In spite of all the naysayers they just do...

...trashed my new Bell helmet yesterday after my head hit the pavement first at 20+mph. I was a little out of it for a while after, trouble remembering where I was, name, road site, day/date, while some good folks called 911. I've fallen plenty in competition, but not since(18 years ago) so I did get a bit shook up.

Did a CAT scan, Xrays at the ER later and I'm fine, just a bit bruised all over....I'm not here to preach, but guys please do wear a helmet.

Expecting your major concern to be about the bike , it's fine (I think) except for many paint scratches, torn bar tape, scratched shifters etc. This is the Cinelli I'd just built earlier this month in this thread.

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/180887-finally-built-my-cinelli-steel-bike.html

Yep, helmets do work.....been wearing them since 1993....glad to year you're ok.

https://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3640893

"Though he was wearing a bike helmet, Corliss reportedly suffered severe head trauma as a result of the accident." Apparently Corliss was a marketing manager for Bell as well.

Of course the answer is always the same - "A helmet can't save everyone". Of course the mortality figures before and after helmets haven't changed.

"... it is impossible to build a helmet that will offer significant impact protection" Dr. George Shively, The Snell Memorial Foundation


"... helmets will mitigate the effects of falling off your bicycle and striking your head... If a cyclist is accelerated by a car, then the helmet will not work and will not prevent a severe or even fatal injury" Dr. Michael Schwartz, neurosurgeon and member of Canadian Standards Association Committee establishing helmet standards

https://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/hfaq.html
https://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/kunich.html
https://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/fatals.html
https://www.helmets.org/veloaust.htm

The fact is that a helmet was designed to do one small job - to mitigate a fall with no other complicating factors such as collisions with anything else. If you fall and hit your head on a curb - goodbye. If you fall and hit your head on a stopped car thereby adding your forward motion to the energy the helmet needs to absorb - goodbye. If you're hit by a car - goodbye.

Of course in ALL of these cases you might luck out. And in JUST falling down you can exceed the capacity of your helmet to protect your head as well.

DO NOT FALL DOWN AND HIT YOUR HEAD. IF YOU FALL ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR HEAD.

If you think that you're going to get away any other way you're just being silly.

I posted the first article a couple weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything recent. But please wear a helment, John was not.


Millersville Snapper atrticle:

Equipment manager in "improved condition"
By: Seth Lennon
Issue date: 3/9/06 Section: News
PrintEmailArticle ToolsPage 1 of 1

Last week, the men's athletic department was struck by tragic news about one of its staff members.

John Emswiler was put into a medically induced coma last week after being seriously hurt in a car accident.

But he is showing signs of improvement, according to close friends.

Emswiler, a 20-year veteran of Millersville, was riding his bicycle when he was forced off the road by an oncoming car. He hit his head on a side patch of gravel.

Emswiler suffered massive head trauma, a broken femur, and several broken bones.

He has regained motor function in his limbs and is out of the coma.

Meanwhile, members of the University community have come together to not only support Emswiler, but to aid his family during this difficult time.

Dr. Robert Thomas, Vice President of Student Affairs commented on the University's outreach.

"Seeing how everyone has come together to help John, the outreach through gift cards, flowers or visits by University staff is very heartwarming," he said.

Thomas and Emswiler have known each other ever since the vice-president took his position at Millersville ten years ago.

Thomas calls Emswiler a "cherished friend and colleague."

During his two decades of service at the University, Emswiler has been a constant presence at men's athletic events. During football season, Emswiler is a staple on the sideline, managing Millersville's athletic staff.

Thomas reflected on Emswiler's service to the University community;

"John has always done a terrific job, he is one of the most generous individuals i have ever met and a true treasure to everyone around him," he said.

Hank Fijalkowski, the head athletic trainer, says that Emswiler has been making progress. He remains optimistic about his condition.

"I just can't wait to see him back," he said.


Page 1 of 1

Glad you'r ok rufvelo, yeah I always wear one too, actually I bought a new one last year after reading some reports that an old helmet can loose its integrity overtime (mine was about 5 year old), plus its always fun to buy new cycling gear

Glad to hear you're ok.
First slam in quite some time..... good on ya.
Not the slamming, but in avoiding it for so long.

So don't wear a helmet.

That was not a very compelling argument. In fact i'm not sure what it was.

Of course a helmet won't save you from all types of crashes but, at least, it will reduce the impact of any crash. I would rather have a major trauma than dying, a mild trauma than a major one, a minimum trauma than a mild one, or no trauma at all than even a minimum one.

As he's done before, he swears by the often industry sponsored self-serving, non-research he finds on the internet!

I like this advice 'DO NOT FALL DOWN AND HIT YOUR HEAD. IF YOU FALL ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR HEAD.'...

...Not very different from 'AND DO AVOID CANCER OF ALL TYPES, CHEMO IS JUST NOT FUN'.

No matter what, some will keep buying snake oil, especially if there's a good deal available on the internet!

You just don't get it do you?

gpelpel lives in a town where the city council took away bike lanes and gave it to cars. Already the town of Lafayette is a pretty dangerous place with smart assed drivers with SUV's and BMW sports coupes vying for supremacy of the narrow two lane roads which have a large amount of recreational cyclists on them.

