# Bike trailer question



## rere (Apr 21, 2005)

If you use a bike trailer that won't flip over if the bike falls...do you put helmets on your kids?


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## mmace (Feb 12, 2002)

I still put a helmet on my little girl. More than the trailer flipping over, I worried about her unbuckling and trying to escape without my knowing...

AND I wanted her to know, right from the very beginning of her biking experience, that a helmet was not optional.


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## P-chan (Jan 23, 2004)

Big YES here. We all wear helmets when we're biking.


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## rere (Apr 21, 2005)

Thanks.

I just assumed I would put a helmet on my gal but the guy at the bike store said it wasn't necessary.Then I was wondering if I was being too careful.


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## lillian (Dec 13, 2003)

my children do not wear helmets in the trailer. mostly bc they play with them and then fight to get them off, causing us to stop frequently. most of the burley riding we do is on a designated bike path, although we do some road biking with them.

i think my older one could tolerate a helmet on all of the time but the younger one won't yet.


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## ThreeBeans (Dec 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rere* 
Thanks.

I just assumed I would put a helmet on my gal but the guy at the bike store said it wasn't necessary.Then I was wondering if I was being too careful.

WTH? He should be smacked with a smelly fish. Of course it's necessary!


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## lmonter (Feb 26, 2004)

Yes. They hate it until they get used to it, but they were the same way with carseat straps, you know? I don't want them to get used to no helmets while biking, so there you go.


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## Brilliantmama (Sep 28, 2006)

yep, we don't drive without seatbelts and don't bike without helmets-non negotiable.


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## claras_mom (Apr 25, 2006)

Another yes. For me it's mostly about getting in the habit for later. She did/does resist at times, but it helps that she sees that dh and I always wear them.

And you know, *Elmo* wears one (in the Elmo Potty video).


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## rere (Apr 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *claras_mom* 

And you know, *Elmo* wears one (in the Elmo Potty video).









Ok,I'm picturing Elmo putting his helmet on to use the potty.







I hope that's not the case.


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## cycle (Nov 18, 2004)

Yep - helmets always, no exceptions. DS has been wearing them since he was about a year old - he doesn't think twice, its just part of riding a bike or going in the trailer. I am really very sensitive because I crashed while racing my bicycle and even with a helmet I had a head injury. It takes so little to really do damage to your head/brain while biking.


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## claras_mom (Apr 25, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rere* 
Ok,I'm picturing Elmo putting his helmet on to use the potty.







I hope that's not the case.

No - although that could be pretty entertaining! Elmo's been out and about, talking about potty training with Baby Bear and Curly Bear (and assorted others, but I can't keep it straight). At the very end, after the grand finale Cole Porter rip-off "Everybody Does It" potty song, Elmo's dad helps him fasten his helmet before he gets back on his trike to ride home.

Actually, except for the Bear Siblings, it's not a half bad video...unfortunately, they take up a big part of the narrative.


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## Mary-Beth (Nov 20, 2001)

No, they they didn't.
Now they ride on their own bikes and always do.


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## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

Nope. We did for a while. The back of the seat pushed the helmet forward: that not only made the kids far more uncomfortable than a helmet normally would, but it also made the helmet slide forward in a way that impeded it's proper function making the kids' misery fruitless anyway. They are fully suspended in a harness inside the trailer - if something did happen to turn the trailer, they would not hit the ground anyway. The only way they'd get hurt in there is if a car crushes the whole trailer... and in that case, the helmet won't do a darned thing for them.

Despite not wearing one in the trailer, my kids always wear a helmet riding their bikes anywhere except in our yard or on playgrounds. They not only do not argue with me about it, they gave *me* grief when I didn't wear mine to bike to the neighbor's house a block away one day. Likewise, they are properly buckled into their carseats anytime the car is in motion, except when we're on site at an SCA event when they get the luxury of sitting in the front seat (maneuvering at 3mph through crowds of pedestrians and tents), or on the occasion that I have to move my car within our long driveway without exiting onto the road (say, if dh needs to maneuver something large into his shop so I need to get my car out of the way). Again, they have never ever attempted to unbuckle themselves or give me grief about it just because there are those exceptions to the rule. I give my kids credit for being able to understand complex rules, and they haven't failed me yet. I don't underestimate their intelligence by thinking they won't understand they have to wear a helmet on their bikes just because they don't wear it in the trailer. Honestly, I don't see why that complex rule would be considered so complex anyway - they're not on a bike at the time, I am. But, kids are people, not dogs. They understand complexities. You don't have to be utterly absolute all the time lest they fail to understand a rule's importance.


