helmets are not optional

[HoosierGiant]

I said it in a previous post, but I'll do it again:

Unfortunately, too many people subscribe to the I-don't-ride-fast-enough-to-need-a-helmet philosophy.

Every potential cyclist should be required to read Dangerous Decision: The Consideration for Helmet Use at Any Speed by J. Raleigh Burt, an 8th grader who earned 1st place in the Junior Division of the 2005 Colorado State Science Fair.

To quote:

"From the height of a recreational riding position, a simple tip-over fall can create enough speed and energy to cause substantial damage to the human head and brain. In other words, it is the height of the potential fall and not just the speed the cyclist is traveling where the threat of injury exists....

The results from the experiment showed that the velocity, force, and energy created in a simple tip-over fall onto a hard surface are more than great enough to cause a serious head and/or brain injury to a cyclist not wearing a helmet. Even collisions with softer surfaces produced potentially hazardous forces."

Update: For a podcast interview with Raleigh plus a link to the complete report, see http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000194.

For a rather lengthy list of references to scientific journal articles dealing with helmets and bike safety (many linking you to abstracts only, but certainly still informative), visit the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute at http://www.helmets.org/journals.htm.

[Tuckervill]

Hey, could that post go in its own thread, so we can find it simply with a search?

I bought Zen's bike for my DIL and she's going to use the baby trailer I bought for my dog. I want them both to wear helmets.

Karen