My helmet probably saved my life...read on (I wrote this about 2 months ago)


A weary hello....
On Aug 22nd I was badly hurt in a bicycle accident. I had a week off from freelancing so, I had decided to make a spontaneous and short bike tour from Pleasantville, NY, ride noth to Lake George, NY (upstate), then over to Cape Cod.

I was only 25 minutes (less than 5 miles) into my ride, when disaster struck...NO not a car... I believe a bungee strapping my spare sandals came loose, caught in my front wheel, pulled my sandal(s) in to the wheel, and my fork literally snapped in half on both fork shafts. At the same time, my font wheel totalled locked up, inertia forcing me over the handelbar, thus doing a very nasty face plant into the road.

I remember hearing my cheap RockShox fork crack.....and then sitting up seconds after the crash, pulling out my bleeding tooth, then dragging my bike to the shoulder. I never lost consciousness (helmet just paid for itself) . I suspect it was NOT freakin pretty. Cars stopped immed and Chappaqua police and ambulance were there in minutes. I barely remember the ambulance ride and don't even remember the fall at all. It happened in a half a second (or less)!!!

My helmet absorbed the impact to my forehead (thank you Bell Helmets!). I don't know if my Uvex sunglasses helped?!. My shoes were probably still locked in the pedals when I hit (although the unlocked just after) Unfortnately, most of the damage was to my face, except for some road rash on shoulder and brusing/knot in my upper back and neck.

I factured my jaw and face in 3-4 places, bloodied and blacked my right eye, gashed up my chin and face real good. and I lost a bottom tooth. Had face surgery 2 days later.... and now I'm more like The Terminator than Arnold.... my jaw is wired shut, and have titanium plates under my face....(although , you can't see them) Apparently the fracture to my right obital eye bone has caused some optical nerve damage. My right eye still "sees" OK, but with some blurriness, and colors mix together. This is MOST fustrating to me.... apparently my "normal" vision may come back in time, stay blurry, or possible get worse. It will be a waiting game over the next 6 months.

The ER, Docs, & RNs could not believer all the trauma I had came from a bicycle accident!!! Ugh!Spent 4.5 days in Westchester Medical Ctr (I though I hated hosptals before!)..... Adding the icing on the cake: because i'm a freelancer... I have NO medical insurance! And since nobody hit me, their will be no lawsuit/settlement..... Lucky me! I guess I be thankful to be alive...

This was been the worst week of my life-- bar none!_________________________________________
JimboTrek

I believe that I owe my life to my helmet too. Like in your experience, my helmet absorbed some of the impact when I crashed back in May on my commmute to work. I ended up with a skull fracture and what I've been told is a significant brain injury, and my docs told me (and I agree with them) that it's unlikely that I would have survived without my helmet. Unfortunately, recovery from my crash totally destroyed my touring plans for 2004.

Interested in my story? Click here for a journal about my crash and my return to cycling.

As a motorcycle racer for a number of years and still a daily rider, I wouldn't think about getting on a bicycle without a helmet. BUT, bike helmets look flimsy and not very full coverage to my novice eyse. I keep wishing I had on my MOTORCYCLE helmet on the fast downhills when I am looking at the pavement whizzing by beneath those skinny 700's by 23's!

BTW, I've had a number of motorcycle wrecks . . . never yet even scratched a helmet. So What? I'm still going to where on at all times.

Tyson

I've gotten used to my helmet and just like fastening a seat beat, I have gotten into the habit of wearing one. Helmets are not a total safety shield but the truth is, if you fall, you are less likely to have severe head trauma if you wear a helmet. Once you wear them enough, you barely even notice them and feel almost naked without one. Helmets are cheap and even a department store helmet is much better than no helmet. I too wear a Bell helmet. I'm glad in the 4 years I have owned it, I've never had a crash in which I needed to use it.

And just remember bike helmets are a one time protection, if you wreck with your helmet and it shows any sign of damage, get a new one. They're cheap enough.

Cheers,

I got in a lucky accident once when I was in 7th grade. I was mountain biking in the woods down by the North River in Mass and I was going about 20-25 mph on loose rocks and dirt. Then all I remember is the ambulance. To this day I don't really remember walking back to my friends at the river and I don't remember ever falling. It was very scary. From that day on I always work a helmet. It's amazing what compressed styrofoam can do! I consider myself very lucky to be here today.

The first time I ever wore a helmet on a bicycle, an old woman intentionally ran me off the road. I whacked my head on a telephone pole. My head was ok; the helmet was not. I do not even ride in our driveway without one now.

As to the comparatively flimsy construction of bike helmets versus motorcycle and automobile racing helmets, the potential speeds and intertial mass involved are much less. I've also noticed that some of the downhillers in the area have started wearing bmx type helmets which do give better coverage at the expense of being considerably warmer.

I believe Bell and Giro have replacement deals if you crash one of their helmets.

OK, I am going to come out on a "lunatic fringe" limb here and state that I have never worn a helmet in 30+ years (who's counting?) of cycling. I know, I know, you don't need to give me the lecture. I want to use a helmet, but I find them cumbersome, damn unsexy and give that "alien" appearance when cycling into some developing country's backwater village that does little to dispel fear and estrangement when trying to meet the local populace. I say this knowing I primarily live in LA, where looking like a spandex weekend warrior is par for the course. Helmets? They are about as appealing as condoms.

