Testimony For A Helmet
 

Newspaper blog "Learning the value of a bike helmet . . . the hard way"
http://weekendwarriors.freedombloggi...-hard-way/167/

Same old boring story, 'I had an accident and I'm alive cause I was wearing my helmet.'
For each one of those there's countless incidents of having an accident without wearing a helmet and surviving.
Do the Exact same crash again without a helmet and die, then I'll believe that the helmet was a significant factor.

Anyway, the guy in the story was a moron, he should have used his brakes instead of all this dodging the cars vs the pedestrian vs the sidewalk and hitting one in the end. Or at least hit the pedestrian who started the issue.

He blacked out, which means he suffered a concussion. If the helmet hadn't absorbed some of the force of the impact, then the concussion would have been worse. Is it that hard to understand?

For some, obviously :)

I had an accident one week ago today. crushed the helmet and split it in three spots. Was knocked out cold. Took it and me to the hospital. Dr said due to the location of the strike on the helmet and given my known speed (22mph) that I'd probably be in a coma or worse. Instead had a mild concussion and was back commuting Monday morning.

Proof enough for me.

Good outcome. Is the helmet being hung in a place of honor?

Actually the helmet is being returned to Trek. They replace any of their helmets free under warranty for one year from date of purchase if involved in a crash.

For those that wonder, the strike was a hard strike against asphalt directly above the left temple. My head (unlike other parts) didn't have a mark on it.

-R

I have had plenty of offs on the bike and had helmets that have had severe damage to them with no effect to me except that the wallet got damaged.

But if I were to pick out one accident in which I was glad I was wearing a helmet was when I came off at high speed on an icy road and fell with my helmet scraping along the road. No rolling or tumbling and thanks to the Ice- only slight abrasions to my clothing.

That helmet foam is about 1" thick and I slid for about 50yards. When I stopped- the foam on one side had worn away completely. That could have been my skull or my face.

In the last 18 years of riding I have had to replace helmets about every 2 years on average- due to damage. But thanks to those helmets- I am still riding.

There is no question that the helmet can save your brain in certain kinds of accidents. My guess is he was riding faster than he should have near pedestrians. The more risk you take the more you need a helmet. The less capable a rider you are the more you need a helmet.

I met a guy the other day who swore he never wanted to get on another bicycle - ever. His explanation was he used to bicycle all the time. When he was living in Florida, he was a pick for a national baseball team. He had been a pitcher - whose abilities brought him to the attention of national coaches and scouts.

A few days before his try-outs were to be held, he was "helped" off his bike at about 20mph. He didn't believe in helmets - THEN. He explained that he had to protect his head while on his way to kiss the pavement - so he did a tuck & roll off his shoulder. His shoulder was shattered. He could never hope to pitch again for a major-league team.

He tells people to wear a helmet these days - while driving a taxi for a living. He says a helmet would have saved his career. But he, personally, will never get on another bicycle.

This is a true story, not some tear-jerking propaganda from the helmet makers - for you anti-helmet nuts.

Doesn't have to be fiction for it to be used as propoganda.


P.S. OP: wrong forum, this belongs in advocacy and safety.

It could also be titled "Learning the value of a recumbent bike . . . the hard way". Except that the guy didn't learn that yet.

Unlike just about all upright bikes, most long-wheelbase recumbents have a center of gravity that is too low to tip over forward during a crash or during hard braking. People crashing and going "over the bars" on such a bicycle is practically unheard of. The typical recumbent crash pattern is falling over sideways and sliding, resulting in lacerations to the hands and surface scrapes to the legs and hips.

This is the real crime of the "bicycle helmet nannies".

Wanting to reduce bicycling head injuries is not a bad thing in itself, but to advise (or require!) people to wear a styrofoam hat while ignoring an alternate type of bicycle that's far less likely to result in head injuries at all borders on malicious ignorance.
~

Why is it the recumbent folks always have to jump into some thread and try to promote the damn things? FWIW, most of the 'bent folks around my area wouldn't hurt their head because they look like Jabba the Hut on a bike and they'd just bounce.

