That's weird. When I was still building my first bike, I bought my mirror and my helmet in the same shopping trip, along with my horn. I planned to have lights and reflectors on the bike as I built it.
Even my kids have helmets, pads, and on their bikes - bells, reflectors, and flashing tail lights (even though they don't ride after dark). I even taught them how to check for loose parts, tire pressure, chain slack, and sufficient brake grip.
Their little friends may not possess all the same safety equipment, but they don't tease my daughters about it. They actually seem to be acting kind of jealous. They know well that I am the one who insists that my daughters wear and use the stuff. So they don't say anything. More often than not, they bring their bikes to me for a tune up. And because I've got a crapload of old bike parts, they also bring me their bike for repair or to make it safe. One girl, Shawna, somehow managed to very slightly "taco" her rear wheel and broke the plastic body of her seat. I trued the wheel and put on another seat. Marcus from across the street just wanted all the loose nuts & Bolts tightened. I've seen how he rides; I'll be doing it again soon, and talking to him about a helmet. And Kaylie (sp?) often hits curbs and knocks her training wheels askew. I think I got 'em now to where they won't budge. And I'm always inflating tires and bending chainguards back into place. And while I do that, I look for loose stuff anyway, just in case. It sure seems like they ride these little "faux BMX" type bikes way harder and more often than I ever remember doing as a kid. And that's saying something.
It's also great when the parents sometimes come by to thank me for doing what they really didn't know how to do, and for making their kids' bikes safer and more usable. But the best part is when the kids hop on with pure joy on their face. They don't always thank me with words, usually just with enjoying how much better their bike is doing. That's a kind of thanks right there, to me anyway.