I'm really just saying this not to flame, but to interject another opinion in this thread that isn't solely pro-helmet.

Chastise away...

Oh, and "safety" is a relative concept.

Thanks Jimbo for awakening us to what might happen, Speedy full recovery to you. I as with others, don't even mount the bike until the helmet is on. I read somewhere by one of the bike helmet mfg. that a helmet should be replaced every 5 years due to the breakdown of the materials caused by UV and other polluntants, makes sence to me, however some might say it's because of monetary gain by the companies. I'll choose to replace mine every 5 years, and if struck replace immediately.
Also, you bring up a great point about bungee straps, Please don't use them, there very dangerous when used on a bike. I and many makers of panniers (Beckman) recomends the use of half inch or one inch nylon straps with threaded buckles or the fastex type to secure the loads.
Again Jimbo, I pray you have a full recovery.

I don't know where you ride. I suspect it might be the case if you ride in Mexico or Central America – heck, you might be looked at "the American Tourist" if you wear one in Europe. But I thought that in Los Angeles, it's actually riding without one that would make you look like an alien.

BTW, around here at least, the "least alien look" would be wearing civilian clothes and a basic round ($10-30) helmet.

Man, that sound like a real hard hit. I'll keep you in my prayers. Thankfully, that helmet did what is was supposed to do.

If you don't mind might I suggest you consider a recumbent trike for future riding? There are no balance issues and no front fork to break in half. If your strap come alose it won't jam into the front tire because the front tires are to the side of you.

https://www.greenspeed.com.au/

can't help the bulky and uncomfortable, but I think 661's mullet helmet is pretty not unsexy...

I'm glad you were wearing a helmet Jimbo. I don't think there is an argument to make against the safety advantages of helmets.
But I never wear one..... I grew up in the Netherlands, riding my bike to school every day. When I was 25 I rode my bike around the world. At that time the only people wearing helmets were American bike-tourists. I have crashed my bike, but never got seriously hurt. I consider not wearing a helmet as a chance I am taking, just like taking a chance by going riding in the first place, or getting out of bed in the morning.
But you just proved again that helmets do save lives.

I ride a trike....fast and furious....and I WEAR a helmet.

Just as an aside, if you're into aero bars, so does Syntace.

Back to the exact topic, I fractured my skull when I was ten years old.
Despite my stupidity, there was no permanent damage.
I'm now 28, and I love my helmet.

You are not alone and there is no need to apologize to anyone for not wearing a helmet. The only time I have worn a helmet in over 30 years has been for organized rides that require it. Otherwise a ballcap is my standard headgear. Yes, I have taken some spills, even gotten a few bumps on the head - though some may disagree, I don't think I am a vegetable.

Bottom line is two-fold:

1. A helmet is a personal decision, not something that should be mandated by anyone. Based on statistics, logic dictates that if we are to require helmets on bicycles, they should also be required by pedestrians, motor vehicle operators, motorcyclists and maybe those who prefer a shower to a bath. Going further, if one advocates mandatory bicycle helmet laws, it follows that they should also advocate mandatory seat belt laws, anti-abortion laws, anti-drug laws, anti-smoking and anti-drinking laws.

2. While a helmet may protect you from many head injuries, by far the best protection from all bicycling related injuries is safe bicycling. It amazes me how many cyclists ride dangerously and do not obey traffic laws. I even had one feller scold me about not wearing a helmet as I was waiting for the light to change to green at an intersection...and he was riding right through it. How about the wanna-be Lance's on aero bars that go barrelling at 20mph on a multi-use path crowded with people, kids and pets? Who is the lunatic?

If you feel the need to wear a helmet, great, if you don't, that's fine too.

anyone recommend a good health care insurance for a freelancer in San Diego? I'm in my mid 20s so I'm only looking for minimal coverage.

I hear what you are saying about riding around outside the states...especially in a 'developing' country, where ppl ride their motorbikes wearing flimsy shower flip-flops et cetera...-but even they don't joke about whether to wear a rubber..If you are going to protect anything, I say it should be ones' brain and ones' package..IMHO

How many potential accidents are beyond (y)our control? You can only minimize the likelyhood of an accident...and you ofcourse can minimize the potential for injury in the event of one. I believe the 'bottom line' is we all are contained in an exceptional organ that cannot even support itself under its own weight...-if your brain were placed on a table it would flatten out much like a pancake. I don't mean to lecture, but...A Jelly Pancake

That's fine. You have the freedom to make any choice you want. if you want to ride without a helmet, then do it. But if you crash and crack your skull open don't expect us tax payers to pay for your medical bills.

You don't have socialized medicine in America, so you have very little to worry about.

Uhh, everyone can get free health services in America. It's called pro bono. There are pro bono hospitals and doctor here.

I'm just making a point for self responsibility.

I hate helmets... I still wear mine most of the time... I think tourbike is right, helmets are like condoms...

*snerk*

We could always abstain. But what fun would that be?