Lunch at The Hill in Gerringong was delicious, but the streets told a different story. A boy zipped past on an electric bike, surfboard in tow, no helmet. Minutes later, a couple with no helmets doubled up on one bike.

And this isn’t just Gerringong. It looks like every kid in the Kiama LGA got a fat-tyred bike for Christmas. But did they also get helmets?

The tired trope of “kids will be kids” is no excuse. Sure, it’s easy to shrug and say they’re just having fun, but rules exist for a reason. Helmets and regulations save lives. The reason we have them? Because too often, people don’t do the right thing on their own.

Some will say we’re living in an over-regulated, “woke” world – too many rules, too little freedom. But let’s be clear: electric bikes aren’t toys. They’re fast, heavy, and potentially dangerous when misused.

Calling for responsibility isn’t over-regulation, it’s common sense.

Isn’t it time we ditched the excuses, stopped leaning on the “kids will be kids” crutch, and embraced a culture of safety?