mattheus wrote: ↑27 Jul 2021, 11:45am
No, you probably haven't - whereas everyone that rides bare-headed will at some point receive some "advice" about it.
(if they go on the internet, they will DEFINITELY get this advice!)
I'm a qualified Bikeability Scotland instructor. I gave my time away to teach it as a volunteer, but I always made a point of riding like I usually ride in that sort of un-sporty context, not using any special gear. Last time I did it I had anonymous parental complaints that I "set a bad example". There is nothing in the curriculum or National Standards requiring or even recommending their use for training, but despite that the Local Authority didn't back me up, and now none in Scotland will let me give my time away to teach (Cycling Scotland were happy to pay me as a consultant to feed in to the last revision of the resources, but Local Authorities actually in charge of delivering the course can't have the likes of me being seen by children learning to ride). I get a lot of respect from people that actually know what they're on about, but as far as Local Authorities are concerned I'm a dangerous heretic and can't be trusted.
I've had abuse shouted at me in the streets for riding with my kids without helmets, back when they were at school they were frequently lectured by peers and teachers that they were in the wrong (I demanded that staff at their primary school not do that, backed up with a lot of evidence, and while the school complied with my request it made me persona non-grata as far as the Head was concerned).
And on the Internet, of course, I've been subject to a constant stream of abuse ranging up to pretty much having blood on my hands.
I'm not going to try and pretend it's anything like as bad as everyday racism/sexism for folk that suffer from those, but I think it's fair to say that it's difficult to understand just how much grief one can get for breaking with the main UK helmet culture if you always ride in a lid.
Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...