Bike Helmets

Day 20: Bike Helmets and Other Bike Stuff

The curse is lifted! These tulips
were busily growing under snow

Spring is here at last! Time for riding bikes, gardening, working bees, eating fresh greens, shooting hoops, grilling steak, opening windows, birdsong, long hikes, fresh eggs. Time for all the garbage that's been hidden under the snow to peek out. Tulip time.

Time to clean the garage

It really doesn't matter that I gave away three bicycle helmets and kept five (one for each of us plus a back-up), since Emma doesn't ride her bike at all and Sam refuses to wear a bicycle helmet. I dearly hope his oh-so-precious head doesn't get smashed because I decided to teach him - allow him - to ride the scooter. My thinking is this: on the scooter, he will wear a DOT certified helmet. On a bicycle, he will not wear any helmet at all. On the scooter, cars might see him. On a bicycle, they certainly will not. On the scooter, he will never go above 30 mph.

This is not just fantasy. On NPR news, they aired a story suggesting that the rate of serious accidents and injury is lower on 49 cc scooters than on motorcycles and bicycles. I heard it on the radio. It must be true.

Please, Sam. Do not remove your helmet as soon as you are out of my sight. Do not take passengers. Do not listen to music through headphones. Do not do wheelies, stoppies, donuts, or burnouts. Do not text. Please, Sam. Be safe.

I also gave away a torn bike basket that broke due to constant (over)use, and two perfectly good Kryptonite u-locks with no keys.