View Poll Results: Helmet wearing habits?
I've never worn a bike helmet
178
10.66%
I used to wear a helmet, but have stopped
94
5.63%
I've always worn a helmet
648
38.80%
I didn't wear a helmet, but now do
408
24.43%
I sometimes wear a helmet depending on the conditions
342
20.48%
Voters: 1670. You may not vote on this poll
The helmet thread
#2276
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H
#2277
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I'm fairly sure that having a serious "VC" discussion on the helmet thread will result in some type of unpleasant fission reaction. So I'll just point you toward the VC thread here in the A&S section and ensure you that your search will be a short one.
#2278
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A cracked helmet can be deceptive, but it looks like it at least prevented a scrape on your head, if nothing else. Remember those vents offer a lot of opportunity to 'grab' the surface you're sliding over, so I'd recommend you look at a replacement with less venting. You want one that can easily slide over the ground and not twist your head around.
#2280
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A cracked helmet can be deceptive, but it looks like it at least prevented a scrape on your head, if nothing else. Remember those vents offer a lot of opportunity to 'grab' the surface you're sliding over, so I'd recommend you look at a replacement with less venting. You want one that can easily slide over the ground and not twist your head around.
#2282
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guess helmets are like seat belts. You can wear them or not. Each to their own. For me, I wear my seat belt when I drove and my helmet when I ride. It is simple.... mitigate injury.
#2283
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I've worn a helmet habitually, but not fanatically, for 27 years, and can't say that one has saved me yet...thankfully.
I don't think the OP was fear mongering at all, rather just sharing an experience.
I do understand the sensitivity of some to "helmet pushing" by zealots, because it does get a little out of control sometimes, and many of us don't like to be driven by fear, especially others' fears. Like I said, I wear a helmet, but I don't feel that when I don't wear one, I'm playing Russian Roulette; it's just not that risky.
I don't think the OP was fear mongering at all, rather just sharing an experience.
I do understand the sensitivity of some to "helmet pushing" by zealots, because it does get a little out of control sometimes, and many of us don't like to be driven by fear, especially others' fears. Like I said, I wear a helmet, but I don't feel that when I don't wear one, I'm playing Russian Roulette; it's just not that risky.
#2284
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Relatedly, Michigan just struck down the helmet law for motorcyclists, and boy, I just cannot help but get the shivers when I see riders with their naked heads, but I suppose that crashing is even less a part of your average motorcyclists experience than it is your average cyclists, so I guess they're not crazy, but like you, the choice to take the extra security is very simple...and very simple to use.
#2285
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Don't be so dismissive of the other poster. I have way more years of cycling behind me than ahead of me. For most of them helmets weren't on the radar. I first wore a helmet in 2009 because my SO and I joined a tandem club and helmets were required to participate in their club rides. Now I wear a helmet even when I ride my singles mostly because my singles don't have rear-view mirrors but my helmet does. In Europe helmet use is not as rabid as here but traffic deaths are lower per capita. In America we have totally socialized the cycling public to love helmets and I see few cyclists out there without helmets. Still the U.S. tops the developed world in cyclist fatalities. Hmmmmm... ... Speaking from my own experience... I haven't crashed often, but I have... crashed... I mean... I've been riding since 1970. Knock wood, I've never hit my head. I know it happens but really, in the big, big, picture... its cars. when cars hit you there isn't usually anything a helmet can do about it.
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Helmets mainly protect against cuts and bruises, not concussions. Some think they make bad injuries worse, by causing the head to rotate more and bouncing the brain around inside the skull. Some people wear them, I don't. Neither is a stupid choice, but it would be better were it more often an informed choice.
#2286
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I believe in helmets, I have not been hit by a car yet, not even close, but I've had two incidents with just me going down and in both cases the helmet took significant damage and had to be thrown away, so I have no doubt that in those incidents the helmet saved me from some injury, and for me at least those incidents have been more common that auto-related incidents.
Besides, the helmet is a great place to mount a mirror and cameras.
Besides, the helmet is a great place to mount a mirror and cameras.
__________________
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
#2287
You gonna eat that?
Just because your helmet hit the ground doesn't mean your head would have if you had been helmetless. It's a well known fact that helmets make a rider top heavy and actually induce such crashes. Or something.
