helmets are not optional

[K8sgotgame]

I always wear a helmet (partly) because I had a bad accident as a kid.. front wheel came off my mtb on a dirt road (super cool older brother had been "playing" with my bike earlier), the fork dug in and I flipped over. I just happened to land on the wheel which punctured my stomach and the rest of the bike landed on my head. I ended up with a very deep gouge in the helmet and it was also cracked in half. It felt great

I always wear one when I ski, snowboard or rock climb.

BUT.. I also ride horses, and although I wear a helmet 99% of the time I do have a tendency to hop on quickly to show someone something or will jump on one of the horses out in the field with no saddle/bridle/helmet (I'm a genius, I know). I'm less strict with myself around the horses, probably because I'm more solid riding them than a bike or walking on my own two feet.

Helmets are great.. but what really grinds my gears are people who have them just kind of sitting on the back of their head or they just don't fit properly. What's the point if it's not going to stay on anyway?

[makbike]

New bike shop in town has brought out a lot of new riders in my small community. After our three hour faculty meeting today I went out for a spin to work off some of my frustrations of the day (long meeting + a full day of student testing!). I passed a cyclist heading the opposite direction - no helmet on his head. I simply shook my head (helmet in place) and said to myself "there goes another organ donor." I will never understand why people (cyclist/motorcyclists, etc) have such an aversion to protecting their brains.

[farrellcollie]

I wear a helmet, but if other people don't want to - it doesn't bother me. I think americans have become way too hysterical about such things - not just bike hemets - but life in general. I usually don't wear a seatbelt, I eat food after the expiration date and will ride in the back of pick up trucks if the occasion arises.

[rij73]

I usually don't wear a seatbelt, I eat food after the expiration date and will ride in the back of pick up trucks if the occasion arises.

I really don't want to offend, but feel the need to say this... If you go through a windshield and get killed or get thrown from a truck bed and killed in an accident that you would have otherwise survived, it creates enormous guilt for the driver of the other car even if they weren't necessarily at fault. If you don't care about your life enough to take some basic precautions, I don't consider that my business, but I do feel bad for the others who will be affected if you are killed, paralyzed, suffer severed limbs, etc.

[farrellcollie]

Actually I think most people would just blame me for being stupid and go on with their lives. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person in my opinion - this is the main reason I don't wear a seatbelt. When I was practicing law as a plaintiff's atty - I saw more people injured by seatbelts than I want to be. People not wearing seatbelts are often just dead. But I was really just using those as an example of choices people make that others may or may not agree with - helmets, smoking, steroids, and seatbelts do get people on both sides riled up.

[rij73]

Actually I think most people would just blame me for being stupid and go on with their lives. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person in my opinion.

Sorry you feel that way. I know I would be devastated if I was involved in someone losing their life whether it was their own fault or not. And, like I said, there is the possibility of paralysis, vegetative state, limb loss, etc. too. If you already feel that your life isn't very valuable, I'd hate to see you get into one of those states. I do wish you would be more careful.

[Aint Doody]

I think not wearing a helmet is totally irresponsible. A dog caused my accident, and a helmet saved me. It had nothing to do with how fast or slow I was riding. It had nothing to do with how busy a road I was on. Things happen. Why wouldn't you want to protect yourself with something as simple as wearing a helmet?

But it's the children not wearing them that upsets me. It may not be cool, but it's not cool to be brain damaged either. There is a wonderful poster in a neurologist's office that has all sorts of medical devices and a helmet. The words at the bottom say, "Which one of these would you rather wear?"

I had a child approximately 8 years old who was not wearing a helmet tell me he'd been riding for years and didn't crash. I told him I'd been riding for over 50 years when I crashed. No impression was made. Parents have to insist that children wear helmets. They--some parents & children--don't understand the consequences of a crash without a helmet. Sorry-this is my personal soapbox.

[Mr. Bloom]

Helmets are great.. but what really grinds my gears are people who have them just kind of sitting on the back of their head or they just don't fit properly. What's the point if it's not going to stay on anyway?

To clarify...this is when I intervene. It's the folks who have a false sense of security that benefit from the awareness & education. The folks who don't care? I agree with KSH and f8th on that (although I silently disapprove...)

In the wreck I described tonight, cycling buddy had two tiny scapes over his eyebrows from impact. If his helmet was on the back of his head, he would have had a serious head trauma...and just 20 minutes before, I had demonstrated to him the proper position for the helmet (he's a fairly new rider)...and I'm glad I did.

[lph]

Yeah - I'm with those that don't get it, but don't get upset about it either.

That's not quite right, it upsets me a *little* when I see someone decked out like a lean+mean French racer dude on a hotshot fast bike winging down a busy road without a helmet, for the same reason that it upsets me a little when obviously good rock climbers lead pitches without a helmet, because it gives the impression that "kids, if you're good enough, you don't need a helmet".

On the other hand, it is their head and their life they're risking, and I can't force people to be good examples. Nor do I feel that people should be good examples at all times.

But the average joes out trying what it's like to ride to work or whatever, riding slowly and staying way out of traffic - I don't worry too much about the lack of a helmet. If I can I try to mention it as a friendly tip, and tell them about the times it's saved me from head injury, and about the time not wearing one gave my dh a bad concussion and 8 stitches to his head.

But I do wear a seatbelt. Never know when some other idjit is going to rear-end you, people do the strangest things in cars.

[Crankin]

Well, I do get upset and I do care. I am sorry if some think that we legislate too many things. Meg, you summed up my opinion, perfectly. I'm not a nurse, but sure, don't wear your helmet or your seatbelt. When you crash, and you will, "we" will be paying for it. Especially if you don't have health insurance. My state has a new mandatory health insurance law. It is reasonably priced and covers a lot of stuff (my son has it). People complain about that, too.
I went through a car windshield when I was 15. I have not been in a car without wearing a seatbelt since then. And in 1969, I don't think anyone else wore one.
One time, I said something to a a young teenaged couple who were holding their baby on their lap, no car seat. They got enraged and tried to follow me. I just drove home and they gave up.
Until people think about the consequences of not following safety rules, I will keep saying stuff to them.

[OakLeaf]

Oh goodness, I didn't expect to see this debate on this board

I have no passion left on this issue. I've been online on motorcycle boards for over 15 years now. I'm not interested in talking about helmet legislation and I'm not interested in hearing other people's opinion about it.

There are things I would like to say related to the medical/industrial complex in this country and its unholy alliance with the insurance industry. About insurance companies' threats and scare tactics, and about the pricing of medical services. If we want to drift this thread that direction - although I expect the level of censorship on this board won't allow it - then I'm in.

[farrellcollie]

My underlying point here is that life is not safe and that what someone decides to do with their body is none of my business. For all of the people who get upset about helmets (or lack thereof) another group gets just as upset that we are on the road at all because of how dangerous it is. the one and only time I wore high heels - I fell off them (and they were not very high or spiky) and broke my ankle - but I don't feel the need to tell everyone else not to wear them - despite evidence that they can deform feet, cause back pain etc. (of course - an argument can be made that if I cannot walk in high heels - I should not be on a bike at all, let alone on the road on a bike. Rollerblades should be right out).