Very true. One of my pet peeves while on duty are kids riding without helmets. The excuses by the parents are crazy “Well, he doesn’t think it’s comfortable”. Lady, I guarantee you a concussion is going to feel a whole lot worse. “Oh, we left it in the car”. Hey, that’s great to know that you made the effort to bring it with you, but not enough effort to put it on your kid’s head.
The big helmet push came from Insurance companies, statistics actually show that prior to bike helmets the people who actually suffered head injuries on bikes, were the people riding high speed racing style bikes. But along with the insurance companies the helmet producers were more than happy to chase another source of profit, and scare the public into buying equipment that actually is not needed.
Death and injury per mile is the same biking or walking. Sure, a bike covers more miles, but if you need a helmet on a bike, you need one on foot as well.
The cartoonist Scancarelli is conforming to political correctness. I would bet that Rufus, old school, wouldn’t be saying such a thing if the words weren’t put in his mouth by Scancarelli. And I bet that Joel would comment that Rufus has no worries about going about without a helmet and maybe breaking his head; after all, Rufus doesn’t have anything in there anyway.
DaJellyBelly over 7 years ago
Excellent advice!
Ravenswing over 7 years ago
Eeesh, one would hope that Gasoline Alley’s in the land of kids getting to be kids without helicopter parents or encased in body armor.
Jogger2 over 7 years ago
Didn’t they or Santa give helmets with the bikes?
Big D over 7 years ago
I understand the need for safety, but I wonder how me and my friends survived the 60’s without helmets………
onyxsax over 7 years ago
Very true. One of my pet peeves while on duty are kids riding without helmets. The excuses by the parents are crazy “Well, he doesn’t think it’s comfortable”. Lady, I guarantee you a concussion is going to feel a whole lot worse. “Oh, we left it in the car”. Hey, that’s great to know that you made the effort to bring it with you, but not enough effort to put it on your kid’s head.
kab buch over 7 years ago
How does Rufus know about helmets?When sis and I grew up there was no helmets, we rode bikes. Only injury I had skidding on my side with a bike.
BeniHanna6 Premium Member over 7 years ago
The big helmet push came from Insurance companies, statistics actually show that prior to bike helmets the people who actually suffered head injuries on bikes, were the people riding high speed racing style bikes. But along with the insurance companies the helmet producers were more than happy to chase another source of profit, and scare the public into buying equipment that actually is not needed.
JP Steve Premium Member over 7 years ago
“Shoot, Rufus — helmets cost money. I got my haid fo’ free!”
stuart over 7 years ago
Death and injury per mile is the same biking or walking. Sure, a bike covers more miles, but if you need a helmet on a bike, you need one on foot as well.
b2plusa2 over 7 years ago
The cartoonist Scancarelli is conforming to political correctness. I would bet that Rufus, old school, wouldn’t be saying such a thing if the words weren’t put in his mouth by Scancarelli. And I bet that Joel would comment that Rufus has no worries about going about without a helmet and maybe breaking his head; after all, Rufus doesn’t have anything in there anyway.