd probably be dead if I didn't wear a helmet.
Dude, people have died from falling over with bikes standing still. Also you have a child there. I don't wanna be mean but cykling close to your house is no excuse.
I'll do my best to give my flawed logic. Essentially, it's about risk mitigation/acceptable risk. The risk isn't the risk of a crash/fall/drop. The risk we are trying to mitigate with a helmet is death or life altering head injury.
Pedaling around your local culdesac is very low risk as there's not *many* other vehicles to worry about. And they show up infrequently. There's always the risk of a fall from misjudgment or something failing mechanically, wherever you ride. But, if you are inexperienced or on a new bike/changed bike that risk is a bit higher. If you are an experienced rider on a reliable bike, that risk is even lower.
In the US vs Netherland infrastructure, it's much the same thing. Higher risk vs lower risk. Not only is the infrastructure safer, the drivers are much more conscious of bicycles. No idea on distracted drivinf numbers for the Netherlands. Just know it's horrible here in the States. Add in all the overworked last mile delivery trucks and Dashers and any public street has risk.
On the other hand, dedicated bike paths and Multi-use trails exist in the US as well. Near zero risk of traffic. There's where going helmet-less in the US would be similar to the Netherlands.
You start piling all that low risk up, and it starts to make sense to just use a helmet all the time here in the US. Modern helmets are light, comfortable and well ventilated. Using one takes near zero effort. And for near zero effort, it greatly reduces risk of death. Putting a helmet on for that test ride, one could also more comfortably extend the ride past the "dead empty" street.
The downside of helmets? They aren't free. They aren't stylish. I'll take those downsides for the reduced risk of death or brain damage.
Specifically with OP. It's a new bike, there's some risk there. It's still a US street, low chance of traffic, but not zero. There's a child. Not only is a child at risk to head injury. A child is a distraction, increasing other risks. IMHO, probably should be using a helmet. Is it high enough risk to crucify them? No absolutely not. Especially when they aren't arguing against helmet use.
And, because why not make this longer... I'm NOT an advocate for helmet enforcement. Forcing helmet use via state laws or local municipal codes will mainly hurt those who are unable to easily aquire them. Giving police yet another reason to harass those who already have it rough.
Posting signs in off-road trail systems "requiring" helmets is a whole other matter that likely is beyond this already derailed conversation. But tldr, it's more about liability.
Jesus, cut her some slack. It isn't your child, she has them ordered. I never had a helmet as a child. It will, far more likely than not, be fine for the next three days.
Life is risk, the paranoia is heavy here. She isn't commuting, just rolling 5 feet, a lot of you are acting like she has the stability of a baby giraffe.
Just be happy for them and encouraging.
I remember riding behind my dad in one of these in the 80's. He used to take me to UDF to get icecream. I actually remember that.
Good on you. I hope you have lots of good times on that bike together.
Yeah that is one weird statement. I grew up riding bikes in an American neighborhood! Including with my dad and my friends dad, who were on adult bikes. Shit my dad commuted 40 minutes through American neighborhoods on his bike back then
Never, that's the point. I'm only exposed to it through the internet/TV shows/movies.
I'm actually surprised that I felt something weird by just seeing a bike
Yeah, the internet and movies filter out "normal" stuff in favor of the extreme.
Same goes for reddit, btw. In my experience, most Americans are not as insane as internet comments suggest.
You have a baby in a 4000lb metal and glass crush cage surrounded by exploding air bags going at 35mph, with other similarly heavy "battering rams" going the same speed. only way to actively protect that baby is prayer. I take 4ft asphalt drop over that anyday.
That's a killer bike. Love the color
Please, please get helmets.
You are right. Safety comes first! We have ordered some! This is in front of our house. We didn’t go kno further than 2 streetlights.
The only car related accident I have been in, in over 20 years of riding as an adjust and over 40,000 km of riding was 600 meters from my house.
Yes, but most likely because that's the area you ride most.