#2288
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My last two crashes occurred at a fall speed of 9.8 m/s squared. Because I was stopped and tipped over (thankfully, not into traffic and there wasn't any traffic). Before those, there were a few growing up. They were made worse by wearing a helmet. Last crash at speed I was 15ish and going down a hill on a Huffy mtn bike, I hit a clump of crab grass (and I checked it, it was just a clump of grass, no rocks or anything else). For some reason, the front wheel decided to spin 90 degrees to the left and well, gravity and physics took over at that point as I somersaulted with my bike at roughly 20 mph. My friend thought it was funny after he saw I was ok. He said I was there, and then poof, a cloud of dust. I walked the bike home as I was sore as hell from landing on my back.
Like others, I have an agreement with SO. I can ride so long as I have health insurance and a helmet. We both acknowledge if it is me and my bike vs a motor vehicle it won't be pretty and I'll most likely lose.
To those who get bent out of shape that someone would chose to not wear a helmet, just look at them as organ donors.
Like others, I have an agreement with SO. I can ride so long as I have health insurance and a helmet. We both acknowledge if it is me and my bike vs a motor vehicle it won't be pretty and I'll most likely lose.
To those who get bent out of shape that someone would chose to not wear a helmet, just look at them as organ donors.
#2289
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I watched my younger brother go over his handlebars in the early 80's. Remembering him knocked out and lying in a pool of blood is enough helmet motivation for me, even if the chances are I may never wreck without the help of a car. A helmet may have spared him the equilibrium problems he's had since then.
#2290
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#2291
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I believe studies like this that show the effectiveness of wearing a helmet in preventing injuries versus anecdotes about how the helmet made the injury worse, as if you could actually know that without repeating the accident sans helmet. One good thing about the permeation of the racing scene into road biking in the US it that is not uncool to wear a helmet, at least as an adult. Most of the non-helmeted riders I see are adolescents. They are often the ones that are not on the bike paths and are riding at dusk with no lights and in dark clothing. They are usually riding bikes that are too small for them.
Last edited by Paramount1973; 05-21-12 at 08:36 AM.
#2292
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I believe studies like this that show the effectiveness of wearing a helmet in preventing injuries versus anecdotes about how the helmet made the injury worse, as if you could actually know that without repeating the accident sans helmet. One good thing about the permeation of the racing scene into road biking in the US it that is not uncool to wear a helmet, at least as an adult. Most of the non-helmeted riders I see are adolescents. They are often the ones that are not on the bike paths and are riding at dusk with no lights and in dark clothing. They are usually riding bikes that are too small for them.
#2293
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I believe studies like this that show the effectiveness of wearing a helmet in preventing injuries versus anecdotes about how the helmet made the injury worse, as if you could actually know that without repeating the accident sans helmet. One good thing about the permeation of the racing scene into road biking in the US it that is not uncool to wear a helmet, at least as an adult. Most of the non-helmeted riders I see are adolescents. They are often the ones that are not on the bike paths and are riding at dusk with no lights and in dark clothing. They are usually riding bikes that are too small for them.
Thanks for posting that. (BTW - my sister works with head injury patients and so I get a lot of the stories - sad for sure.)
"It should be made clear that arguments against using bicycle helmets are not evidence- based; bicycle helmets are the most effective means of preventing head and brain injury and should be a requirement for cyclists of all ages."
#2294
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Heh! This is what happens when people post without having read, say, 5 pages back
#2295
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Please, PLEASE read back 5-10 pages - openmindedly. It's not that hard
#2296
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You are correct, the last couple of pages have been transferred in from commuting and contain the usual ignorant crap. My own post is a notable exception, of course.
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Mods - is there a way to say combined thread or something when this is done? I tend to stay away from A&S as they are rabidly crazy (no offense meant).
#2298
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I have no doubt helmets have saved 1000's from brain damage and death. but here in Colorado 5 people died this year wearing a helmet while skiing and only one died not wearing a helmet. these helmets are much more substantial than a cycling helmet. I would argue had these people had better skiing skills, four were from out of state, there would have been no need for a helmet. I would also assume they all thought the helmets they were wearing would have protected them from . . .
#2299
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you can strike your head (or not) during a "right hook", or you can strike your head (or not) falling over at a stoplight.
severity is unpredictable.
-in the right circumstances- helmets are great to have. the OP was one of those.