Watching the insufferable BBC Breakfast 'news' this morning - possibly the worst thing ever put on air bar its rival GMTV (Christ, what the hell is that about?) to the extent that I usually now watch the music thing on four until I can get Radio 4 on the way to work, or the Faces, whatever happens first- I heard the infuriating mission statement that they want to make it law for kiddywids to wear crash helmets on their bikes.
The brilliant pointlessness of this was then shown in the chosen clip of 7 or 8 year olds having a cross country mountain bike race and one coming off on a corner, only to save himself with outstretched arms and get straight back on his back and continue. Well done that lad.
I have never worn a helmet. Now, I last seriously got on a bike in anger some ten years ago, however I used to take it pretty seriously. In fact I loved and cycled to distances that, if my parents found out, would have resulted in proper punishment that a helmet would have helped not a jot. Like the other side of London at 12 for instance.
However, you know what? My parents trusted me. They let me leave the house at 9am and come back for lunch and dinner during summer hols, not concerned because I was with my friends and they trusted me.
Take this from CycleHelmets.Org:
Data in England over 8 years shows that relative to cycle use and other common
activities, cycling is not dangerous and the risk of serious head injury is low
The likelihood of head injury when cycling is declining, but this is not associated with the use of cycle helmets, as helmet use in the most vulnerable groups has been declining too
I think says a lot don't you? More so that the upper limit of serious injuries in children because of cycling is about 500. That's from 6 million children. Shall we get some perspective now?
I see this as the continuing cotton wool-ing of children in this country. What is the most important lesson we learn as kids? Think for a moment. I would say that it is falling off, and getting up again. You run along, you fall over, cut your knee and then get up. Next day you don't even remember. I remember once coming off my bike, about 8, at such a speed on a pavement that the resulting scream had people running out the house! My knees, elbows and wrist were ripped to shreds. But I got the TCP treatment, a hug and a plaster. Next day I was out there again.
It's called learning. Learning from failure. Learning that failure today does not mean failure tomorrow. Learning that failure hurts so don't.
The media in the 1990s hyped paedophilia to such an extent that the direct result is that parents now drive their children to school, pad them to within an inch of their lives to skateboard on the patio, won't let them out the front garden and demand the entire life history of every person in their street. Because, as we all know, a Charlie is behind every lamp post waiting to rape you kid. If they should dare walk to school they will be kidnapped and murdered. Fact. Sorry, FACT.
Although, they won't. Child murder hasn't changed since records began with the annual rate being about 70 odd each years for decades and the vast, vast majority of those being because of family members, not Mr James at 78 who said hello to you child one morning and hasn't been since the phone call you made.
Why do children need cycle helmets? They aren't on the road, they are in the park or some such place. What is they are going to smash their brains out on? The only head injury I ever had was playing goalie in the back garden with my uncle and deciding to dive into the rockery was a blinding idea. And it didn't do me any harm. I SAID IT DIDN'T DO ME ANY HARM.
They hardly walk to school, they aren't allowed to play out. They can't speak to anyone, or do anything. A part of me really does think, in a conspiracy way, that this all makes future generations all the more willing to be told what to do and crave safety. From the state of course.
It's like the 80s thing of banning competition, remember that? No school teams, no sports day, the little ones might think life is hard.
We are creating a nation of wet blankets. I don't want to sound all First World War General, but we are. The slightest thing happens and their they are, crying their eyes out and begging for 'something to be done'. War happens, body bags come home and their they are, crying their eyes out for it to all stop. Why? Because they have no concept of pain, of cause and effect, of proportion.
Parents will always want to protect their children, of course they do, but that doesn't mean they should be pandered to. If you offer a parent a helmet, they will take it. If you tell them their is a child rapist 'somewhere' they will lock their child away. Parental fear is being played on here and nothing sums that up more than Mumsnet, something I will talk about later.
Trust kids, let them play, let them hurt themselves and learn from it.
It's nothing new, it's just getting worst. As the Stones said: What a drag it is getting old; Kids are different today, I hear every mother say.
10 comments:
I remember my bike sliding and me losing control as i made a "high speed" turn into our driveway, which resulted in me colliding with the gate post and flying arse over tit, down the drive.
Being picked up by my dad and fed jam butties while he tried to make me laugh, to dry up the tears, is one of the fond memories i keep of father-son moments in my childhood.
Blessage! Not force fed I hope, that would be weird.
20 years time 'Ah, one of my fondest moments was being strapped into my helmet before getting on my bike with stabilisers aged 10 because he had to by law. Happy days'
Boxing day,aged 12,brand new bike for xmas,bombing around the back streets,sped out of alley way,turned left at high speed..straight into a ford Capri coming in the opposite direction,bike under the car me straight over the top and over the back.
Always look first now!.
It's all down to fucking lawyers and the where there's blame there's a claim ambulance chasing fucking culture.
My sister broke her arm twice before deciding at twelve that she wanted roller skates for her birthday. Despite Mum's objections she pestered fuck out of her until Mum relented. Strapped the new skates on, rolled down the garden path and pitched arse over tit at the gate. Stumbling back clutching her broken limb, she got a wallop before another trip to A and E.
I seem to recall that some scientist bod concluded that car drivers give cyclists wearing helmets less room when they overtake.
Anon, there is a big thing about 'false safety' and how cyclists themselves develop a sense of superman because of their kit.
On that side of things what makes me laugh is taht, to ride you bike on the road at 40mph through central London, you don't need to pass any test whatsoever. And when was the last time you saw a copper pull a cyclist?
Stan, how weird. Christmas day when I got my first big boy bike, went out braked the grown up brakes a bit to hard in top gear and god knows what speed, straight over into the road and just missed being run over.
Wasn't wearing a helmet. Fine.
Ah l see, then we will have a C3PO stopping the kids who aren't wearing a helmet and issuing them with a fixed penaly notice?
Silly me, it won't be the kids that get the FPN's it will be the parents!
Reminds me of other helmet laws. l remember the days when we used to be able to slowly cruise round the seaside resorts without helmets ... what we were doing was using commonsense which it seems the gov dosn't think we're capable of anymore.
We travelled to the resorts usually on hot summer days. Whilst on the road to the destination we wore helmets because we travelled at speed (another taboo).
Arriving at the resort we took our helmets off. For god's sake you generally could do no more than 5-10mph in the holiday traffic and it was hot ... what the fuck do you need your helmet on for? Mind, we also never wore them full leather catsuits that makes you look like a freaking stupid Power Ranger either.
Nah , gone are the days of groups of lads and scantily clad females with their hair flowing in the breeze cruising on their bikes. With your helmets off you could chat to each other too, be aware of what's going on around you ... and have a ciggie!
Will there be a remake of The Wild One with the character 'Johnny' played by Marlon Brando dressed as a Power Ranger? :)
I still bear the scars from my big biking accident. I was lucky not to get a severe beating from my parents as a consequence.
All this mollycoddling is just stupid. Children will never learn shit without some pain to accompany it.
I do think it's a conspiracy, but not quite the same one as you.
If we look at the figures child injuries from virtually every cause have declined to the point of being negligible. The elfin safety brigade know this and fear that one day the general public will work it out as well. Since this horrible event is likely to be followed by the immediate issuing of a shedload lot of P45s being handed out (rightly so in my bok), the quangocrats feel they have to keep generating new fears.
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