Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Wear your helmet (again)

Bicycle rider hurt after being hit by car

STAFF REPORT

SARASOTA -- A man was flown to a hospital Saturday after being hit by a car while riding his bicycle.

The accident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. at the intersection of Fruitville Road and Goodrich Avenue in downtown Sarasota. The man, who is in his 30s and suffered a severe head injury, was flown by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.


His head went through the front windshield!:eek:

I am at the point where it feels as odd to not wear a helmet as it does to not wear a seatbelt.

I figure a helmet won't help in many situations but I don't want to end up in a coma for one of the situations it would have helped in. I figure the scenarios where it would make things worse are probably fairly rare. Besides, I have no hair for the wind to go whipping through anyway, so why go helmet-less.

Oh man, that seriously freaked me out at first. My dad lives in Sarasota, is a recreational cyclist...but he is most definitely NOT in his 30's! Good case in point for helmet advocation though. Although I always would strongly recommend anyone to wear a helmet, I also don't harp on those who choose not too.

i preach it daily to my students... now that they know i ride a bike... they like it :) and i have the honor of getting to look over their bumps and scrapes from their wrecks... :) we discuss the helmet each and every time...

some of the parents tell me the kids are insisting on getting them... but they buy them from the local major shopping chain that will go nameless in this post... and those things are barely better than nothing...

have you looked at them? paper thin plastic over light styrofoam... i try to steer them to the LBS for a good helmet... but most don't want to spend the $$$ ... my rebuttal... how much is your kids head worth to you?

keep preaching it guys... maybe we'll save a few!!!

I wear a helmet when I ride motorcycles (dirt or street) and I wear a helmet when I ride my bicycles. I am one of the few that wear a helmet while on a bicycle. They must be too cool to wear them. I don't even think about having one on while I am riding. They are not uncomfortable, and they do not block vision or reduce your chance of hearing or seeing something.

I don't know that wearing a helmet when being hit by a car will save you, but you really never know.

But, it should still be a choice for everyone.

When I was younger you could have never got me to wear a helmet, except on my dirt bike. But, I would have never worn one on my bicycle, it was just unheard of at that time. I would have been laughed out of my neighborhood by my friends. There were a couple of times that I wish I would have had a helmet on though…:rolleyes:

Now that I am older and wiser, (and heal much slower) I and my wife both wear our helmets when we ride our bikes. I don’t figure it will save my life in a horrible crash, but I do think it will lesson my injuries in minor crash.

To anyone that says helmets are not worth wearing I submit something I read a few years ago ( I think it was in a motorcycle magazine) about wearing, or not wearing a helmet.

It said simply put on your helmet, take a red brick, hold it about 12 inches above your head and drop it. Now, remove your helmet and repeat the same experiment. Please make note of the differences…

P.S. I think I would throw the helmet away after I dropped a brick on it if it was me… but then again, I doubt I will ever try this experiment myself… :D

What did it for me was watching an episode of 'Moments of Impact'. A kid on a skateboard was not moving fast at all. Then he triped and fell hitting the back of his head on the street. That simple fall almost killed him. As it turned out, after years of rehabilitation he is almost normal.

If I get on something that rolls, other than a car, I wear a helmet. I am not as sold on a seatbelt.

I do feel compelled to point out that in the story reported above, there is nothing to indicate whether or not the cyclist was wearing a helmet. This is important because a helmet doesn't make your head invulnerable -- if you're in a high-speed accident, particularly with something massive like a tree or a car, your squash is likely still in real trouble even if you're wearing a helmet. Helmets have many benefits, providing a large measure of protection in relatively low-speed accidents and mitigating damage in many accidents, but they don't make you completely immune to severe head injuries.

What did it for me was watching an episode of 'Moments of Impact'. A kid on a skateboard was not moving fast at all. Then he triped and fell hitting the back of his head on the street. That simple fall almost killed him. As it turned out, after years of rehabilitation he is almost normal.

If I get on something that rolls, other than a car, I wear a helmet. I am not as sold on a seatbelt.

