>>>>>>The study in your link does not answer (that I saw) the question I had: how common are bicycle accidents that cause head injuries in the first place? My guess / assumption is not very. No question that if it should happen you would be better off wearing a helmet. I just don't think the chances of it happening are enough to worry about.
>>>>>
>>>>>Here's some more data: http://www.helmets.org/stats.htm
>>>>>
>>>>>Seems to me that helmets are an easy, inexpensive way to save lives and prevent injuries. (Kind of like seat belts.) Pardon the expression, but it's a no-brainer to me.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>To you. As I said to Doug, reasonable people can disagree.
>>>
>>>First, you missed my joke entirely. How could you?
>>>
>>>Second, some people say that about seat belts or putting kids in car seats, but would you allow parents to choose whether to put a baby in an approved infant seat?
>>>
>>
>>No. I don't think the situations are comparable. What I was talking about was a kid old enough to ride a bike by her/himself. Also, I think the chances or a high impact collision are much higher in a car than on a bike.
>>
>>Re "no-brainer", here is a delayed Ar, ar, ar <g>.
>
>I guess I don't get it. Here is an opportunity to make a child just a little bit safer without any real downside, and you don't want to take it. In fact, you actively oppose it. Seems odd to me.

It does if you are thinking of safety and nothing else. I think there is more to a child's development than keeping them safe. ("Not that there's anything wrong with that"). Let's just let it go at that. I don't want to start a huge philosophical debate about the goals and techniques of parenting.