Bicycle helmet question

[Wing Nut 0]

So yesterday my wife and I were riding bicycles at the beach with my son in a trailer behind me. A LEO stopped us and informed me that my son needs to wear a helmet. I couldn't believe that he needed a helmet inside a trailer wearing a five point harness and a roll bar over the trailer. Seems ridiculous to me. He is only about a foot off the ground, and if I crash and he rolls over, there is nothing he can hit his head on. There's a frickin' roll bar! Was this guy just being a dick, or is there actually a law that kids inside of trailers wearing seat belts need to wear helmets? I was trying to find one, but the laws are quite vague and seem open to interpretation. This over reaching government b.s. is really pissing me off!

Ok...rant over. Please comment.

[SteelRain 0]

So yesterday my wife and I were riding bicycles at the beach with my son in a trailer behind me. A LEO stopped us and informed me that my son needs to wear a helmet. I couldn't believe that he needed a helmet inside a trailer wearing a five point harness and a roll bar over the trailer. Seems ridiculous to me. He is only about a foot off the ground, and if I crash and he rolls over, there is nothing he can hit his head on. There's a frickin' roll bar! Was this guy just being a dick, or is there actually a law that kids inside of trailers wearing seat belts need to wear helmets? I was trying to find one, but the laws are quite vague and seem open to interpretation. This over reaching government b.s. is really pissing me off!

Ok...rant over. Please comment.

A kid's skull (as all their bones) are less dense. I don't have any kids, but why not spend the extra few bucks and give your kid the extra protection; I guess I would....

[DigDug 0]

Google Search Link

21212. (a) A person under 18 years of age shall not operate a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard, nor shall they wear in-line or roller skates, nor ride upon a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard as a passenger, upon a street, bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, or any other public bicycle path or trail unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or standards subsequently established by those entities. This requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or in a trailer towed by the bicycle.

It's also a good idea as well as instilling good habits in your kid at an early age...

[TrophyHunter 15]

21212. (a) A person under 18 years of age shall not operate a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard, nor shall they wear in-line or roller skates, nor ride upon a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard as a passenger, upon a street, bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, or any other public bicycle path or trail unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or standards subsequently established by those entities. This requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or in a trailer towed by the bicycle.

Prolly the section on your ticket. To each his/her own on enforcement. I'd spend the money too but in all fairness, I would not have figured with all of the existing protection that it was illegal.

Edit: 1 minute behind Doug....

[bikeslut 1]

My trailer has all the same protection, and it won't allow a helmet due to the seat back being too high. He can't wear a helmet.

Doesn't mean its not a law though.

I know a lot of adults that ARE more dense than my kids

[paulmbowers 236]

Used to ride my kid in a trailer. Always wore a helmet, always will.

I don't think there should be laws that force it- everybody should be allowed to be foolish. But, in my opinion, a roll-over crash in a trailer is not the only danger. Other cars and other bikes probably represent a greater threat, and I was not going to increase my child's potential for a head injury simply because I wouldn't put on a helmet on him.

[Wing Nut 0]

I guess I just have a problem with authority telling me what to do. If I want my kid to wear a helmet that should be my decision. I never wore a helmet on a bicycle when I was a kid, never even thought about it. But when I was on a motorcycle I always did. I guess I figured the lower speeds didn't require it. I still don't think it is necessary, but I guess to avoid anymore confrontations with LEO's I will buy one for him.

Stupid F-ing govenment.

[bikeslut 1]

We all ride with helmets... We know it just makes sense. Even if the helmet law was repealed tomorrow, I would always wear a helmet (rex...up my driveway doesn't exactly count)

The F-in government gets involved when the voters (with all due respect to lobbysists) decide that the F-in government NEEDS to get involved.

[paulmbowers 236]

I've seen the chain email about how we all didn't have helmets, car seats, seatbelts, "and we all made it fine, didn't we?"

Of course, there were many that didn't and many parents who suffered the rest of their lives due to the loss of a child. Those folks are not around to disagree.

I won't risk that- I'm happy to take reasonable protective measures to help assure my child's safety in a real world. If my child had a head injury because I wanted to "stick it to the man" and show my fierce independence streak, I'd get what my arrogance deserved.

But I still don't think there should be a law saying so.

[TrophyHunter 15]

Oddly, the origin of this law, CA Senate Bill 1924, was directed at scooters & skateboarders. There was no mention of the expansion into trailers....it just got tagged on when it went through (just like so many "riders" do when things get passed).

SB 1924 SB Analysis - no mention of trailers

CA Vehicle Code definition of a trailer. Technically, this would blow any ticket out of the water ( in the "letter of the law" vs "spirit of the law" )

630. A "trailer" is a vehicle designed for carrying persons or

property on its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle

and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon any other

vehicle. As used in Division 15 (commencing with Section 35000),

"trailer" includes a semitrailer when used in conjunction with an

auxiliary dolly, if the auxiliary dolly is of a type constructed to

replace the function of the drawbar and the front axle or axles of a

trailer.

