CNN has a video piece on helmet safety and skateboarding. It’s the usual not very-in-depth filler complete with a couple who lost their son to a head injury to pull on your heartstrings. What’s not clear is what the kid was doing, from the limited amount of information they give. I think he was possibly just traveling from point A to B as his family walked behind him, but speculation is pointless and the tragedy is not diminished. However, the couple and CNN’s tone seem to be implying that video game characters and magazine pictures should all be wearing helmets too. I mean really? Is that how much baby sitting we need now as a society? Are seatbelts going to be mandatory in driving video games as well? What about games where you battle the undead or perform similar unrealistic maneuvers? It’s the same kind of asinine mentality that places those disclaimers on the bottom of TV commercials that say “Professional drivers on a closed circuit, do not attempt” or “Exaggerated driving conditions. Not a performance claim.” Really? I can’t drive up the side of building in my Geo Metro? I shouldn’t base jump off the Sears Tower in search of a radical tasting snack? I shouldn’t attempt to crooked grind down a 50 step stair set without a helmet? Yes, kids should wear helmets. Yes, people should take responsibility for their own actions. NO, they don’t need to be shielded from any stimulus where people are doing anything other than sitting in a padded room, safe from all risk. They even drag Tony Hawk into the fray. Is this a U.S. only phenomenon? Do other countries want to hold their citizen’s hands through life as well? Watch the video on CNN.
– Thanks to Brian Baade for the tip.
12 comments
bailgun
hey CNN- isn’t there a war or an election or something going on right now?
you know, “news?”
Rich
It turns out that skateboarding is low on the list for head injuries. At the top of the list, by a mile, is head injury while driving a car. Almost all high school sports rate higher for head injury than skateboarding. Bailgun’s right, isn’t there some news that CNN should be reporting.
soreknee
Is there a helmet law for skateboards?
My kid has been drug home twice by the cops for not wearing his helmet on his bike.
He doesn’t think it’s cool to wear a helmet so as soon as he’s out of site he takes it off.
The cop told me that the helmet law was under 16 you have to wear a helmet on bikes and scooters but he did not say anything about skateboards.
nowax
mandates…
mandates do not exist in this dojo
Skate Everything Faster…
sleezyskates
you just need bigger tires on your Geo
aaron
And which helmet should we wear Tony? This one?
http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/view360/facti-bkth/facti-bkth_500420pmz.html
Ryan Heckler
“wearing a helmet your 80% less likely to suffer a head injury” somebody should have told that little factoid to Mr. Kobain…..
JF
mostly a US thing…us Canadians can take responsibility for our stupid actions, like trying to ride a Moose while been drunk from too many Molsons.
brad
my box of Honeycomb says “serving suggestion, product enlarged to show detail”- those little pricks
conahan
What’s next prohibition of murder and assault and battery? That won’t be any fun.
ssk
Yea, but did you guys catch the next video? It makes up for everything. So helpful because I want to “Get beach ready fast” too! Thank you CNN, yay.
I wonder if all the rail jockeys secretly wish they could wear helmets without being ridiculed. The compilations of melon splats in every skate video makes you wonder.
I skated rails back when they first started being skated, I never got a concussion, never even considered wearing a helmet. Now that I’m 37 and have a two year old I’ll admit it, I wouldn’t mind if somehow helmets came into style by the time he’s skating. Yea I said it. Kiss my ass.
damienhialation
Fuck censorship and fuck Tipper Gore too! Thank you to Larry Flynt and thank you 2 Live Crew!
p.s. That was not meant to rhyme.