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The Helmet Thread 2

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View Poll Results: What Are Your Helmet Wearing Habits?
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I used to wear a helmet, but have stopped
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I didn't wear a helmet, but now do
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The Helmet Thread 2

Old 08-10-15, 09:20 AM
  #1526  
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Originally Posted by rydabent
IMO your continued rant agains helmets, and anyone that supports using helmets constitutes being anti helmet. Look in the mirror.
If you'd like to take issue with anything specific I've posted, I'd be happy to entertain a discussion -- please cite my "rant[s] against helmets" and "anyone that supports using helmets."

I do have issues with those who misrepresent aspects of cycling safety where helmets are concerned, also those who very pointedly denigrate those who choose not to wear helmets.

I wear helmets most of the time I ride bicycles. I've suffered crashes, and in once instance, a crash where I believe a helmet helped mitigate some injury: I was doing a shoulder-check for traffic behind and did not see a pothole which caught my front tire as I was pedaling out of the saddle. That put me over the bars, on the road, and as a result, my helmeted head made forceful impact with the ground. Once I got over to the side of the road, I checked for damage on me and the bike, and continued along my commute.

When I arrived at work, I was suffering a headache, but not much else regarding the head impact; at most a very minor concussion. Examination of my helmet indicated that it had deformed as designed, absorbing impact energy as the EPS liner compressed, and it was cracked. Because of the nature of the crash -- speed, forces involved, damage to the helmet, and lack of other significant injury, I believe:

- I would not have died if I was not wearing a helmet
- I would not have been permanently disabled due to TBI were I not wearing a helmet
- I could quite possibly have suffered a moderate concussion or head injury, but probably not a serious head injury.
- The helmet definitely saved me from road rash/abrasion/contusion/laceration -- quite possibly a trip ($$$) to the emergency room.

What did I not do as a result? Become a helmet proselytizer, claim that I'd be dead or permanently disabled if I had not been wearing one, or insult those who choose not to wear helmets.
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Old 08-10-15, 11:56 AM
  #1527  
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Originally Posted by mconlonx
If you'd like to take issue with anything specific I've posted, I'd be happy to entertain a discussion -- please cite my "rant[s] against helmets" and "anyone that supports using helmets."

I do have issues with those who misrepresent aspects of cycling safety where helmets are concerned, also those who very pointedly denigrate those who choose not to wear helmets.

I wear helmets most of the time I ride bicycles. I've suffered crashes, and in once instance, a crash where I believe a helmet helped mitigate some injury: I was doing a shoulder-check for traffic behind and did not see a pothole which caught my front tire as I was pedaling out of the saddle. That put me over the bars, on the road, and as a result, my helmeted head made forceful impact with the ground. Once I got over to the side of the road, I checked for damage on me and the bike, and continued along my commute.

When I arrived at work, I was suffering a headache, but not much else regarding the head impact; at most a very minor concussion. Examination of my helmet indicated that it had deformed as designed, absorbing impact energy as the EPS liner compressed, and it was cracked. Because of the nature of the crash -- speed, forces involved, damage to the helmet, and lack of other significant injury, I believe:

- I would not have died if I was not wearing a helmet How do you know that?
- I would not have been permanently disabled due to TBI were I not wearing a helmet How do you know that ?
- I could quite possibly have suffered a moderate concussion or head injury, but probably not a serious head injury. How do you know that?
- The helmet definitely saved me from road rash/abrasion/contusion/laceration -- quite possibly a trip ($$$) to the emergency room. That is probably the only think you do know for sure...
What did I not do as a result? Become a helmet proselytizer, claim that I'd be dead or permanently disabled if I had not been wearing one, or insult those who choose not to wear helmets.
Seems to me the only thing you know for sure is you suffered a headache and maybe a very minor concussion, and no abrasions... And maybe, just maybe, you would have died... Nobody knows for sure and that is the whole point of wearing a helmet IMO to hopefully reduce the severity of injury ...
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Old 08-10-15, 04:09 PM
  #1528  
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Originally Posted by 350htrr
Seems to me the only thing you know for sure is you suffered a headache and maybe a very minor concussion, and no abrasions... And maybe, just maybe, you would have died... Nobody knows for sure and that is the whole point of wearing a helmet IMO to hopefully reduce the severity of injury ...
Could always have a redo without the helmet.
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Old 08-10-15, 07:50 PM
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i really want one of those collar inflatable jobs from Sweden, as soon as they are made a bit smaller. and cheaper. till then i bicycle defensively.
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Old 08-11-15, 01:07 PM
  #1530  
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Originally Posted by mconlonx
I was suffering a headache, but not much else regarding the head impact; at most a very minor concussion. Examination of my helmet indicated that it had deformed as designed, absorbing impact energy as the EPS liner compressed, and it was cracked. Because of the nature of the crash -- speed, forces involved, damage to the helmet, and lack of other significant injury, I believe:

- I would not have died if I was not wearing a helmet How do you know that?
- I would not have been permanently disabled due to TBI were I not wearing a helmet How do you know that?
- I could quite possibly have suffered a moderate concussion or head injury, but probably not a serious head injury. How do you know that?
I don't know any of this for sure, without a doubt... which is why I qualified these statements as informed opinion with an outline of how I got there. Combined with what I've learned about helmets over the years here in Helmet Thread, these are reasonable assumptions, not statements of fact.

Originally Posted by 350htrr
Nobody knows for sure and that is the whole point of wearing a helmet IMO to hopefully reduce the severity of injury ...
Hopefully... but you are missing the meta: this is not a point about wearing a helmet, this is a point about Helmet Thread.
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Old 08-11-15, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
Could always have a redo without the helmet.
No thanks. It informs this anti-helmet "rant agains helmets, and anyone that supports using helmets" rider's continued use of a helmet most of the time he is cycling...
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Old 08-11-15, 09:51 PM
  #1532  
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Just checking in. Wanted to see what the smart guys are talking about.
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Old 08-11-15, 10:02 PM
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Originally Posted by noisebeam
Just checking in. Wanted to see what the smart guys are talking about.
We are talking about helmets, one side says helmets can save ones life and the other side says helmets are practically useless... I suspect the answer is somewhere in the middle.
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Old 08-12-15, 07:13 AM
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Originally Posted by noisebeam
Just checking in. Wanted to see what the smart guys are talking about.
I believe you were drastically misled by 3A, if you came here looking for intelligence...
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Old 08-12-15, 07:39 AM
  #1535  
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Originally Posted by noisebeam
Just checking in. Wanted to see what the smart guys are talking about.
They're mostly talking about each other.
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Old 08-15-15, 06:33 AM
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Originally Posted by 350htrr
We are talking about helmets, one side says helmets can save ones life and the other side says helmets are practically useless... I suspect the answer is somewhere in the middle.
Your post is very reasonable. Every crash is different. Without a helmet you dont alway die, and with a helmet you dont always live. The reasonable middle ground is the fact that helmets can help prevent injury.
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Old 08-16-15, 10:07 AM
  #1537  
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Originally Posted by rydabent
The reasonable middle ground is the fact that helmets can help prevent injury.
Well goodness, most of those you label anti-helmet would agree with this statement... Go figure.
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Old 08-17-15, 08:22 AM
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Originally Posted by mconlonx
Well goodness, most of those you label anti-helmet would agree with this statement... Go figure.
However---------------read the last sentence of my post. If you are not wearing a helmet, it cant help prevent injury.
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Old 08-17-15, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by rydabent
However---------------read the last sentence of my post. If you are not wearing a helmet, it cant help prevent injury.
Good golly! Another statement your so-called "anti-helmet" crowd would agree with.
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Old 08-17-15, 03:33 PM
  #1540  
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Well.... How does a helmet prevent anything? Actually it doesn't and never has. What it (helmet) does, is provide some level of protection but does not prevent anything.
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Old 08-18-15, 06:41 AM
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Originally Posted by 2 Piece
Well.... How does a helmet prevent anything? Actually it doesn't and never has. What it (helmet) does, is provide some level of protection but does not prevent anything.
Wrong!! Once you are on the way down in a crash, a helmet will prevent everything from road rash on up to more serious injuries.
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Old 08-18-15, 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by rydabent
Wrong!! Once you are on the way down in a crash, a helmet will prevent everything from road rash on up to more serious injuries.
Only if you hit your head...
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Old 08-18-15, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by mconlonx
Only if you hit your head...
And then a helmet might, or might not, mitigate to some degree the consequences of hitting your head. Maybe...
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Old 08-18-15, 03:58 PM
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Wow, did he say a helmet will prevent everything? Maybe, just maybe if you put a little "more" prevention in to not having a crash you would not need the "protection" of a helmet?? I stand by my claim a helmet will not prevent anything. Period. And I have yet to see ANY helmet manufacturer make any kind of statement that their helmet provides any type of prevention. That's because it does not.
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Old 08-19-15, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by 2 Piece
Wow, did he say a helmet will prevent everything? Maybe, just maybe if you put a little "more" prevention in to not having a crash you would not need the "protection" of a helmet?? I stand by my claim a helmet will not prevent anything. Period. And I have yet to see ANY helmet manufacturer make any kind of statement that their helmet provides any type of prevention. That's because it does not.
Thats like saying that a seat belt doesnt prevent anything. It is well known that if you remain in your seat due to a seat belt, it prevents you from being thrown out of the car. Injuries are far greater if a person is thrown out of a car during a crash.
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Old 08-19-15, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by rydabent
Thats like saying that a seat belt doesnt prevent anything. It is well known that if you remain in your seat due to a seat belt, it prevents you from being thrown out of the car. Injuries are far greater if a person is thrown out of a car during a crash.
Good one. But I'm sure his definition of "prevention" is different than yours...
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Old 08-19-15, 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
And then a helmet might, or might not, mitigate to some degree the consequences of hitting your head. Maybe...
Yes there is a maybe in there... But, there is no maybe it's better to hit ones head on the pavement without a helmet than with a helmet... Tho some people have said that in the other helmet thread...
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Old 08-19-15, 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by rydabent
Thats like saying that a seat belt doesnt prevent anything. It is well known that if you remain in your seat due to a seat belt, it prevents you from being thrown out of the car. Injuries are far greater if a person is thrown out of a car during a crash.
First off how did you go from bicycle helmets to seat belts? Where did I ever suggest a seat belt did not prevent anything? A seat belt is a restraint, it prevents (or is suppose to) you from you moving. But it Does Not prevent injury! WTF! Do you really think you put on a seat belt and prevent injury? You put on a seat belt to add a layer of protection and hopefully reduce injury.
A bicycle helmet does not prevent anything. Never has never will, or else the helmet manufacturers would have it written all over their product. Sorry you do not understand that, it is plain and simple. I have said and will continue to say that a helmet can add a layer of protection, but that is totally different than saying a helmet will prevent injury which it will not. Prevention is not something you wear, it is something you do.
If you want to "prevent" head injury on a bicycle, prevent the acts of carelessness that cause the crash. Then you will be preventing something.