And one I work with is a pure kook. I mean like three fries short of a Happy Meal nuts.

Doing a 10 mile Mountain Climb Sunday... want to race that 'bent? Oh, that's right... they suck at that too.

Aren't you the guy who knocked yourself out (literally) last week riding faster than you can handle?

Maybe you should cool your jets for a while.

Yup. Accident on Thursday, riding on Monday. Thanks to a helmet, not a recumbent.

Hmm, I fell down and went boom on Sunday, got up and continued riding...I wasn't wearing a helmet. PRAISE JEBUS...NOT WEARING A HELMET SAVED MY LIFE!! :lol:

I rode into a parked car once.
I was looking at my FD instead of where I was going,As I was going over the handlebars I was thinking that I had gotten doored.(that was the second time in my life I had gone over the handlebars. First time I was about 12 or 13.)

I wasn't wearing a helmet,I wasn't injured,I was fortunate enough to do the tuck and roll thing.
I rode another three or four years without a helmet.
One night on my way in to work on a steep downhill run,a rabbit came out of nowhere.To this day I still don't know what kept us from colliding
I decided that a helmet might not be a bad idea. I certainly don't wish for my helmet to have to do it's job (I'm not really sure the one I wear would because of it's age.) but, I feel better wearing it.
However, I feel the whole helmet thing should be an individual choice for adults (bicycles,motorcycles,snowmobile,whatever)

You wouldn't have fallen down if you were on a recumbent though :P

at least not until after I fell asleep on it! :D

I represent your comments.:lol:

The previous suggestion by Doug5150 (that 'bentriders are at no risk for head injury) is far-fetched.

I understand that Lance will be riding a 'bent on at least one of the mountain stages of the TDF this year.(Wearing a helmet, of course.)

I bet he would have done a tuck & roll even with a helmet.
And his career would still have been ruined.

It's a shame, but this is probably the worst anecdotal evidence advocating bike helmets that I've ever read.

+1
also note, that if you shatter your shoulder when doing a roll, You're Doing it Wrong. His own ineptitude, not a lack of helmet that focused all the impact on that shoulder.

Xenologer: Thus far you have shown that you believe the person in the story shouldn't have been wearing a helmet because they were doing dumb things while riding their bike regards cars and pedestrians. All I can surmise from your attitude is that you think people shouldn't wear helmets because if they make a mistake while riding - they deserve to have crippling head trauma or die on the spot.

I hope that you never get a talk show that advocates bicycling. You'd set us back 50 years. You are one black-hearted person from where I sit.

This is a big assumption, and I take great offence that you imply I am the kind of person who wishes harm on others.
Apologize please.


I don't care if Individuals choose to wear or not, what bothers me, and the reason for the tone of my posting is when stories of people's mistakes are used to push an agenda that Everyone should also wear helmets.
I like my freedom to go without a helmet, and when someone's unfortunate accident is used as an attack on my choice I respond in kind.

In prior responces I never wished injury on any person, only made pointed remarks about the questionable usefulness of the helmet and causality of the injuries by other means such as skill and not making mistakes in the first place.


In fact if you pay attention, you should have seen that my attitude is that helmets are not a significant factor; meaning I believe injuries with or without should not vary in severity. So your suggestion that I want people to stop wearing as a form of 'black-hearted' darwinian selection is entirely baseless. If anything I believe that more people going without will reduce injuries as it puts less strain on necks, doesn't hinder senses as much, and encourages more defensive riding...

Apologize for the 'black-hearted' remark, or shall we agree that I put you on ignore and we never talk again?

The story seems like a good argument for not riding around traffic and pedestrians.

My apology is NOT forthcoming. My viewpoint stands. Go away kid.

Your 'threat' to ignore me means nothing. Your methodology to advance the "Helmets Are A Choice" agenda is misguided at best. Helmets save lives. This is a known fact gathered though statistics - which I don't always agree with. So I wouldn't vote for a law to make this an ordinance in law. But your methods are rank.

May I ask you one question before you run away? What is the meaning of your name here? I know what 'xeno' means. But what are you inferring with 'xenologer'?

Is it derivative from xenophobia?