helmets are not optional

[Beane]

I CANNOT BELIEVE how many people I've seen lately riding around without a helmet on!!!!

How stupid do you have to be???

[RoadBunner]

+1

I also think this when I see people riding horses without helmets.

[kerrybelle]

I totally agree!! How can anyone even think they couldn't get seriously hurt on a bike? I went over the bars on my mtn bike a few years back and cracked my helmet and the Styrofoam inside, in several places. Can't imagine what would have happened to my head had I not had a helmet on.

I work for an orthodontist and we see a lot of kids. There was a boy in last week, who rode his bike to his appt, no helmet of course. We always encourage our patients to wear helmets and stress the importance of it.

We talked to this kid and his mom, who came to pick him up and told him to stop at the LBS on his way home and get a helmet. He was in again today and when asked if he got a helmet he said: "No, but I got a new bike" Go figure!

On a side note, my boss knows this family on a personal level.

[KSH]

Oh yea, this past weekend we saw a great Darwin Awards candidate in the making.

So I'm out with my cycling club and we are at a stop light. We see this lady riding (she's going North, we are going East)... on a VERY BUSY STREET! She's riding along, on a cruiser style bike, with no helmet on.

Seriously, this is a road I would NEVER rides on alone. In fact, our cycling club won't even ride on it in a pack.

So we go through our light and to the next one (we are now going North, she is now going East).

She crosses our path again. One of the older fellows in our group yells out to her, "wear a helmet".

To which she politely replies that she has a helmet and points to the bag hanging off her fender.

Apparently the helmet was in a bag on her bike... covered... and being kept clean.

STUPID LADY!

[Trek420]

Folks, along with the normal crew of Darwin Award recipients the spike in gas prices is bringing a lot of newbies out. Some just took the bike down from the garage and thought "here, this will save me a buck or two".

Let's give 'em a break.

Offer suggestions "your helmet is on backwards, can I show you how to put that on?" Worst we can do is yell at 'em which just adds to the whole "cyclists are elitests" thing and may just scare them so much they fall over.

Some may keep riding, that's a good thing.

I sometimes use the "big smile, point at helmet, pat the head" jesture.

OTOH, when my neighbors 70's French-threaded fully lugged steel Motobecane stoped working because they did not pump the tires and they abandon it on the bulk waste pick up in my condo complex, I did not offer "here, let me show you how easy this is"

I'll let them go replace with a box store bike and then we'll educate them from there ;-)

[Grog]

I sometimes can't help it, I just like irony too much sometimes:

"Cool bike! Nice helmet." as I pass someone without a lid on on the road.

[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.