Road Cycling - Let me tell you why I love my helmet--ER story

So I'm on my new Specialized Allez. Many heartfelt thanks to the two of you who convinced me to dump my old POS. I love this bike.

At any rate, it was a cool night, and I decided to do some riding. I took a left hand sweeper into the Wal-Mart parking lot, doing about 16 mph. I thought to myself I can't believe they are open this late.... BAM! I hit an island, never saw it coming. Flew over the handlebars and the next thing I hear, is CRUNCH. That would be my head, or should I say my helmet protecting my head. I was in a daze, have some road rash, the bike has the first scratches and gouges I was worried about getting.

On the way home, I noticed my vision getting a little fuzzy and I felt a little dizzy. To be safe, I went to the emergency room. The helmet was nice and cracked.

Thankfully, my head appears to be okay.

I always ride with a helmet. Now I know why.

For what it's worth...

Helmets have saved me from brain damange more than once. I'll sooner ride without brakes than I'll ride without a melon protector.

Glad you walked away, yep the helmets really do work. Saved my wife from major head injury when she did an endo in to the pavement on a downhill. (Hit a crack.) Knocked her out, ambulance ride, but walked out of the ER.

Glad you had sense about you to head to the ER and get checked out. You never know, even with a helmet.

Bell has a great replacement policy. Lots cheaper than new.

helmet schmelmet, how was the bike?

At any rate, it was a cool night, and I decided to do some riding. I took a left hand sweeper into the Wal-Mart parking lot, doing about 16 mph.

OW... I feel your pain. Many years back I moved to a new city and the night before starting work I thought I'd better time the commute. Well I totally misjudged it and darkness fell just as I got to my new workplace. On the final turn onto the access road I hit (and rode over a low traffic island... amazingly I didn't go down!

ouch, glad you made it though!

Make sure you get a new helmet as that one may not protect you next time.

So I'm on my new Specialized Allez. Many heartfelt thanks to the two of you who convinced me to dump my old POS. I love this bike.

At any rate, it was a cool night, and I decided to do some riding. I took a left hand sweeper into the Wal-Mart parking lot, doing about 16 mph. I thought to myself I can't believe they are open this late.... BAM! I hit an island, never saw it coming. Flew over the handlebars and the next thing I hear, is CRUNCH. That would be my head, or should I say my helmet protecting my head. I was in a daze, have some road rash, the bike has the first scratches and gouges I was worried about getting.

On the way home, I noticed my vision getting a little fuzzy and I felt a little dizzy. To be safe, I went to the emergency room. The helmet was nice and cracked.

Thankfully, my head appears to be okay.

I always ride with a helmet. Now I know why.

For what it's worth...

Pretty much exactly what happened to me some twenty yrs ago. An empty parking lot at night, low speed. No helmet. Still have scars where they had to scrape the asphalt out of my face. Front tooth dead and just had it removed this yr, waiting to get implant. WISH I HAD A HELMIT!

I had a similar experience while out night riding (http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=423112&postcount=9)...

Earlier this year I smacked my noggin on the pavement pretty good and if it weren't for the helmet it would have been bad. As it was, even with the helmet, it took me about 5 or 10 minutes to figure out where I was after the crash. I was reaching for the water bottle and right then a car decided to pull out of a driveway ahead of me -- I grabbed a big handful of front brake (the only hand that was still on the bars) and I hit hard and fast. Dumb move, I know, but instinct took over for just a moment before common sense could intervene. The helmet was trashed and I had some nice road rash in a few spots but nothing serious -- I rode the bars down into the pavement so they were hosed.

I've never been much of a helmet zealot but I have to say that on that one occasion my helmet saved me from much more serious injury and I'm grateful for that. Anyone who thinks their head isn't worth protecting with a helmet is probably right...

That's why they call them brain buckets...

Glad you're OK. Who cares if the helmet is toast, buy another. Best $$$ spent you'll hopefully never use again.

PJ

Hey all, thanks for the kind words.

I went out, the next day, and picked up a new helmet. I learned from riding motorcycles, that helmets are only good for one impact. That's it. And even if they are never dropped or suffer an impact, they need to be replaced or inspected every five years or so.

The bike. Ahhhhh, the bike. :(

It's not too bad. The bike rides better after having been wrecked than my old one did brand new. But the front rim is bent, the frame has a few nice gouges in it, and the crank is scraped up pretty bad. Still, it rides smooth as ever. I'm leaving on vaca, in a few days. I'm going to drop her off tomorrow, and get the rim trued.

The sickest thing, is that that was my second trip to the hospital, in less than a week. On Thursday of last week, my wife's Vette's radiator popped on me and burned my right bicep. Took the skin off. So my insurance company is in love with me. :rolleyes:

The sickest thing, is that that was my second trip to the hospital, in less than a week. On Thursday of last week, my wife's Vette's radiator popped on me and burned my right bicep. Took the skin off. So my insurance company is in love with me. :rolleyes:
Don't be surprised if the insurance company sends you a new helmet and a Nomex firesuit... :D

Don't be surprised if the insurance company sends you a new helmet and a Nomex firesuit... :D

AND a bigger premium!

PJ