I'm sold on seatbelts. Brother's head partially went through a windshield. EMS thought he was DOA because of all the blood. Practically had to sew his face back on plus 20 days in the hospital :(

What did it for me was watching an episode of 'Moments of Impact'. A kid on a skateboard was not moving fast at all. Then he triped and fell hitting the back of his head on the street. That simple fall almost killed him. As it turned out, after years of rehabilitation he is almost normal.

If I get on something that rolls, other than a car, I wear a helmet. I am not as sold on a seatbelt.

Not a big believer in statistics? The seatbelt stats are overwhelming. Seems like weekly I read about so and so who was killed in a car crash after being thrown from the vehicle and so on so on so forth. Plus in Missouri where we both live it is not even a choice anymore whether to use one or not. Now don't get me started on whether I think the LAW is a good idea or not, but the seatbelt itself? No question.

You seriously need to wear a helmet in the car. You'll get used to it and not even know you are wearing it. What?...are you afraid it will mess up your hair? Please don't take a chance of an auto accident killing you or leaving you seriously injured when the simple act of wearing a helmet could save you. Especially important for kids.

Not a big believer in statistics? The seatbelt stats are overwhelming. Seems like weekly I read about so and so who was killed in a car crash after being thrown from the vehicle and so on so on so forth. Plus in Missouri where we both live it is not even a choice anymore whether to use one or not. Now don't get me started on whether I think the LAW is a good idea or not, but the seatbelt itself? No question.

I'm a big believer in seatbelts. Especially since my grandfather invented them.

I always wear a helmet, full face when I am BMX racing or mountain biking, in part I was doing this to model the behaviour for my kids but I don't really need to any longer.
My 8 year old son has gotten so used to wearing a full face helmet while he is racing BMX that he uses one for everything (skateboarding, roller blading, riding around the block, etc.). I pick the things up when I find them on sale so that there is spare if he crashes and hits his head, we toss them after any significant impact. Lots of his buddies think he is a bit goofy but he doesn't care. He has crashed while BMX racing and hit his head a few times resulting in the chin piece breaking but he has never chipped a tooth, scraped his chin, or ended up with a bleeding nose since he started wearing them, this is more than can be said for his buddies who only wear skater helmets, so he has no problem seeing the value in wearing it.

I always wear a helmet, full face when I am BMX racing or mountain biking, in part I was doing this to model the behaviour for my kids but I don't really need to any longer.
My 8 year old son has gotten so used to wearing a full face helmet while he is racing BMX that he uses one for everything (skateboarding, roller blading, riding around the block, etc.). I pick the things up when I find them on sale so that there is spare if he crashes and hits his head, we toss them after any significant impact. Lots of his buddies think he is a bit goofy but he doesn't care. He has crashed while BMX racing and hit his head a few times resulting in the chin piece breaking but he has never chipped a tooth, scraped his chin, or ended up with a bleeding nose since he started wearing them, this is more than can be said for his buddies who only wear skater helmets, so he has no problem seeing the value in wearing it.

Hopefully your 8 year old wears a helmet in the car too----that's where he'll most likely need it. It's so easy to do..there is no reason not to.

You seriously need to wear a helmet in the car. You'll get used to it and not even know you are wearing it. What?...are you afraid it will mess up your hair? Please don't take a chance of an auto accident killing you or leaving you seriously injured when the simple act of wearing a helmet could save you. Especially important for kids.

Why is the guy on the bike in your avatar wearing a helmet?

You seriously need to wear a helmet in the car. You'll get used to it and not even know you are wearing it. What?...are you afraid it will mess up your hair? Please don't take a chance of an auto accident killing you or leaving you seriously injured when the simple act of wearing a helmet could save you. Especially important for kids.

I guess I’ll be the first to ask, because I really am curious… Are you being sarcastic, or do you really believe in wearing a helmet in a car? Your posts seem somewhat confusing.

I am not the brightest star in the night sky, so would you care to please enlighten me…

Not trying to start an argument… I really am curious.