I'm not a big fan of all the regulation, but like others have said...a certain portion of society that does not think through their actions and the effect on others mandates control. ie: If you don't wear your seatbelt and make an evasive manuever, you may not be behind the wheel anymore if you're not wearing a seatbelt. Losing control of your vehicle because of that and running over my family may be the outcome.

[kellymac530 0]

my 15 year old neighbor was wearing a helmet, but not propperly buckled. he was riding fairly slow and caught a rock wierd, went over the bars and hit his head on the corner of the curb. of course his helmet rocked back since it wasnt buckled correctly.

he needed to have brain surgery, he has a huge scar around his head, lost 2 weeks of his life, both in memeory loss and in time in a hospital bed, and less important but still a factor to consider...a $150,000 bill from the ER.

helmets ARE GOOD...neccesary....and important, not only to wear but to wear properly buckled people....

WING NUT...the part of your comments that bother me the most is the thought that it SHOULD be your choice....not the governments right to tell you.....

the fact that you would make a choice NOT to protect your child to the best of your ability means YOU are the VERY reason FOR the LAW.

if you wont protect your child..someone HAS too!

I get the idea that you believe he was safe in the trailer with a harness and roll bar, that is fine. but if the trailer flipped over and landed on a curb up side down would that single bar stop a head injury. what about his head hitting the bar itself....

i get an adult hateing seatbelt laws and helmet laws...the gov telling me how to live or die....but car seat, child helmet laws and other specific laws about kids.....if a person is not already doing it, someone HAS to enforce that.

NOT trying to be a jerk, wing nut...hoping to just make some sense and get you or others to think big picture..

[Wing Nut 0]

my 15 year old neighbor was wearing a helmet, but not propperly buckled. he was riding fairly slow and caught a rock wierd, went over the bars and hit his head on the corner of the curb. of course his helmet rocked back since it wasnt buckled correctly.

he needed to have brain surgery, he has a huge scar around his head, lost 2 weeks of his life, both in memeory loss and in time in a hospital bed, and less important but still a factor to consider...a $150,000 bill from the ER.

helmets ARE GOOD...neccesary....and important, not only to wear but to wear properly buckled people....

WING NUT...the part of your comments that bother me the most is the thought that it SHOULD be your choice....not the governments right to tell you.....

the fact that you would make a choice NOT to protect your child to the best of your ability means YOU are the VERY reason FOR the LAW.

if you wont protect your child..someone HAS too!

I get the idea that you believe he was safe in the trailer with a harness and roll bar, that is fine. but if the trailer flipped over and landed on a curb up side down would that single bar stop a head injury. what about his head hitting the bar itself....

i get an adult hateing seatbelt laws and helmet laws...the gov telling me how to live or die....but car seat, child helmet laws and other specific laws about kids.....if a person is not already doing it, someone HAS to enforce that.

NOT trying to be a jerk, wing nut...hoping to just make some sense and get you or others to think big picture..

He is wearing a five point harness inside his trailer with a roll bar. If the trailer were to flip over, the harness would keep him about 4" from the roll bar. For the trailer to flip over, my bike would have to completely flip over also. Not very likely. The helmet is completely useless. It makes about as much sense as him wearing a helmet in his car seat. I'm all for protecting my child, but there is a point where the government goes too far.

[SteelRain 0]

He is wearing a five point harness inside his trailer with a roll bar. If the trailer were to flip over, the harness would keep him about 4" from the roll bar. For the trailer to flip over, my bike would have to completely flip over also. Not very likely. The helmet is completely useless. It makes about as much sense as him wearing a helmet in his car seat. I'm all for protecting my child, but there is a point where the government goes too far.

I to believe we should be allowed to make our own decisions... but there are people out there who are not smart enought to be allowed to take care of themselves (usually the ones these laws are written for).

What happens if a car where to hit your trailer? You crossing the road people expect, but they may not see the trailer. That helmet could be the difference in life or death... or IMO worse.

I get that you are upset about the ticket, but wouldn't you be more upset if something happened to your child? Those trailers are not safety rated like cars are, I would love to see stress test info and side colision info that shows a helemt would not prevent injury.

[blind_in_1_ear 0]

so did you get a ticket, or was it a "warning"? i ask, b/c it would seem more "informing" than "punishing"....

if warned, then i see the intent...to get a helmet on a kid...makes sense.

if a ticket, it seems like that money might be better spent on the actual helmet.

when i see kids "wearing" their helmets on their backpacks skating along...i cringe..."i hope they are fast enough to put that on when they need it!!!"

and, for the record, I need to get a helmet for ME to wear when riding the bike.

...at our house, if there's wheels, you wear a helmet..therefore, i WILL conform for the house rules.

note: i, like others, think that the gubbermint shouldn't be the ones making laws for these types of things...but i am sure there's a reason...right???

[lemieuxmc@yahoo.com 0]

And if an asteroid strikes planet Earth extinguishing all life...