Oh, 350htrr, prevention: "1. the act of preventing; effectual hindrance. 2. something that prevents; preventive.

Last edited by 2 Piece; 08-19-15 at 06:42 PM. Reason: spelling
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Old 08-19-15, 07:49 PM
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Originally Posted by 2 Piece
First off how did you go from bicycle helmets to seat belts? Where did I ever suggest a seat belt did not prevent anything? A seat belt is a restraint, it prevents (or is suppose to) you from you moving. But it Does Not prevent injury! WTF! Do you really think you put on a seat belt and prevent injury? You put on a seat belt to add a layer of protection and hopefully reduce injury.
A bicycle helmet does not prevent anything. Never has never will, or else the helmet manufacturers would have it written all over their product. Sorry you do not understand that, it is plain and simple. I have said and will continue to say that a helmet can add a layer of protection, but that is totally different than saying a helmet will prevent injury which it will not. Prevention is not something you wear, it is something you do.
If you want to "prevent" head injury on a bicycle, prevent the acts of carelessness that cause the crash. Then you will be preventing something.

Oh, 350htrr, prevention: "1. the act of preventing; effectual hindrance. 2. something that prevents; preventive.
Well now, I do believe a helmet CAN "prevent" your head from contacting the ground in the event of said head hitting the ground with a helmet on... Thus it also certainly can "prevent"" road rash, it also can certainly "prevent" a bump on the noggin, and now getting into the more hotly disputed "prevention", saving your life (not loosing your life) and or other serious head problems...

EDIT; No, a helmet won't "prevent" an accident, but, it can "prevent" something's...

Last edited by 350htrr; 08-19-15 at 08:22 PM.
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Old 08-20-15, 02:02 PM
  #1550  
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I prefer "mitigate," as in: a helmet can quite possibly mitigate some head injury, in specific instances, during some bicycle crashes. And as a subset of that: a helmet might actually prevent some minor injury, like scalp abrasion.
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