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## mmace (Feb 12, 2002)

Quote:

Honestly, I don't see why that complex rule would be considered so complex anyway - they're not on a bike at the time, I am. But, kids are people, not dogs. They understand complexities. You don't have to be utterly absolute all the time lest they fail to understand a rule's importance.
Sometimes you do. My nine year old son has ASC, and honestly, if I allow him (or his baby sister in this case) to break the rule once he will argue about it with me for the next 25 years. In my case, the helmet on while in the trailer rule is as much for him as it is for his sister.


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## MamaE (May 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tboroson* 
Nope. We did for a while. The back of the seat pushed the helmet forward: that not only made the kids far more uncomfortable than a helmet normally would, but it also made the helmet slide forward in a way that impeded it's proper function making the kids' misery fruitless anyway. They are fully suspended in a harness inside the trailer - if something did happen to turn the trailer, they would not hit the ground anyway. The only way they'd get hurt in there is if a car crushes the whole trailer... and in that case, the helmet won't do a darned thing for them.

Ditto. DD hated the helmet in the trailer. Waaay too uncomfortable. She wears a helmet when riding her big bike, but not on her big wheel or tricycle and not when she's riding in our yard, only when we're riding on the sidewalk. There are exceptions to my rule as well. You can ream me if you like, I just don't see the point of a helmet in the cases I mentioned.

But, then, I'm also the reckless mom who took her under-2 year old on an airplane w/o a carseat. Gasp!! Call me crazy, I just didn't think the carseat was going to save her if we crashed. As far as turbulence, that's what the belt is for.

I'm not suggesting you *not* use a helmet, just telling you what we do. You have to do what you're comfortable with and if it's not a law, then it's still your right to choose.


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## lmonter (Feb 26, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tboroson* 
Nope. We did for a while. The back of the seat pushed the helmet forward: that not only made the kids far more uncomfortable than a helmet normally would, but it also made the helmet slide forward in a way that impeded it's proper function making the kids' misery fruitless anyway.

Fwiw, not all bike trailers are designed with the idea of helmets on kiddos. Our old Schwinn was like that, as are a bunch of those on the market. Burley and Chariot have a slanting backseat that give more headroom for helmets. That was yet another reason why we sold the Schwinn and got a Chariot.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Yes and I'm pretty sure it is the law here.


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## kuhlmom (Sep 23, 2005)

We definitely do...
BUT I can totally relate to those who complained about the helmet pushing their kids' heads forward - it doesn't look comfortable for them at all.


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## insahmniak (Aug 16, 2003)

Always. My daredevil DP has taken corners too fast and I have watched the wheel pop up pretty high. He had hit a bump. It probably wouldn't even have registered with him but I saw it from behind. Seeing that scared the crap outta me because even if they are buckled well I'm afraid that pavement is just too close and can be moving too fast to not have a helmet on. There are also very speedy folk on the greenbelt sometimes and if there's a crash, well, the more protection the better.

A tip about the helmet pushing forward, try really hard to get one that fits just right. It should be snug. If it's loose it will move around more and end up slipping down over the eyes. And look for one with a back that is more round than pointed. They look cool and aerodynamic when they are pointed, but that doesn't work in a trailer.

Chariots are the best, IMO. The suspension is what made our DD a very happy trailer kid. The suspension took most of the harshness out of the bumps and that helped the helmet not bump around so much, either.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

We have the Burley, and it is designed to "work" with helmets, but it still doesn't work for my kids. Maybe they're not tall enough? They're about 40 inches tall and 4.5 years old. Anyway, I don't make them wear their helmets in the trailer. But they are strapped in tight. They know that they need to wear helmets to ride their bikes (like-a-bikes) or when they go in the bike seat that's on the bike (as opposed to the trailer). I just see very little potential for them to hit their heads on anything in the trailer. I think they'd be more likely to hit their heads falling out of a tree, and I don't make them wear helmets when they climb trees.

HTH!

Lex


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## Owachi (Jan 15, 2007)

We haven't used our bike trailer yet but I don't see our 17 month old twins leaving a helmet on......I don't think we'd go very fast with them anyways....I would like to use helmets more for the fact that they don't bang heads than tipping over....I'll try it but I don't think it will be happening.


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