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I happened to be in Brooklyn last night. I was driving into Boro Park, and I saw a father and son (who appeared to be about 13-14 years old) riding their bikes together. I saw some other people walking nearby, and there was a shul nearby, so I assume they’d just davened Maariv.
What struck me was that both the father and son had their hats and jackets on while they were riding their bikes. You may say, great! They’re proud to wear it, even while riding a bike. But I was shocked. It was at night, and they were wearing black jackets. Their bikes had no reflectors. What else was missing? Their bike helmets. I’d say it’s more important to wear a helmet than to wear a hat to davening! Wearing a helmet is a must! It’s pikuach nefesh. When I was in high school, the Rosh Yeshiva always stressed the importance of wearing a helmet. The yeshiva had a rule that if you rode a bike in, you needed a helmet. If you didn’t have one, your bike was taken away until you brought in a helmet. He said, it may sound harsh, but I’m saving your life!
How can a father teach his son that it’s ok to ride a bike without wearing a helmet? Especially at night, wearing black pants and a black jacket! Cars coming can’t see you well. If G-d forbid something had happened, this father would have been responsible for it!
EDITED
Wearing a helmet is a must!
Ah, but the mitzvah of wearing a hat (a yehoraig v’al ya’avor, certainly) is doche the silly helmet rule (which is only dina d’malchusa dina anyway). 🙂
Kidding aside, you’re absolutely right. Helmets are a must. My kids don’t go biking without them. I’m glad to see your R”Y enforcing the point.
The Wolf
One hundred percent right. They can take along hats in a box/bag if they davka want to daven with them. But a helmet is a must.
This was not me and my son for 2 reasons:
1) we went riding on Tueday nite
2) you will NEVER see us without a helmet
Feif – You are right for bringing this up. Helmets save lives in a severe collision. Even at a small impact, it absorbs much of the blow and deflects it around the entire helmet, greatly reducing the trauma to the brain.
For those of you who do not already know this, a blow to the head is very different than a blow to another bone mass. A break in the forearm will eventually heal.
A blow to the head causes the brain (which floats inside the skull) to slam into the inside of the skull, and that causes all sorts of damage. All which can be avoided by wearing a $30 helmet.
Ok, maybe spandex clothing in orange and red is not necessary. But a helmet? That’s mandatory.
Two summers ago, I took a nasty fall while riding. I bent my wheel, broke my brake housing, did a number on my shoulder, but when my head hit the ground (and I know it did, because my glasses were bent) the helmet saved me lots of grief.
Bottom line: wear a helmet
I’m picturing a shtriemel built around a bike helmet 🙂
Maybe bein_hasdorim can invent a Hat Helmet after he’s done with his Kosher Lounge?!
d a! them’s fighting words!!! Actually…. SUPER IDEA!!!!
I will have to put my lounge project on hold as this is Pikuach Nefesh!!!
…That is if you arent gonna sue me for stealing your idea.
Do I have your written consent?
I’ll sell them in the lounge, i’ll of course offer a discount to my loyal customers.
I worked for many years with special needs young adults. We had a delightful boy who became brain damaged from falling off his bike and hitting his head.
I always insisted my sons wore a helmet. When my son went riding without a helmet I did not let him use the bike for a week. He never again went out without one.
Don’t chas vesholom come to a matzav when you feel guilty and say “If only I had insisted on the helmet!”
I was hit by a car once while walking my bike across the street at a busy intersection while I had the light. I was wearing a helmet and had almost no head injuries even though I went flying and hit my head. My bike was crushed.
As a side point, I think many times bikers are not careful enough on the road and there are certain places where cars are going too fast and can’t see you and it is not safe to ride.
Yes, yes, and YES! My son works with traumatically brain-injured people, and several injuries may occur while riding without a helmet on a bike or a seatbelt in a car. The old saw, “Gott vet helfen,” no longer applies. Gott vet helfen those who help themselves.
bein_hasdorim: you got my go a*head*! If you need help, just ask! I like inventing things.
Good point, safty first. It’s important to stay whole so we can serve H’
On a sidenote, that’s so cute, father and son riding together 🙂
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