Helmets Part 1,489,348 - To Wear Or Not To Wear

[deronmoped]

I could never understand the tiny cap on top of someones head that is supposed to protect your head.

What from a sunburn if you are bald? How did it get started that bicyclist wear the smallest helmet possible? What about protecting more then just the top of your head. Even a buddy of mine that is looking into a helmet wants to get a skateboarders helmet for the added extra protection. I had one wreck in my forty five years of bicycling and one of the "bicycle helmets" would have not helped protect me where I needed it, a cut over my eye.

Deron.

 

[vanilla ice]

I think it comes from the fact that people won't wear something that makes them feel hot, and a small lid is better than no lid. Soooo the small n' light racing-aero style is what they offer, and thats what most people buy. I have both skater type and std aero type and if its like 85F+ I pick the std one, cooler weather, skate lid.

Thats a good story Zoot, I'd have been freaked out. Nice helmet!

 

[OneWayTraffic]

I could never understand the tiny cap on top of someones head that is supposed to protect your head.

What from a sunburn if you are bald? How did it get started that bicyclist wear the smallest helmet possible? What about protecting more then just the top of your head. Even a buddy of mine that is looking into a helmet wants to get a skateboarders helmet for the added extra protection. I had one wreck in my forty five years of bicycling and one of the "bicycle helmets" would have not helped protect me where I needed it, a cut over my eye.

Deron.

The helmet is to protect the brain. No more no less. Motor cycle helmets protect the whole head. Of course wear one of those on a regular bike, and you'll die of overheating halfway up the first hill. So bicycle helmets are a compromise between protection and practicality.

Of course ebikers should be wearing a skateboard, BMX, Downhill or a Moped helmet. And if you're one of the 30+ mph no pedal crowd, dress like you're riding a motorbike.

 

[Sheriff Jon]

Statistically most of us will ride through life never needing the protection of a Helmet. Most of us will never need the protection of a seat belt, a fire extinguisher or fire insurance either. These are things that most of us have/use, if not by Law through common sense, and hope to GOD that we never actually have the need to use them. We hope that in the end it was all a big waist of time and expense.

So what are your viewes on wearing a Helmet? Do you think it is pointless to wear a Helmet and have Helmet hair as most of us will never go down or ever be hit by a car? Or do you choose to wear a Helmet, regardless of local law, because you think it is the wiser choice to take this small and slightly inconvienent pre-caution?

Oh and BTW.....v tach, you are welcome for the AVY edit :wink:

 

[spinningmagnets]

I am 50, and I don't heal as easily as I used to. I no longer care what other people think (well, actually my helmet is black instead of pink or purple, so...)

I wiped out one time, and the road rash was worse than the bruise on my hand, so I ride with gloves too. Its rare for someone to die from a bicycle crash (compared to motorcycles, which I have also owned) I know two people who moved to Utah because they had a 3 month waiting list for a kidney instead of about a year for California. Cali has a helmet law, Utah still doesn't.

A motorcycle head injury is frequently a good organ donor. Brain dead, but the paramedics keep the circulation and lung-flow going. If you think a bicycle helmet looks too goofy, consider a skateboarding helmet. If you don't like the color, paint it, but please use some kind of helmet. You may not think you will die, or if you might, you aren't afraid of death. But imagine being a head-injury quadraplegic, and being fed oatmeal from a rubber-covered spoon...

 

[swbluto]

From the point of view of individual freedom and the "victimless crime" status, I definitely don't think it should be required but it is definitely better than no helmet in the event of a crash, on average, so I think it's pretty wise to wear one.

From the point of view of the impact on society, I think helmets have a positive impact as apparently people are worth something (DOT values Americans at 4 million dollars each, on average) and protecting that worthiness goes to the good of society. From that point of view, it seems that legally requiring helmets would be to society's benefit. But, alas, I have to wonder... maybe Darwinism would help out society more? The wiser/more-functional ones would wear helmets and the less so (Presumably less worthy to society on average) wouldn't and thus they'd be selected against. Still, just because they'd have less worth doesn't mean they'd have negative worth on average.

As far as my personal sense, I always wear a helmet. And it's adorned with safety equipment that makes me look like a dork / oddball (But a safer one, nonetheless!). I also started recently wearing leather gloves on an every-ride basis, as my hands have a habit of getting scraped badly when I fall.

 

[voicecoils]

Statistically most of us will ride through life never needing the protection of a Helmet....

Is that correct?

All experienced cyclists and motorcyclists I know equip themselves for a ride in preperation that they will go down or have a collision. To choose your gear thinking that you're unlikely to need it and therefore won't bother is madness IMO.

