Kids not wearing helmets

[thelawnet]

Took the kids ice skating today. As it's half-term the place was packed out, with several hundred on the ice.

Ice skating is bloody dangerous IMO, many people were not competent and falling over, I fell over backwards myself when I wasn't paying attention and talking to my daughter who was sitting just outside, the attendant thought I had hit my head.

The session had to be stopped because someone was injured, my son fell over approximately ten times in an hour and a half, I don't think there was anyone over the age of 40 on the rink, and most under 20, because undoubtedly had there been older people doing it, there would be broken bones.

Anyway, there is a sign up at the skate hire counter 'Helmets are free and recommended for children under 10'. Out of two hundred people or so, ages 3 and up, I think I saw one wearing a helmet, two at the most.

Now, the question is why is this socially acceptable, in a way that kids on bikes without helmets certainly is not?

Why is it that people are happy to go to an ice rink, where temperatures are cooler and helmets available FOC and don't require transportation to and from the venue, so not much of an inconvenience at all, but don't want to wear a helmet, whereas for cycling it's practically de rigeur, despite the much greater inconvenience it causes?

[Steady rider]

I suppose helmets are an issue, people just want to have fun, that is why 90% go ice skating at a guess.

[snibgo]

Now, the question is why is this socially acceptable, in a way that kids on bikes without helmets certainly is not?

Because there isn't a large lobbying group saying that ice skating is dangerous, but this danger is mitigated by plastic hats.

My wife (or perhaps we weren't yet married) fell on a rink and another skater ran over her calf. Skates are sharp as knives.

[pjclinch]

Ice skating is bloody dangerous IMO

For some values of "bloody dangerous", yes. But for most of the people, most of the time, no.

As snibgo says, it's about the creation of a different perception around cycling in particular that has caused the bizarre notion that it's not acceptable to do something quite reasonably safe without a plastic hat. If enough people start to say you must dress up like the Yellow Power Ranger to so something it becomes true, or effectively so. It's becoming unacceptable to go downhill skiing without a helmet now, not because of any particularly huge danger but because lots of people are saying it's terribly irresponsible not to.

Remember the song "They" by Jem? Lyric describes the process quite well.

Pete.

[Mick F]

I think leather gauntlets would be better.

Fall over.
Hand on the ice.
Passing skater runs over your hand.

[thelawnet]

Ice skating is bloody dangerous IMO

For some values of "bloody dangerous", yes. But for most of the people, most of the time, no.

Well that's probably true, in that people at risk of broken bones (the elderly) are, from what I've seen, sensible enough not to do it; whereas the CTC is essentially a movement for OAPs (and that's not to disparage it, it's just an observation), I don't think they have a pensioners session at the ice rink.... People generally know what is within their capabilities, and if ice skating isn't, they don't take part.

I was unable to find injury statistics for it, unfortunately, but just as people say 'it's obvious that wearing a helmet is safer than not wearing one, you don't need any evidence, it's just obvious', I'm happy to say that ice skating is obviously bloody dangerous relative to cycing.....

As snibgo says, it's about the creation of a different perception around cycling in particular that has caused the bizarre notion that it's not acceptable to do something quite reasonably safe without a plastic hat. If enough people start to say you must dress up like the Yellow Power Ranger to so something it becomes true, or effectively so. It's becoming unacceptable to go downhill skiing without a helmet now, not because of any particularly huge danger but because lots of people are saying it's terribly irresponsible not to.

Indeed, you can't conduct a session of kids cycling round cones without helmets on these days.

[fimm]

Anecdata time: the only time I've ever been knocked unconcious due to a blow to the head was... ice skating. They didn't have helmets then, of course.

[meic]

I'll counter your anecdata with my own.

I have only been knocked unconscious once and I was wearing a helmet at the time.
The helmet was completely undamaged during the incident.

The circumstances would be quite funny if it wasnt me that it happened to.

[thirdcrank]

And then there's skating on thin ice. I suspect a helmet would be quite useless. Probably better with some sort of folding kayak.

[TwoPlusTen]

Ice (at least the stuff you get at most ice rinks) is generally softer than tarmac as well. If you fall on that you're not that likely to do yourself any major damage (at least not to the head - I've seen plenty other injuries!).

I've fallen over countless times on ice. The most ignominious one was when I was trying to do crossovers and went through a patch of ice that hadn't frozen back over after the resurface. My skate went out from under me and my jeans got totally soaked. Also got a bruised hip for it. The worst part: the embarrassment of doing it.

The only time I've ever worn a helmet on ice is when I've played ice hockey.

[thirdcrank]

Perhaps we should start some sort of common-sense based campaign for cumpulsory skating helmets. While we are on, we might usefully include a "skating lane" say two feet wide around the perimeter of every rink. This would allow the rest of the ice to be used as community skid pans, to allow drivers to hone up their skills. That brings me to hi-viz skating togs....

PS To any skaters who don't like this I can only say "You don't pay car tax."

[TwoPlusTen]

PS To any skaters who don't like this I can only say "You don't pay car tax."

Love the idea.

Just one flaw. I do skate, and I do pay car tax.

[thirdcrank]

.... I do skate, and I do pay car tax.

Forget the helmet. If anybody is still reading this thread, dig out your flameproof overalls!

(Hint - there's no such thing as car tax, but whatever it's called, lots of cyclists pay it. )

[TwoPlusTen]

.... I do skate, and I do pay car tax.

Forget the helmet. If anybody is still reading this thread, dig out your flameproof overalls!

(Hint - there's no such thing as car tax, but whatever it's called, lots of cyclists pay it. )

That was my point!