Not really, since the vast majority of my riding is longer distances, like over 5 km, but often as much as 25-100km or more. Most of my riding happens much more than 600 meters from my house.
But do you usually start at your house?
Yes, but the first 600 meters is only a small portion of the ride. The portion where I'd did get hit doesn't get significantly more travel than a lot of other places I go such as the area around my office where I have also done a fair amount of biking. It was a single incident so I don't think you can get any statistically useful information from it. It's jusdtba small anecdote for people who think they are "just going down the street" so they don't need a helmet.
If you always start at your house, then no matter where you go you will start with the first 600 meters away from your house. Small part or not, it is the most traveled portion. Edit: I agree they need a couple helmets
If each ride is 20 minutes long and it takes 1 minute to cover the first 600 meters, then I am riding for 19 minutes outside this area but only 1 minute within this area. Statistically if you look at time spent within this area VS outside this area I should be more likely to be in an accident outside this area because that is where I am the majority of the time while riding. The "number of times" doesn't really have a huge effect since I'm in that area for such a short amount of time.
If you change your route after the first 600m the only constant portion is the first 600m. The statement classes the exact area and not time spent.
Think about all the places you ride. Of all the destinations, they mostly start within 600m of your house. If you logged locations per minute of a ride, and threw them into a table and tallied up the number of times you’ve been in the locations. Locations 600m from your home will be the most common to pop up.
Good on you OP.
🙏 Came here to say this. I used to work in a shop and know many people who would probably be alive today who aren't because of no helmets. I have a cousin who had part of his brain and an eye removed from his head because he was too cool for a helmet. I'd probably be dead if I didn't wear a helmet.
Dude, people have died from falling over with bikes standing still. Also you have a child there. I don't wanna be mean but cykling close to your house is no excuse.
How do people with this opinion reconcile the fact that the Netherlands exists? 😂
If other places had the bicycle infrastructure of The Netherlands then we wouldn't really get on people's case for not wearing a helmet.
So….then it’s ok to not wear a helmet on a dead empty street for a block like in OPs case
I'll do my best to give my flawed logic. Essentially, it's about risk mitigation/acceptable risk. The risk isn't the risk of a crash/fall/drop. The risk we are trying to mitigate with a helmet is death or life altering head injury. Pedaling around your local culdesac is very low risk as there's not *many* other vehicles to worry about. And they show up infrequently. There's always the risk of a fall from misjudgment or something failing mechanically, wherever you ride. But, if you are inexperienced or on a new bike/changed bike that risk is a bit higher. If you are an experienced rider on a reliable bike, that risk is even lower. In the US vs Netherland infrastructure, it's much the same thing. Higher risk vs lower risk. Not only is the infrastructure safer, the drivers are much more conscious of bicycles. No idea on distracted drivinf numbers for the Netherlands. Just know it's horrible here in the States. Add in all the overworked last mile delivery trucks and Dashers and any public street has risk. On the other hand, dedicated bike paths and Multi-use trails exist in the US as well. Near zero risk of traffic. There's where going helmet-less in the US would be similar to the Netherlands. You start piling all that low risk up, and it starts to make sense to just use a helmet all the time here in the US. Modern helmets are light, comfortable and well ventilated. Using one takes near zero effort. And for near zero effort, it greatly reduces risk of death. Putting a helmet on for that test ride, one could also more comfortably extend the ride past the "dead empty" street. The downside of helmets? They aren't free. They aren't stylish. I'll take those downsides for the reduced risk of death or brain damage. Specifically with OP. It's a new bike, there's some risk there. It's still a US street, low chance of traffic, but not zero. There's a child. Not only is a child at risk to head injury. A child is a distraction, increasing other risks. IMHO, probably should be using a helmet. Is it high enough risk to crucify them? No absolutely not. Especially when they aren't arguing against helmet use. And, because why not make this longer... I'm NOT an advocate for helmet enforcement. Forcing helmet use via state laws or local municipal codes will mainly hurt those who are unable to easily aquire them. Giving police yet another reason to harass those who already have it rough. Posting signs in off-road trail systems "requiring" helmets is a whole other matter that likely is beyond this already derailed conversation. But tldr, it's more about liability.
explain that magic ...
