My message hit too close to home...

[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.