My message hit too close to home...

[Running Mommy]

Some of you may remember that I participated in the "adopt an Ironman" program, and that my sons class adopted me. You may also remember that a huge part of my speech was about the importance of helmets.
In my speech I told the kids this:
"I know you may think, well I'm only going to ride up the street. Or I'm a good rider, so I won't fall. Well it's just like why we buckle our seatbelts in the car. No one ever gets in their car and says I better buckle up because I'm going to be in an accident today. You never know when it's going to happen. And alot of times it's not even your fault. So just like why we should always wear our seatbelts when the car is moving. You should always wear a helmet when your on wheels. Because you just never know. And it's not worth the chance".
Well the other night we went for a mtn bike ride and saw a roadside memorial next to a small tree on the sidewalk. I was perplexed because I hadn't heard of anything happening, so I asked around. I guess on easter a family had been picknicking by our lake and were heading home. The father was on a motorcycle, the mom and kids (2 daughters) following in a truck. They had just left the lake and were probably less than two miles from home. The fathers hat blew off, so apparently he turned to look back for it- instinct I'm sure- and he lost control of his motorcycle. He struck the tree and was killed. Now this tree is very small. The trunk cannot be more than 6 inches in diameter. Seriously! I'm actually surprised that the tree didn't break. Today when I rode by it I noticed that bark was missing, but thats it.
Anyway, the family saw him die in front of their eyes. Could you imagine?
Well I just got a call from Spencers teacher. She was in tears. Apparently one of the little girls is in SPencers class. Actually she was in his class last year, so I know her quite well. I guess she's been out until now. Well when she came back today she asked to speak to the class. So she stood up and told the kids "Mrs. AMos is right. You need to wear your helmets. If my dad had his on he would be here today. She was right when she said you just never know. So PLEASE wear your helmets"... The teacher - who is 8 mos pregnant and hormonal anyway- said she had to leave the room.
Ok, are you crying yet?? Because I am. I'm absolutely devastated. To think that a 9 year old girl has to go through someting like this... And it all could have been prevented by her father taking one little step.. sad, soo soo sad..
Anyway, I didn't mean to bring ya'll down, and I know I'm preaching to the choir... But if you ever get the opportunity to give a helmet speech, remember this story. Hopefully it will wake at least one person up.
have a safe weekend! And never take the day for granted.
Denise

[SadieKate]

Oh sheesh. I'm sitting on a conference call and trying not to sniff into the phone. Poor girl. Amazing she could speak up so soon after.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Denise -
I hate hearing stories like this - but while it's sad, I hope (and believe) that after hearing both your recommendation and that little girl's story that the kids in that class will start to really think twice before riding without a helmet. That's definitely a tear-jerker of a story.

And I also believe that I'm one of those women who owes her life to her helmet.
--- Denise

[bikerchick68]

how completely devastating for the family, friends, coworkers... accidents like this impact so many people... I hope the family will seek some group counseling... there is so much available out there for free... the emotional toll this takes is tough for adults to deal with and doubly so for children who haven't learned how to deal with their emotions yet... :(

I can't begin to fathom how this is impacting this family having witnessed the crash. just devastating...

[Duck on Wheels]

What a sad story, and what a brave little girl! I so wish the story had had a different twist, like mine: "Because he was wearing his helmet, my husband, my kids' father (and so on and so on) is still with us." I try telling that one to my students when classes begin every year, because I get so frightened and angry when I drive to campus through swarms of cyclists, ignoring traffic rules and NOT wearing helmets. Sadly, that message is probably less effective than this little girl's.

I sure do hope that your message, now also endorsed and tragically underscored by your son's classmate, gets taken to heart. I hope all the kids take that message home and nag at their parents to wear helmets too. My theory: It was kids nagging their parents that has tipped the scales on smoking so that non-smoking spaces are now the standard and smokers, if they can't or don't want to kick the habit, have to find somewhere to smoke where it won't bother or endanger others.

[Lise]

Oh, Denise, I am so sorry to hear about this. To have him just be gone like that. Gentle thoughts for the whole family.

I see cute guys on bikes sometimes, but if they're not wearing helmets, I think they also look stupid. Your story just goes to show it isn't only the mean streets of Chicago. One time I was driving with my then 5 year old nephew. He was looking at a motorcyclist in the next lane. "Aunt Lise", he said, "That guy isn't very smart. He doesn't have a helmet on." So glad that message is stuck in his head.

[Hammer]

My boyfriend and I go back and forth about this all of the time. He'll agree that people should wear a helmet on something like a four wheeler... For instance if we were to have kids someday.

He will not wear a helmet on a motorcyle or on a regular bicycle. He doesn't really ride very often... We've been dating over 6 months and he hasn't ridden with me except a couple miles when I just got my new bike.

We were talking about if we had a family in the future. I think that kids should wear helmets. He says, when is a person going to draw a line? "Oh, you're going to go and ride around the yard? Better wear your helmet... and whatever other safety gear..." I said that I wasn't going to bubble wrap my kids. But why not just put a helmet on them at the very least? If mommy does it, why not?

He says that when we were kids helmets weren't so much a thing. This is true. I never wiped out on my bike. If we were living on an acreage, fine, maybe the kids can ride around the yard without one. But seriously. Anywhere with traffic... for sure, helmets.

There was a time when child safety seats weren't common either.

I should've mentioned that.

Hmmmm....

All it takes is one fall, one time thumping your head.

[Lise]

One thing I think about is that it's not "just" death. Traumatic head injury robs people of their personality, ability to work, ability to love, ability to play. I know a woman who stood up straight into the bottom of a cabinet. The blow to her head changed her. She's not very nice anymore, and she doesn't really understand what happened.