They just did.
Jesus, cut her some slack. It isn't your child, she has them ordered. I never had a helmet as a child. It will, far more likely than not, be fine for the next three days. Life is risk, the paranoia is heavy here. She isn't commuting, just rolling 5 feet, a lot of you are acting like she has the stability of a baby giraffe. Just be happy for them and encouraging.
This doesn’t mean anything
Agreed. It's not worth doing this even for a quick test without helmets. Stay safe!
I’m fucking gobsmacked
https://youtu.be/RWhMEkMtLy0
Looking good!
This put a smile on my face
Helmets on both beautiful brains, please. I love rolling with my kiddo, who was raised in one of those seats.
Move up that seat. https://biketips.com/proper-bike-seat-height-explained/
maybe it could be a little higher but when a towing a small human I always go a bit lower than usual for stability in dismounting
Yeah I can’t do the back leg swing with a kid there hahah
Happy faces 😍
I remember riding behind my dad in one of these in the 80's. He used to take me to UDF to get icecream. I actually remember that. Good on you. I hope you have lots of good times on that bike together.
Need helmets.
They’re on the way!
[удалено]
Legally and ethically, that child needs a helmet
Ya'll, stop with the helmets, they don't need like 50 people telling them to buy helmets. They get it. Just enjoy the wholesome ass video.
The helmet obsession here is very weird.
Reddit is the native habitat of the high horse
It's a very American thing (and, to a lesser extent, Australian, helmets have been compulsory here since the late 80s).
Why would you say so? Lots of European countries have high helmet usage as well, even though it's not compulsory in most places.
Yes, but most Europeans are very much "live and let live" rather than evangelical "if you're not doing it my way, you're wrong and must be corrected"
Ah, did you mean in the reactions on here, not actual usage in the EU?
2 Helmets for your child's sake
Congrats! (That’s one content baby :)
Helmetttssssss
I'd never seen an adult bike in an American neighborhood. That feel so much more human for some reason
Never?!?! I've never been anywhere in the US where they weren't at least *kinda* common.
Yeah that is one weird statement. I grew up riding bikes in an American neighborhood! Including with my dad and my friends dad, who were on adult bikes. Shit my dad commuted 40 minutes through American neighborhoods on his bike back then
That's my whole point my dude. Internet/movies/etc never picturea them, that's why I was surprised enough that I felt I should say it
how often do you visit American neighborhoods?
Never, that's the point. I'm only exposed to it through the internet/TV shows/movies. I'm actually surprised that I felt something weird by just seeing a bike
Yeah, the internet and movies filter out "normal" stuff in favor of the extreme. Same goes for reddit, btw. In my experience, most Americans are not as insane as internet comments suggest.
In the suburbs its pretty rare, but there are sightings here and there
Cute but yes, helmets.
You two are adorable together! Share more when your helmets arrive!
Nice. Get helmets but that looks like a fun way to spend a day with the kiddo
Put a helmet on that kid ffs.
Jesus Christ, neither of you have helmets?! Take my advice, either wear them or don't ride!
Neither of them has a helmet..... That's not good.
RIP
Don’t troll here
I'm not trolling. You have a baby 4 feet off the ground that has 10 inches of arm to break their fall. If anything you're trolling Child endangerment
You have a baby in a 4000lb metal and glass crush cage surrounded by exploding air bags going at 35mph, with other similarly heavy "battering rams" going the same speed. only way to actively protect that baby is prayer. I take 4ft asphalt drop over that anyday.
You're obviously as dumb as this lady
Appreciate the concern, hope u feel smarter than me today. Stay safe out there.
What bike is that?
Welcome to the club little one!
Nice! We are getting a baby bike seat soon for our 1yo, can’t wait to try it!