I guess I’ll be the first to ask, because I really am curious… Are you being sarcastic, or do you really believe in wearing a helmet in a car? Your posts seem somewhat confusing.

I am not the brightest star in the night sky, so would you care to please enlighten me…

Not trying to start an argument… I really am curious.

Well it makes sense. Answer these two questions:

1) Could it save you from death or injury?

2) Is it easy and convenient?

I think it's hard to argue against it.

some of the parents tell me the kids are insisting on getting them... but they buy them from the local major shopping chain that will go nameless in this post... and those things are barely better than nothing...


incorrect - those helmets must meet the same safety standards as the ones you find in your LBS. D-

Well it makes sense. Answer these two questions:

1) Could it save you from death or injury?

2) Is it easy and convenient?

I think it's hard to argue against it.

Do you wear a helmet when you are driving your car?

Guess we'll have to wait until he returns.

I'm a big believer in seatbelts. Especially since my grandfather invented them.

Did he work for Volvo?

I've actually done a lot of thinking about seatbelts. I was driving home from KS last spring, and I saw "Seatbelt--It's the Law" signs when I entered every state. I was behind a motorcyclist for a long time and I thought, "Well, if going without a seatbelt is so dangerous they've made laws about it, then how are motorcycles even allowed on the road?

Now, I'm saying this as someone who likes seatbelts and wears one, and also as someone who doesn't mind motorcycles at all. I don't want to see the law revoked, or motorcycles banned.

But, I mean, really.... think about it. How is it that I can get a $100 ticket for not wearing a seatbelt in my car when I can ride a motorcycle without a helmet? AND*, if it's so important, then why don't school buses have seat belts? It just doesn't make sense in the grand order of things.

It's kind of like a state passing an indoor smoking ban, except for cigars or at schools.

You seriously need to wear a helmet in the car. ....

If my all my automobiles did not have 3-point harnesses with pretensioners, crumple zones, two stage air bags, collapsible steering columns, side air bags, curtain air bags, side impact beams, vehicle stability control, low tire pressure warning, antilock brakes, etc.; yes I would wear a helmet just as NASCAR, Indy, etc. drivers do.

Since my bicycle lacks just a few of the aforementioned safety features, I wear a helmet for some protection, use high visibility clothing, wear Kevlar mesh motorcycle clothing, use lights & reflectors, check the bike before riding, and most importantly ride carefully pretending I am invisible to motor vehicles, never pass on the right, remain vigilant about right & left hooks, etc.

You?

Did he work for Volvo?
No. He and his brother (my great uncle) developed the original version of the over the shoulder seat belt. They gave it to a patent lawyer who suddenly disappeared. Later they found the patent in that patent lawyer's name or something like that. I've heard the story many times from him, so I really don't think he's making it up. It's just one of our "family stories".

Don't fool yourself. Even with all the safety features you mentioned at high speed you are at great risk of a head injury.

So what stops you from wearing a helmet? Too hot? It will mess up your hair? Too hard to get a helmet on and off?

Please. It's so easy to wear a helmet. Just do it. There is no excuse not to.

Don't fool yourself. Even with all the safety features you mentioned at high speed you are at great risk of a head injury.

So what stops you from wearing a helmet? Too hot? It will mess up your hair? Too hard to get a helmet on and off?

Please. It's so easy to wear a helmet. Just do it. There is no excuse not to.

Get back on your meds. Seriously. There is no excuse not to. Just do it.

Don't fool yourself. Even with all the safety features you mentioned at high speed you are at great risk of a head injury.

So what stops you from wearing a helmet? Too hot? It will mess up your hair? Too hard to get a helmet on and off?

Please. It's so easy to wear a helmet. Just do it. There is no excuse not to.


Is it possible that this, um, rather unorthodox cautionary note is somehow related to this previous post by the same author? http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=5370980#post5370980

Is it possible that this, um, rather unorthodox cautionary note is somehow related to this previous post by the same author? http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=5370980#post5370980

Wow, you can't really be taken seriously and claim that Brian Wilson turned out OK. Yeah, he's alive but he spent the early 1970s in BED and it took two decades for him recover from overeating, drug addiction, and mental illness.