Helmets reduce the incidence of traumatic head injury by 80%. I've had enough thumps to the head. *I* won't put myself at risk anymore. Anyone who wants to argue his or her "right" to not protect themselves can go on ahead. You might also try smoking and eating a lot of fries. Me, I'll stick with coffee and working crazy hours. But not traumatic head injury.

[Surlygirl]

Take him to the ER some Saturday afternoon. My mom use to work in the ER and man she could tell you stories that would make your hair stand on end. At my house, if the kids ride without a helmet, on anything, it disappears.

[winddance]

What an amazing little girl, to be able to stand up in front of her class and say that. That's such a sad story.

I used to sell motorcycle gear and accessories, and was a trained helmet fitter. In my state, a DOT-rated helmet is required when operating a motorcycle, but I know there are a lot of states out there that have more lax helmet laws.

I don't own a motorcycle, but after some of the accidents I have seen, I will never, ever ride my bicycle without a helmet. I'm so sorry that this little girl and others like her have lost a family member under these circumstances.

I couldn't believe the number of people who wanted to get away with the "bare minimum", not realizing that while they were willing to spend thousands of dollars on a motorcycle, they wouldn't spend a few hundred dollars on a high quality helmet that could save their life, or even just their ability to operate said motorcycle. Customers used to bring in their smashed up helmets after an accident, and from the look on their faces they hadn't really realized how much they needed their helmets until they needed their helmets. They are not just accessories.

[iFKA]

The story is very sad but thanx for sharing with us. Sometimes we all need something to shook us up. I'm shure no TE girl will leave the house today without helmet

[Melody]

Oh wow. That was sad and yeah, I'm crying. :(

It amazes me how often you see people doing stupid things on a bike... Last weekend I went out with a friend who was visiting the area (she was one of my bridesmaids) and so went over to another friend's house where she was staying. While travelling there, there was a woman riding towards me on her mountain bike and she didn't have a helmet. What *was* nutty (other than no helmet) was she also carrying a cup of coffee *AND* she was talking on her cell phone... all while riding in the opposite direction of traffic on her bicycle without a helmet.

She also then decided to cut across traffic and go on a side road. I just thought "She's an accident waiting to happen."

Mel

[iFKA]

It amazes me how often you see people doing stupid things on a bike...
Mel

She said it all... just for the record 172 km/h is 106,7 miles/hour

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-162891478515007486

[Aggie_Ama]

Denise- How awful! I can't imagine the little girl standing up and saying that.

What amazes me is not only the people who ride with no helmet, but the ones who do not make sure they have a quality helmet. I constantly see people with helmets that are cracked or look like they are from about 1985. You will not find me putting my trust in a piece of equipment that isn't at 100%. I am not mistaken that our helmets should be replaced after so much time, am I? I know they definitely need to be replaced when they are cracked.

[Lise]

Good question. How often should we replace a helmet that is in good condition. No accidents, no cracks, but should they be replaced over time?

[makbike]

IMO, for what is worth, a helmet should be atop any head that is on something with wheels or legs (bike, ATV, skate board, roller blades, motorcycle, horse, etc). As was pointed out you never know when in a blink of an eye you will be involved in an accident. When I started riding back in the early 80's I visited a local bike shop to buy some goodies for the bike my brother had sold me for $12. The shop guy asked if I had picked out a helmet to which I replied no. He told me you can wreck your bike and replace it or just about anything on it but if your wreck your brain there is no replacement. I picked up a helmet that day and have never been on my bike without it perched proudly atop my head.

Last year one of our students (I teach in a middle school) was riding her ATV, a group of boys passed in going in the opposite direction on their ATV, she turned around to see who went by took her eyes off the road for just a second but it was long enough to change her life forever. Her ATV went down an embankment hit a rock she became airborne and smashed her unprotected head into a tree. She is now in a wheelchair, has trouble communicating and is one very sad young lady. Sadly, as we talked with our classes after the accident few if any saw a helmet as the most important thing they should own and use if riding a horse, an ATV, a bike, skateboard, etc. They feel they are immune to the same tragedy. I only wish they would open their eyes to the reality of the situation. Their classmate is a daily reminder of what can and does happen.

[Nanci]

You can't legislate safety if people won't follow the rules. Here in Florida, every day there is another story in the paper of someone being ejected from a vehicle because they didn't wear a seatbelt (required by law and now police are allowed to stop a vehicle for just that one thing) or they rode a motorcycle or bike or ATV without a helmet- all legal for those over 18. It breaks your heart to hear each individual story of a life lost too soon, that might not have been is the person had taken safety precautions. (Take for example seatbelt use- they are running a public service announcement right now that states that you have a 5:1 chance of surving a rollover accident in a pickup truck if you are wearing your seatbelt. BF came home from work the other night having worked his first vehicle ejection fatality- the vehicle was on top of the driver.) I choose to think of them as potential organ donors and hope that the families at least take the steps that there isn't a further waste of life and choose to donate the organs so someone else will get a chance to live. It's an, unfortunately, never-ending supply.

Nanci

[velogirl]

One of my pet peeves is families who ride together, with the children all in helmets but the parents without them. I feel like I could shake the adult and ask "who will care for your child when you're brain dead?" In addition, what kind of example is the parent setting for their chld?

Regarding replacement, when it goes out of style, replace it! Seriously, at three yeares of service, a helmet has suffered sun damage, sweat damage, and has probably been bumped around in your car or your closet. It's worth $50 or so to keep yourself safe!

BTW, don't store your helmet in your car if you ever park outside in the sun. The extreme temps in your car will cause the foam to degrade, compromising the quality/safety of your helmet.