Hats ON for spring
As regularly as it coaxes out forsythia and daffodils, spring brings forth an abundant crop of bicyclists, skateboarders and scooter riders. These athletes, eager for the feel of a warm breeze in their faces, take to the streets in flocks, darting out from between parked cars, careening around corners, swooping down our roads. They are a welcome harbinger of spring, and a danger to themselves and others.
Just as we finish looking out for black ice and begun watching for potholes drivers have to start watching for non-motorized vehicles. And we have to be vigilant because many of these athletes, including those who are old enough to know better, are flying without helmets. While in a car versus bicycle accident it is a given that the car will win, it is not a given that the bicyclist will suffer irreversible or fatal damage. However, in a car versus bicycle accident where the bicyclist (or skateboarder) is not wearing a helmet, the odds of that dying increase dramatically.
It is essential that drivers be alert for the single skateboarder screaming down the street and the swarm of cyclists soaring round the corner. It is also essential that those who ride non-motorized vehicles know the rules of the road and wear their helmets. That goes for the teenagers who think they are invincible and that wearing helmets is for little kids and dorks. There is nothing remotely cool about massive head trauma. And those of you whose parents tell you not to ride without a helmet – this is one of those times when the old folks are right. Just do it.
Parents who don’t want to nag their kids to wear their helmets -- just do it. A little grumbling and eye rolling from a terribly put-upon teenager is a small price to pay to get to see that teenager grow up into someone who will make their kids wear helmets.
As for those adults of all ages who think they are beyond helmets or who worry about terminal hat head at the end of their rides: Flat hair beats a flat head every time.
Be alert behind the wheel. You’re sharing the road with vehicles smaller and less protected than you. And be responsible when you ride – watch where you’re going and wear your helmet all the time.
Walk for Hope
Saturday, May 3 walkers will gather at