Here’s a case of when it pays off to be stopped by the police:
Police departments in several Middlesex County municipalities, including Plainsboro and Cranbury, are giving a “summons” to any kid spotted wearing a helmet while biking (or doing another wheeled activity) between June 21 and Sept. 30. Each summons can be redeemed for free items, such as a scoop of ice cream or slice of pizza, and enters the child in a raffle drawing for a new helmet and bicycle at the end of the campaign.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Safe Kids Middlesex County is once again partnering with county and local governments to make this program happen. You can read more about it here.
Wearing a helmet isn’t just the law for kids under 17; it makes sense for cyclists of all ages. You only have one brain, and even an seemingly innocent fall the wrong way can do serious damage.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 190,000 children sustain head injuries each year while participating in wheeled activities. Brain injuries often have lifelong effects, such as problems with thought processes, mobility and emotions. There is no cure for brain injury so prevention is extremely important.
Talk to the WWBPA about how to fit your helmet properly so it doesn’t slide around. There’s a science to it!
OK, we know. For some people, bicycle helmets are just so uncool that they don’t want to wear them. And then they mess up your hair.
We haven’t come across a solution to the hair problem, but we have spotted some fashionable helmets that the Cycle Chic movement would approve of.
At the New Jersey Bike & Walk Summit, Jerseyite Cheryl Allen-Munley was showing off girly hats that cover her helmet shells, all sold through her company Bandbox. A floppy hat with flowers and a brim? Or a felt 1920s cloche for winter? For those who prefer something more rugged, choices include a bush hat and a baseball cap.
Yakkay, a Danish company, has won several awards for its fashionable take on helmets. Want a new look? Just change the cover. There’s even a furry option. And its accessories include helmet-friendly ear muffs. One drawback: the list of retailers on its website doesn’t include any in the U.S. (is that possible?)
Some prefer helmets that look better suited to skateboarders. Cycle Chic (the name of a real store in the U.K.) carries some among its four brands (check out Nutcase).
All too much? As a pair of otherwise chic, bike-in-a-suit bloggers say, embrace messy hair (after riding with a helmet). And yes, they’ve also got some tips for? riding in a suit, for those who want to arrive at work looking smart. (One key point: take it slow and steady.)
What would your fashion helmet look like?
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How many crashes have you had where your helmet prevented a more serious injury?
1 crash – 31%
2 crashes – 27%
3 or more crashes – 20%
I’ve crashed, but my helmet never touched anything – 16%
I’ve crashed, my helmet hit but did not help prevent a more serious injury – 1%
I’ve never crashed – 4%
The results are from about 2,200 responses to the ?January 13, 2011 question:
Monthly meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month via Zoom. We will eventually resume meeting in the West Windsor Municipal Building. Email us at [email protected] if you would like the Zoom code.
Find us at the West Windsor Farmers Market (Vaughn Drive parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every other Saturday from May through Halloween.
Here’s a case of when it pays off to be stopped by the police:
