Four year old killed by bike helmet.

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gaz
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Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by gaz »

High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by reohn2 »

So very sad.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by mjr »

Killed by hanging from a branch. I thought children's helmets had another standard which required the straps to release if the child was dangling from it. Maybe it doesn't work and so these things should be banned.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by pwa »

Incredibly sad. You know when you let your kids go out to play that there are dangers, but what is childhood without playing out?
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by Oldjohnw »

The title of his thread is somewhat provocative as well as misleading. The child was not "killed by bike helmet". She was killed through wearing a bike helmet whilst climbing a tree.

On the logic of some it should be that trees should be chopped down.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by Vorpal »

I think helmets & playgrounds both should have obvious & strongly worded warnings that cycle & skate helmets must not be worn during other activities than what they are designed for. I think that would make more parents aware of the dangers.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by pwa »

It was a tree climbing accident. My own kids climbed trees on land in front of our home and it made me uneasy. I knew the dangers and warned them to be careful, but I did not stop them doing it because I wanted them to live a life worth living and not be put off every activity that has a risk. For me it paid off and my kids, now grown up, are at home in the outdoors. The parents of this little girl have a lifetime of pain and regret ahead of them.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by Mick F »

How terribly sad. :cry:

The issue was that the little girl was climbing a tree wearing a bike helmet.
Had she not been wearing the helmet, she would still be alive.

I blame the helmet straps and fixings. It could happen to anyone. The clips are designed to be secure and the straps are strong. There is no "weak-point" to give way. All helmets are the same as far as I know.




I climbed trees for most of my childhood, and also into my youth-hood. Latterly, aged 15/16 I would climb a big sycamore near where we lived and take my telescope up with me. Thinking about it, I could have been well over 50ft up, and it was amazing to me how the perspective of the area was so different from being on the ground. I could see as far as Wigan at over 6miles ............. as the crow flies.

I fell from a birch tree aged 11 and broke my wrist. Hurt like hell, and I never climbed a birch again.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by Vorpal »

pwa wrote:It was a tree climbing accident. My own kids climbed trees on land in front of our home and it made me uneasy. I knew the dangers and warned them to be careful, but I did not stop them doing it because I wanted them to live a life worth living and not be put off every activity that has a risk. For me it paid off and my kids, now grown up, are at home in the outdoors. The parents of this little girl have a lifetime of pain and regret ahead of them.

I understand that she was a tree climbing. It was not an accident, as it was fully preventable. Unfortunately, the only thing that can be done to prevent tragedies like this is to make parents more aware of the dangers.

My point was that if playgrounds had signs warning of the dangers, parents (and their children) would be more aware of the dangers. Not that this particular incident could have been prevented with a warning sign.

Helmets and climbing don't mix well. The problem is that many folks are not aware of the dangers.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by Bonefishblues »

That happened close to me and received local publicity. I elected not to post it here.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by mjr »

Vorpal wrote:My point was that if playgrounds had signs warning of the dangers, parents (and their children) would be more aware of the dangers. Not that this particular incident could have been prevented with a warning sign.

Warning signs on every tree seems much worse than banning these stranglers.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by Mick F »

Those clips on helmet straps are of a design used in many places. Even our doggie's collar has them and I have a trouser belt with one.
The harder you pull the harder they are to open. There is no "emergency release" for them either.

With research, I could find the name of these clips. Maybe someone on here knows the name?
Whatever the name, it's a stupid design for a bike helmet .......... or any helmet for that matter.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

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Mick F. Cornwall
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by mjr »

Mick F wrote:I blame the helmet straps and fixings. It could happen to anyone. The clips are designed to be secure and the straps are strong. There is no "weak-point" to give way. All helmets are the same as far as I know.

https://www.satra.com/ppe/EN1080.php is different to the adult helmet standard EN1078 in requiring "The helmet retention system must be capable of self-release if the wearer becomes trapped by the helmet and there is a risk of strangulation." Now you know! I wonder why that helmet didn't.
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Re: Four year old killed by bike helmet.

Post by profpointy »

Whilst not exactly common, it has happened enough for statistics to be collected in Scandinavia.

The thing that's bizarre about this is people seem to say you shouldn't wear a helmet to climb trees or playground equipment are often the same people who claim it's obvious that you should wear one on a bike. To me, it's "obvious" (albeit may not be true) that you should wear a helmet if climbing stuff.

Some years ago someone on here, a very pro-helmet person, said that children wearing helmets to climb things were "abusing" the helmet, so the risk could be discounted, whilst still asserting the "obviousness of safety benefit for cycling regardless of any statistics or facts

This sad case, and many like it, show that safety decisions aren't straightforward. For what it's worth I would tend to wear a helmet if climbing anything - and I'd not want a break away chin strap because I want it to still be on my head when I land - This may or may not be the right bet to make
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