helmets are not optional

[Trek420]

Me too, "nice job of calling out" when racers blow by me

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Me too, "nice job of calling out" when racers blow by me

I usually call after them- "Thanks for the heart attack!"

[crazycanuck]

Do you want the racers to ring their little bells as well

[OakLeaf]

A month or two ago I saw a family out riding. The little kid had her helmet in her front basket. In case a cop showed up, I supposed, same as they do on the motorcycles

Now you've made me remember that, I have to spend another couple of hours damping my outrage down.

-Oak, still alive because of the helmet I was wearing that day 21 years ago.

[OakLeaf]

Do you want the racers to ring their little bells as well

The little bell means "prime sprint." Ring their bells if they want me to kick their *sses on the way to the city limit sign!!!

[Mr. Bloom]

Riding with a new cycling buddy tonight. Busy road - crossing Railroad Tracks at an obtuse angle - requiring a cyclist to take the lane to cross safely.

We signaled. Took the lane - and some red neck tried to pass buddy on the right side.

He went down hard - hitting his head and CRACKING his helmet.

We got him home and I called a few minutes ago to confirm he's OK. Other than road rash and a little headache, he seemed fine His girlfriend is there in case some issue emerges...

Now I know at least two people (including Silver) saved by a helmet!

I will NEVER ride without a helmet!

Viva La Helmet!

PS: My regret??? Appropriately, I focused on getting to him...but if I got that license plate, I guarantee you I would have sworn a wreckless driving and vehicular assualt warrant on that driver!

[smilingcat]

Dear Mr. Silver,

I'm a bit of a klutz at times and I can tell you that the brain bucket saved my life on two separate occasions.

Yes thank goodness for the helmet.

------------

I did have a talk with a young man about wearing a helmet. We were standing and waiting for the light to turn green. He told me no need since he isn't riding like one of the racers. To him, I looked like a racer of sort.(okay so I'm decked out in full cycling gear sans CSC, Team Discovery... jersey. I wear "normal" jersey not even a kit). The light turns green, the young man trying to look like Joe cool starts up, mashes on his pedal to get in front of me and proceeded to jack knife his front wheel. Down he went. Oh poor boy.

I didn't want to add insult to his bruised ego, so I went on my cherry way.

I hope he has enough sense to buy a helmet.

------------
I say nothing to the ones without a brain. I just tap my helmet two or three times as I pass by.

Smilingcat

[Crankin]

Whether or not kids around here wear a helmet seems to totally depend on the socio-economic make up of the community. I have noticed this on my drive home from work, which goes through 4 towns.

Working class communities, not necessarily low income: maybe really young kids (less than 8) wear them
hardly any adults wear them

middle class, mix of blue collar and white collar: a little bit better than the above, but I rarely see an older kid or teen wearing a helmet

mostly professional communities: the kids all wear them, but when parents ride with them, the parents don't! (unless they are "cyclists")
About 5 years ago, the police department in the town I teach in gave any student who wanted one, a free helmet. We found some of them thrown on the parking lot. I rarely see any kids wearing them when they ride to school. A few have them hanging from their handlebars. When I ride to school, I leave my helmet prominently hanging from the drop bar of my bike.

[Mr. Bloom]

I often tell riders when their helmets are fitted improperly.

I am polite and non-condescending (I hope...). I explain that a helmet saved my wife...and that they may want to wear it like this...

It's always been received well...but if it's not...I don't really care.

I can't keep someone from jumping off a cliff...but I'd feel guilty if I could have intervened and didn't.

[Kano]

middle class, mix of blue collar and white collar: a little bit better than the above, but I rarely see an older kid or teen wearing a helmet

My daughter admitted to something one day, as she was finishing up the classroom part of driver's ed.

"Until I took this class, I wasn't buckling my seatbelt when I was sitting where you couldn't see me." She went on to say that "after watching all the movies in these classes, I buckle my seatbelt no matter what now."

A little bit of rebellion, mixed in with a dose of they don't know the why, and the invincibility of inexperience!

The ones who ride carrying them instead of wearing them PROBABLY wore them until they got out of mom's sight. Then they took them off, cuz they're not cool, before any of their friends saw them!

Karen in Boise