Let's recall that Lafayette installed a "bike trail" and then advised local clubs not to use it because it was too dangerous.

ruvelo: "As he's done before, he swears by the often industry sponsored self-serving, non-research he finds on the internet!"

Explain what industry sponsors this and how it is "self serving". And tell me how you believe it to be "non-research" since all of the referenced studies use their respective government statistics on the numbers of bicyclists killed?

You know, I don't care that you stick your fingers in your ears, close your eyes tightly and hum the Star Spangled Banner. Your advice to depend on 9 ounces of foam to protect your life is your business.

But intelligent people already know that the surest method of preventing head injuries is to prevent accidents in which you are likely to hit your head. And every research from John Forester's books onwards has shown that experienced cyclists are an order of magnitude or more less likely to be involved in ANY kind of accident.

Those statistics demonstrate that learning how to ride is a chief protection factor in bicycling.

https://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pedbike/pedbike.htm demonstrates that both traffic safety and teaching safe bicycling add to bicycle safety while helmets have NOT.

Wear a helmet if you believe you should but don't pretend that it will protect you from anything. Learn how to ride and what to watch for. And learn that anyone that tells you to wear a helmet probably doesn't know how to ride himself.

'Those statistics demonstrate that learning how to ride is a chief protection factor in bicycling.'
- sure, learning to avoid cancer is key to surviving it, but anyone living in the real world knows '$hit happens', but only to someone else.

'And learn that anyone that tells you to wear a helmet probably doesn't know how to ride himself.'
- we've learned that anyone that tells you NOT TO wear a helmet is probably called 'cyclintom' and has already suffered one too many bare head encounters with the pavement, hence the twisted logic.


'Wear a helmet if you believe you should but don't pretend that it will protect you from anything.'
- who said helmets are supposed to protect you from ANYTHING? That's what you don't seem to get!


'But intelligent people already know that the surest method of preventing head injuries is to prevent accidents in which you are likely to hit your head. ...'.
- some more non-sensical blah. The truth is intelligent people have increased helmet wear, the UCI requires all pro cyclists to race with helmet after years of non-use which is definitely progression, although I'm sure you'll counter with 'pros probably don't know how to ride as well'


'Learn how to ride and what to watch for.'
- by the same non-logic, also learn to avoid auto injuries by avoiding auto accidents in the first place. Hence uninstall those air bags (folks this is only for cyclintom) since they almost always break your nose in an accident, plus get rid of those seat belts since they cause undue tension around the ribs.


'You know, I don't care that you stick your fingers in your ears, close your eyes tightly and hum the Star Spangled Banner. Your advice to depend on 9 ounces of foam to protect your life is your business.'
- As before you clearly continue to spout more nonsense, so I'll let others decide where you should stick your own fingers.

https://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/scuffham.html There's that strange scientific study by a group who were EXPECTING to prove that helmets work. Instead - nothing. Nada. Zilch.

https://www.pcug.org.au/~psvansch/crag/psi.htm - Dr. Hillman corresponded with me when I was researching helmets and gave me a personal copy of his study. His data matches ALL of the other data which demonstrates no descernable effects of helmets in serious or fatal injuries.

There may very well be a positive effect of helmets towards minor injuries. So explain why helmets are being promoted to "save lives" which has been scientifically demonstrated to be not true instead of promoting them to "save minor injuries"?

Could it be that helmet companies couldn't stay in business if their products weren't being promoted and advertised by such safety experts as yourself?

I especially recall with good humor the advertising dierctor of Bell Sports saying that they didn't hardly need an advertising budget because the safety extremists would do all of the work for free.

I wonder how well motorcycle helmets do in comparison. Interesting....

Thanks for your concern guys(all except cyclintom )

Just bought my new/replacement Bell helmet!

Thanks for your concern guys(all except cyclintom )

Just bought my new/replacement Bell helmet!


repeat sorry!

- yep, glad you're OK... my Bell (a two-week old Metropolis) save my noggin from a severe injury last Wednesday (shoulder is just getting back to normal now, and the scabs on elbox and knee are healing)...

- my replacement Metropolis should arrive in a day or so (good thing i have a spare Giro)

Helmet, good. Splattered head, bad.

glad you're OK too. That recovery takes some time.

I'm still (on day 3) with a dull headache, nausea, lots of hip pain etc, will probably just be able to get on the trainer in a few days.

sounds like a concussion day 3 and nausea? Have they ruled it out?
Take it from an old skater that has slammed more times than an entire TDF peleton, get that hip moving ....even if it's just swinging the leg...it lubricates the joint.

So....CyclingTom....in your professional opinion, a helmet wouldn't have done rufvelo any good? I'm thinking it saved him from much worse head trauma (or death), but then again I don't have any propaganda websites to back that claim up.

While road cycling helmets may not be the end-all/be-all of safetey devices, they are certainly better than hair, skin and bone.

How did it happen?

I like banging my head against the wall because it feels soooo good when I stop.

I prefer beating dead horses to death.

I didn't mention in my first post, I was riding with another guy and as we passed so he could take his turn in the front, we locked handlebars and both went down. Good for him, he did much better with some minor rash.

ER did CAT scans, xrays and I got negatives on possible major injuries to head, back, pelvis. The most visible signs of my fall, busted nose and black eye are the least of my worries

Just need to keep an eye for any sudden changes in health.