I've had both low speed and high speed crashes on road bikes and MTBs. Helmets and gloves have both protected me and allowed me to walk away each time. I don't jump on anything with 2 wheels without those two items at a minimum.

From my experience and that of many people I've met it's only a matter of time before you fall or crash. I don't know too many people who have clocked up 10,000s of kilometres on the road without incident.

If two head trauma cases come into the hospital and one was wearing a helmet, I know who I'd be treating first and who can go to the back of the line.

 

[Sheriff Jon]

I am 50, and I don't heal as easily as I used to.

I am about to turn 60 and don't want to find out how well I don't heal anymore.

The reason that I ask this question about Helmets use is because there is a rather lopsided debate going on on another message board where one empty headed member (an adult and a Father) is trying to use the convoluted notion that because head injuries are on the rise with bicycle use dispite the fact that people are using Helmets, helmets must not be doing their intended job, therefor unnecessary.

I have been riding scooters (stand-up) for ten years now and luckily (knock on wood) I have only gone down once, and that was while I was standing on my scooter (not even moving yet) in the driveway I scraped up both knees, one elbow and both palms and my Helmet. But because I had a Helmet on I suffered NO head injury. When my daughter was about 5 years old she was rollerblading on the sidewalk. Her blade got caught between the sidewalk and the grass and she went down hard. Luckily she was wearing her pretty little PINK bike Helmet. She seemed ok at the time but we kept an eye on her as she DID hit her head. After a while she began to get listless and complained of having a tummy ache. We took her to the local Dr and he suggested that we should take her to the Hospital as she may have a slight concussion. WQe took her to an Emergency care facility and they said that she DID have a slight concussion and that we were lucky that she HAD been wearing a Helmet. Had she not....the injury would have likely been far more severe.

On a much darker note....There used to be this kid in our neighborhood named Shane Rooney. He was the same age as my Son and when he wasn't suspended went to the same grade school as my kids. Shane was kind of a wild child. One day he was out in front of his house riding Razors (push scooters) with his friends, his Mother was out front wattering the lawn. Shane took off along the sidewalk, down his driveway and jumped the edge out into the street. He was not wearing a Helmet, and didn't bother to look before he leaped.

A woman who had been his soccer coach and was a neighbor of theirs was on her way home, and Shane jumped into the street right in front of her. She hit him before there was even time to react, and by the time she stopped there was a streak of Shanes blood in the street and a piece of his scalp dangeling from her bumper. All of this happened right in front of Shanes Mom and his friends.

The paramedics rushed him to the hospital where he remained in a coma for about two weeks, and then he died of massive head injury.

Most of us may have pretty hard heads, but it dosen't take much to scramble our brains when we don't USE the brains God gave us. PLEASE use your head, if for nothing else as a great place to store your Helmet while riding.

 

[JEB]

I am 72+ only went over the handle bars once @ about 20+ mph when I was in jr high, no helmet (back in the early 50's), still have some gravel in my arm skins, my clothes were shreaded, pocket watch ground down to the gears.

About 30+ years ago a friend spent a one half a day teaching me to ride a Harley super glide, when he thought I was ready he told me I was ready to hit the road, could not force myself to go over 20~, that was the end of my motorcycle riding.

I ride my electric bikes/trikes now, with a helmet on my head, 20 or under is a good speed for me, It makes me shudder to hear about some of the riders that run their bikes in the 30's to 50's, brakes just don't function that well at those speeds.

 

[dogman dan]

I've "USED" helmets plenty o times. Most recently I crushed the crap out of one in the crash that broke both my collarbones a year and a half ago. Whacked my head on the curb on the way to breaking bones. My head was fine. The helmet was crushed. A regular bike hemet is not likely to be enough if a car whacks you going fast. But for over the handlebars at 15 mph, mine worked beautifully.

I wear a helmet windsurfing, I whack my mast on the top of my head all day when the wind is blowing up 4' waves. I end up wearing it anyway on less gnarly days too.

I wear a helmet flying my cloudhopper, that's a hot air balloon with no basket, just a parachute harness and a tank of fuel. It lands like a parachute landing but you have a 10 gallon propane tank on your back. Garanteed to clonk yer head.

In my twenties, there was lots of debate about use of helmets rock climbing. In the crumbly Organ mts, I took to the helmet right away, and grinned every time the lead climber pelted me with a rock the size of a tennis ball from 100 feet higher.

Aslo in my twenties, I did a headstand at 50 mph when a road I rode frequently turned out to be washed out. Tried to jump it, and went over the handlebars at 50mph. Fortunately a sandy road, so my head (in helmet) plowed a furrow for 50 feet till the cartwheels started.