The helmet is the least of your problems when some dumb ass in a Buick with 3 drunk driving convictions, a suspended license, and no insurance, comes barreling across the double yellow at speed limit +25 and plows over you and your kid. Writing someone a ticket for their kid not having a helmet while strapped into a regular kid carrying device is a sign that some people have absolutely no idea what the real purpose of their job is. Although it may be that the person is REALLY aware of their REAL job... shakin down the taxpayer for more $$$!!

[kellymac530 0]

i dont see ANYWHERE he said he got a ticket....he said a leo INFORMED him....you guys wanna be pissed at the wrong thing sometimes

[DigDug 0]

Slow day at work.

I just scanned a few manuals for these trailers, and EVERY ONE say that the child must wear a helmet. Yeah, I know... CYA and laywers and stuff, but it would seem to imply that the manufacturers don't think that the rollcage/restraint does enough to prevent head injuries. You might want to re-check your manual and see if it has a simliar warning.

LINK TO ONE MANUAL (See warning on page 13)

Child and cyclist must wear helmets when trailering. Helmets can prevent or significantly reduce head injury in event of accident

Just do it man.. even if weren't the law - it makes sense. I'm sure you love your kid and want to see them grow up to be a happy, healthy adult.

[hobiee 28]

Do you put sunscreen on the child to protect from a burn?

Do you put up a fence around the pool?

Do you move all the harmful chemicals and lock the closets?

Do you lock the guns in a safe?

Do you cover all the electrical outlets?

Do you hold their hands while crossing the street?

I'll bet you answer yes to most if not all of these, just put a helmet on the kid. What if the skateboarder whizzing past looses control and sends the board airborne and into you trailer? You never know

[TrophyHunter 15]

if a ticket, it seems like that money might be better spent on the actual helmet.

72% of any fine has to go to the g'munt to provide safety education and helmets to low income families.

[Wing Nut 0]

No ticket, just a warning. I'm going to buy a helmet for him, not that I think he needs it. I just don't want to be hassled my the man again.

When I was a kid, the only time I wore a helmet was on motorcycles. If someone was wearing a helmet, it was because he was either kinda slow (if you know what I mean), or really fast (like racing). I guess times have changed.

[blind_in_1_ear 0]

if a ticket, it seems like that money might be better spent on the actual helmet.

72% of any fine has to go to the g'munt to provide safety education and helmets to low income families.

good to know

...72, huh, interesting percentage...

[dirt dame 559]

Do you put sunscreen on the child to protect from a burn?

Do you put up a fence around the pool?

Do you move all the harmful chemicals and lock the closets?

Do you lock the guns in a safe?

Do you cover all the electrical outlets?

Do you hold their hands while crossing the street?

My parents would have answered "no" to all these questions (well, except the hand holding one), but somehow I still made it up to this point having ridden bikes, horses, skateboards (as well as using roller skates and ice skates) and of course not wearing seat belts in a car or PFD's in a boat.

I'm pretty sure that they weren't trying to get rid of me. How the times have changed. Not putting up an arguement....Just sayin'.

[Jaynen 0]

I know in terms of cars and whatnot with roll cages you don't want to be in one without a helmet on in any sort of crash. The helmet could protect your sons head from actually hitting the rollbar in the trailer?

Personally I think people who don't wear bike helmets are just rolling the dice just as someone who is riding a motorcycle without one in the states where they allow it. Sure it's their choice but I don't think it is a smart one. I knew a 35yr old mother of two who is no longer with us because she wasn't wearing a bike helmet, hit a crack in the sidewalk and took a header on the concrete, I knew a 23 yr old young promising skateboarder also no longer with us because he was not wearing a helmet, and I know a now 13 yr old little girl who survived getting hit by a car because she was wearing a helmet at the age of 7.

It's your choice what stories you want to have about your kids.

[Mistress of the dual 1]

Skateboarded, roller skated, rode bicycles, rode horses, jumped horses over 3.5 foot fences bareback, rode on the back of motorcycles. All done without helmets or any kind of anti-injury gear. Also jumped on trampolines with no nets and no adult supervision. All of this stuff done with my mother's knowlegde and often encouragement. Now looking back I wonder if she was trying to get rid of me . Either that or she knew how hard headed I am .

[Jaynen 0]

Skateboarded, roller skated, rode bicycles, rode horses, jumped horses over 3.5 foot fences bareback, rode on the back of motorcycles. All done without helmets or any kind of anti-injury gear. Also jumped on trampolines with no nets and no adult supervision. All of this stuff done with my mother's knowlegde and often encouragement. Now looking back I wonder if she was trying to get rid of me . Either that or she knew how hard headed I am .

I flipped a 3 wheeler in 4th gear while heading towards a strand of farm grown pine that were about 1 foot around and 2-3 ft apart, I rolled and shattered my collarbone, no helmet I consider myself really lucky. I've also had a couple minor concussions while learning to snowboard and then when i finally saw people wearing helmets (I didnt even know they had them for that when I was snowboarding) I really wish I had invested in one, to each their own the fact we all survived without them doesn't make it any better.

We all rode in cars without airbags, and most of us at times where seatbelts were not required or only lapbelts. We all survived no car seats and especially not the fancy rear facing ones they have now

We've come a long way since these guys why would you want to go back?