Wow, you can't really be taken seriously and claim that Brian Wilson turned out OK. Yeah, he's alive but he spent the early 1970s in BED and it took two decades for him recover from overeating, drug addiction, and mental illness.


Yeah, but other than that he turned out OK.


Funny how nobody can give a rational answer as to why they don't wear a helmet when they drive.

Yeah, but other than that he turned out OK.


Funny how nobody can give a rational answer as to why they don't wear a helmet when they drive.

I don’t really know why I am addressing this other than it’s just a polite debate… I personally can’t think of a “rational” reason not to wear a helmet in a car… it would in fact probably save a few lives here and there.

But, I will take you argument one step farther and ask then. Why don’t you wear a fire suit in case of fire and an oxygen tank incase you drive into a lake? And, a full seat belt harness system so you can not move within the drivers compartment of the car? I can only speculate that you don’t feel it necessary, or practical to do so.

On a bicycle, or motorcycle you are exposed to the surfaces you may have the misfortune of landing on, sometimes head first.

Modern Street Cars have cushion devises, and safety cages (hence the term cagers) that are built into them to help soften the impact of contact. They are not perfect, and they sometimes don’t prevent serious injury or death, but on the other hand neither do helmets all of the time.

A race car in fact does not have air bags, the driver is held solidly in place, almost to the point of immobility, by a racing harness set of seat belts. His/her neck held in place by a brace, and they wear a helmet and full fire suit… And we still have causalities every year in motor sports.

Personally if I have to go through all of that to drive a car across town… it is just not worth going.

If it makes you feel safer to wear a helmet when you drive, by all means feel free to do so, but for myself I don’t think I will. So I guess having said all that my one “rational” argument against helmets in street cars is “rationality of practicality and necessity” which in reality is not a very rational reason, but it is my reason… Besides I really just don't want to... so there. :p:)

Thanks. That is a rational response. Basically you know there is a great danger of head trauma via car accident but you choose the risk.


The analogy you attempt to make " Why don’t you wear a fire suit in case of fire and an oxygen tank incase you drive into a lake?" is a weak one because the odds of that happening are ridiculously small..whereas the odds of head injury in an auto accident are very real. Choose not to for yourself but kids especially should be helmeted in cars.

Thanks. That is a rational response. Basically you know there is a great danger of head trauma via car accident but you choose the risk.


The analogy you attempt to make " Why don’t you wear a fire suit in case of fire and an oxygen tank incase you drive into a lake?" is a weak one because the odds of that happening are ridiculously small..whereas the odds of head injury in an auto accident are very real. Choose not to for yourself but kids especially should be helmeted in cars.

Please don't feed the troll...

You can't come up with any rational discussion so why would someone want to discuss it with you? Hmmm?

Denny, I have always said that YOU should wear a helmet at all times - in your car, or in a bar, on the bike or even a trike, when having sex in bed or wearing red, you should always wear your helmet, Denny you freakin mutt! :D

I just heard some crazy statistic about what happens if you're drinking a can of pop when your airbag deploys... they quoted some horrifying speed and mass combo which made it sound like it would go right through your skull.

I HATE hearing stuff like that, because for the next 6 months, I'll think about that every time I drink pop while driving, and there ain't a dang thing I can do about it. Because I'm not going to stop the car every time I get thirsty. I'll bet the statistics on stopping to drink would say that it's more dangerous than drinking the pop while moving.

Funny how nobody can give a rational answer as to why they don't wear a helmet when they drive.

How about I barely fit in the vehicle with my bare head and if I wore a helmet I would risk neck injury?

i dont have enough head room in my car to wear a helmet.

i have rode in a nascar vehicle during a richard petty driving expreirence event. fun and exciting, but for me, very claustrophobic.

full helmet, hans device, 5 point harness = :eek: