Yesterday I was biking home from work, and a guy towing a kiddie bike trailer passed me going the opposite direction. Imagine my shock to catch a glimpse of the BABY (< 1 year) slumped in the back with NO HELMET.
How freaking stupid is this dude? He was wearing one, yet he chose not to put one on his own kid. 
I'm sure he could use this excuse for leaving the helmet off (essentially, it says that babies can't sit unsupported until they're at least 9 mos. old, and adding the weight of a helmet messes up their balance). However, if he read a little closer, he'd see that it's highly recommended (to the point of it being the law in several states) that children under the age of one not ride in bike trailers or seats.
Either way - a kid over the age of one, attached to a bike in any way, should be wearing a helmet. Even if the parent chooses to set a poor example and not wear one him/herself, they should at least cover up their kids' heads so they'll be able to take care of themselves when their 'rents end up in a vegetative state from a bike crash.
If the baby I saw isn't brain damaged enough from being that moron's spawn, his brains will probably bounce around enough in that jumpy trailer to make up for it:
Most parents have no idea how rough a ride it can be in a trailer. How hard can you jiggle your baby's brain without provoking injury? Trailer owners report good experience, but how will you know if your child is suffering harm back there? You expect them to cry, but can a baby whose brain is being bruised or neck is being overstressed communicate that quickly enough? While asleep? We often pass trailers whose occupants are crying. Wet diaper, or shaken brain?
-Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
Stepping off my soapbox…
August 8th, 2008 at 6:16 am
It is really nice to know people like your self are aware of this issue, and this example does prove that consumers are not properly educated enough.
We have here in the UK these products and manufacturers and press are targeting off road use - however the legislation does not recognise Shaken Baby Syndrome and force such labeling declarations or design alterations on the existing manufacturers to protect the under 2\'s.
We have done a study that reveals hospital data showing records of SBS predominently in children under 2's and that there were cases of up to 5 years old.
The legislation assumes the world is tarmac flat but doesn't consider the use of varying surfaces in design for the children. they have one caviat that tells the manufacture to label the product for smooth surfaces.
In my experience consumers are not aware with such systems because of the ambiguity in labeling and I believe from my experience in these past two months that they have been misled for the past 10 years over all terrain riding.
I am directly challenging this, born out of this problem we have released a new product 2 months ago into the market after an exhaustive 18 months development program (which is why we have been awarded worldwide insurance) to sell around the globe the LOCT bodyspace Child Saddle which by design removes the high risk under 2\'s and allows the children to ride to avoid this very issue.
We have A strong theme running through our testimonials which is that children naturally love riding on a saddle in the parents arms and that consumers do have a thirst and spirit for exploration and ADVENTURE for them and their littleones 2-6 and are approaching our innovative child bike saddle responsibly with an educated view from our literature, confident that at last there is a product that offers, refreshingly, an appropriate balance between risk and life opportunities.
see for yourself our testimonials and video online.
I have commented on this article purely because of the interst in safe riding and that the irony we have found in the legislation and the real world consumers use.
Kind regards
Charles
wishing everyone happy and safe adventurous riding.