I did crash a motorcycle without a helmet at age 18,,,, Once. Never again. Fortunatley I didn't hit my head that time.

 

[1of3]

Maybe in about 2 weeks I'll have my g-friend write a short note 'bout the use/need for a helmet whilst riding a bicycle. She just got home yesterday from an ICU 150 miles away, flown in by heilo from here this last Monday. Still kinda outa short/long time memory. So, the reason she lost control of her bike is up for grabs. She did mange to control the trajectory of impact to asphalt squarely on her head.
Nice walking shoes instead of e-bike for her from Santa this year........
Another MRI today....... geez..........well the staples show up..........

 

[deardancer3]

Another way to look at this is financially.

Without a helmet, your income producing capability will be reduced, while your expenses will be up.

If your state has a comparative responsiblity statute for accidents, your payout will be reduced if you are not wearing a helmet. If the accident is your fault, your portion of the medical bills could be much higher, ie, 50% of $400K.

I needed a helmet just once, 5 years ago and I almost did not wear one because I thought I would not need it. End-over on a trike at 20+mph. Helmet destroyed. walked home, no Dr needed. But without helmet-- who knows.

Odd how people want to use statistics to justify silly decisions. Then to justify their silliness, try to get other folks to do what they do. Funny thing this human nature.

The reason we have more bicycle accidents, just like motorcycle accidents, is due to this lousy economy, there are so many new inexperienced riders and pre-occupied car drivers.

Lets see, after all this analysis, I decide to ride a bike to improve my health and save money for other things. so this winter I will ride my bike with nothing on my cold head. Yeah, that makes sense.

Come on, why are you riding a bicycle-- For your health? To reduce wasted money? $40 helmet--duh? Its cold out anyway.

 

[Tiberius]

There are some people who always wear a helmet and some who always don't, and each type swears with both religious fervour and statistics that they are right. Its an emotive topic, and I'll probably get flamed by both sides.

I'd hate to see helmets made compulsory; equally I'd hate to see them banned. Sometimes I ride without one, sometimes with; it depends on what type of ride I'm doing. I refer you to my avatar - a helmet is useful in the rare event of a head impact, but I reckoned blows to the knees or elbows are more likely.

Nick

 

[Sheriff Jon]

I think (assume) that most folkes in here are older, more mature and smart enough to wear a helmet (by choice) and regardless if it may be required by law in their local. The other board I mentioned is a scooter message board with a high percentage of addolesents who are not yet mature enough to possess much wisdom.

I guess some may think that wearing a Helmet makes them look silly, like a wimp a geek, or "gay" as they might say. As if riding a scooter wasn't geeky enough And not wearing a Helmet makes them look cavaleir, carefree and adventuous and worth the risk that the image of having to be confined to a wheelchair, being fed oatmeal by an aid and drooling all over oneself might look like.

Nobody likes to be "told" what to do, or forced into action. It is sad that as intellegent as most of us would like to 'think' we are, that we 'would' need to be told or forced to take such a small and only slightly inconvience precaution as wearing a Helmet when competing for space on the open road with 3000+ pound cars.

 

[AussieJester]

I guess some may think that wearing a Helmet makes them look silly, like a wimp a geek, or "gay" as they might say. As if riding a scooter wasn't geeky enough And not wearing a Helmet makes them look cavaleir, carefree and adventuous and worth the risk that the image of having to be confined to a wheelchair, being fed oatmeal by an aid and drooling all over oneself might look like.

Young and dumb and full of cum...you 10 foot tall and bullet proof when your a teenager. The parents need to take their kids for a stroll through the head injured ward when they start spouting off helmets are "gay" half of them would never ride again after the visit. I have seen some frocked up people during my 11 month stay in hospital many a result of motorcycle accidents.

KiM

 

[Sheriff Jon]

I guess some may think that wearing a Helmet makes them look silly, like a wimp a geek, or "gay" as they might say. As if riding a scooter wasn't geeky enough And not wearing a Helmet makes them look cavaleir, carefree and adventuous and worth the risk that the image of having to be confined to a wheelchair, being fed oatmeal by an aid and drooling all over oneself might look like.

Young and dumb and full of cum...you 10 foot tall and bullet proof when your a teenager. The parents need to take their kids for a stroll through the head injured ward when they start spouting off helmets are "gay" half of them would never ride again after the visit. I have seen some frocked up people during my 11 month stay in hospital many a result of motorcycle accidents.

KiM

We have a member (in his 30's) who is also a Moderator on said other board. He is a single father raising a young daughter and he refuses to wear a Helmet or even a seat belt, and brags about doing wheelies on a sport bike at over 100 MPH while NOT wearing a Helmet. It is frustrating as hell to see advice like that being given to such young and impressionable minds.

