Last night when I was driving through town, I spied a woman with two extremely young children caged on the back of her bicycle.  I say, “caged” because they were snuggly secured in two homemade box like contraptions that completely covered the tikes from the shoulders down. All you could see where little 3 or 4 year old heads and their erect little shoes sticking from the boxes. The boxes looked like those things magicians use to make it appear as though they cut people in half.  While I was remotely impressed with the architecture of the Kid Cages, I was quite shocked to see that both children were wearing their helmets on the backs of their heads as though they were yarmulke.

For some reason proper bike helmet fit escapes many people. I especially love the dummies that ride around with the chin strap unlatched. While I notice all kinds of foolish people, I found it incredibly odd that this women would go so far as to build special boxes for her offspring yet she failed to master the most obvious safety utensil. Proper helmet fit.

With that, allow me share a tidbit of advise on the proper way to don a bike helmet.

Buy a helmet that fits your head — The same goes for your child, buy one that fits now, don’t buy one for them to “grow into!”

All helmets sold in the US have been CPSC approved so theoretically they ‘re safe — The expensive ones are usually just lighter, more aerodynamic or have better ventilation. Buy what you can afford as long as it fits!

A helmet should — Sit snuggly and level on your head, 1 or 2 finger widths above the eyebrow. Never tilted back like a bonnet or yarmulke!

A helmet should not — Rock or move from side to side, at all.

The chin strap – Should be buckled and allow for only one or two fingers of space between your skin and the strap.

Color – Bright colors are better to see you with. You might think black looks cool but it’s hot and dark and it won’t make you ride any faster so best to pick another color.

Lastly – If you crack your bike helmet, even a little bit, it’s trashed. Whether it be from your kid tossing it across the room, or the action of you detaching from your bike, the rule is; if it’s cracked, it’s done. The helmet goes in the trash and you go shopping.  I know they’re expensive but so is brain surgery.

End of story.

Happy Easter! See you Monday, until then do what I say.