 

[AussieJester]

We have a member (in his 30's) who is also a Moderator on said other board. He is a single father raising a young daughter and he refuses to wear a Helmet or even a seat belt, and brags about doing wheelies on a sport bike at over 100 MPH while NOT wearing a Helmet.

Good news for him if he drops it at that speed with no helmet (i would guess he wears jeans and a t-shirt too prolly flip-flops on his feet) it will only happen once...:: fingers crossed :: his daughter will be bought up by someone with more sense.

I received these pics in an email last week which i think is appropriate..email was titled "why we should always dress appropriately"

WARNING if you have a weak stomach...best not to click the Link


KiM

 

[Sheriff Jon]

[WARNING if you have a weak stomach...best not to click the Link


KiM

Here is a link to a few VERY graphic pics that show that I guess a Helmet dosen't always do the trick

http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/tulsacrash.asp

 

[AussieJester]

[WARNING if you have a weak stomach...best not to click the Link


KiM

Here is a link to a few VERY graphic pics that show that I guess a Helmet dosen't always do the trick

http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/tulsacrash.asp

Ahhh yup have seen that one before also, least it was quick and painless i guess...On the positive side his family will still get
to have an open casket at the funeral

KiM

 

[swbluto]

[WARNING if you have a weak stomach...best not to click the Link


KiM

Here is a link to a few VERY graphic pics that show that I guess a Helmet dosen't always do the trick

http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/tulsacrash.asp

Not much would have saved you if you slammed into what effectively is a wall at 60+ mph (The difference between his bike and the truck).

 

[Sheriff Jon]

Not much would have saved you if you slammed into what effectively is a wall at 60+ mph (The difference between his bike and the truck).

This is true. I think not much short of an carbon fiber F-1 monocoque would have helped that poor fellow. The point is....a Helmet is a small and minor inconvienence (to some) that WILL help decrease the odds of injury and increase the odds of survival in most of the circumstances that we cyclists and scooterists may encounter while riding on the open road.
And it is far wiser to take that precaution than to not.

 

[deardancer3]

I dont waste my time with foolish folks that dont listen to reason.

some folks are smart and do the right thing without much guidance.

Some folks are stupid and wont do the right thing no matter what. They entertain themselves wasting other peoples time.

Some folks are on the fence and will listen to reason; these are the folks to spend your time on, not the stupid ones.

 

[dogman dan]

The motorcycle riders who were my friends, that died with their helmets on, don't prevent me from riding with one.

My personal statistics prove it's good to wear one. 1 motorcycle helmet and 1 bicycle helmet destroyed in a crash. That's twice I'd be dead by now.

Helmets are mandatory in this state for motorycycle and moped riders under 18 only. 90% of the harley riders out there wear a bandana. Most of the riders on superbikes wear helmets and leathers. Wierd, since the guys on the rice burners are usualy in thier twenties and the harley crowd is my age, 51.

 

[317537]

Before I rode an Ebike I hated helmets as the heat that builds up in them used to cause me headaches. I think there are links to mild brain damage autistic type of symptoms in children and heat that the type of material used in helmets seems to plague the usuage of them in summer.

Ventilation only works when the rider is moving fast enough and pedaling up hills is a recipe for too much heat IMO.

On an Ebike I wear a helmet with no problems as it keeps the heat out in summer and the warmth in in winter.

 

[317537]

Bike helmets are usually good in some situations but the ones that are usually sold are not usually life saving.

People who insist we wear them eg police may see the consequences of machines at work against body and bone, but the reality is a car is an awesome force to any being who gets in their way. The little helmets made of foam are pathetic protection against not much other than some abrasions and cuts that usually would heal up. I just jump on one and its finished.

There is argument that sharp impacts cause less cerebral damage than the same that is impacted and spread over by a helmet causing brain shock and spin. Yes there is documentation of the whole brain spinning around inside the cranial cavity.

Having said this most accidents that wont land you in hospital the rider usually reacts to protect the face and head in time most of the time, where as when its serious, as said above you break your neck or as good as dead.

Funny story, was I got on a dirt bike that had a bad clutch and I got stuck in low gear and I hit a tree head on and wasnt going that fast. I was wearing a helmet and I hit the tree like hugging it and the helmet with my head in it bounced off it like a ball. Doink. I forget what happened to the bike.

I was glad to be wearing the helmet it at the time. but mt balls didnt notice much difference and my mates were pissing themselves laughing at my style.

But I still think would I have had my head thrown so hard into the tree at that slow speed without the weight of the helmet?