A Pleasant Helmet Debate

Was riding my bike through downtown Northampton late
last week from work and stopped at a light at the main
intersection of town. While waiting for the light to
turn green, a woman walked up to the street corner and
after looking me over a bit, spoke.

"I admire your spunk, riding in weather like this!".
I replied it really wasn't a big deal. It was actually
about mid-30's and anything above 20 is pretty good for
this winter.

"We need more people like you riding bikes to help with
the pollution problem." "Indeed yes" I replied.

"But you're not wearing a helmet". "No I don't really
take to them. I think they're over-sold for safety". I
have become deadened towards helmet scoldings. Just about
every organized ride I've ever done over the past 5-7 years
has had someone ride up alongside of me and critique my
sanity by not wearing a helmet. Sometimes it's a very
righteous warning, sometimes downright rude.

"My life was saved by a helmet once", she declared. I
replied that most everyone I know who wears a helmet has
had their life spared by its use.

She smiled slowly, looking almost amused at what I'd said.
The light changed to green. Time to continue on. "Well
have a pleasant ride home. Keep up the good work!"

"Thanks!" A nice lady and about the most pleasant and brief
helmet debate I've ever engaged in. I don't think much more
needed to be said by either of us, and I certainly parted
feeling a little better from her pleasant remarks and manner
in stating them.


SMH

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 16:18:28 -0500, Stephen Harding wrote:

Was riding my bike through downtown Northampton late
last week from work and stopped at a light at the main
intersection of town. While waiting for the light to
turn green, a woman walked up to the street corner and
after looking me over a bit, spoke.

"I admire your spunk, riding in weather like this!".
I replied it really wasn't a big deal. It was actually
about mid-30's and anything above 20 is pretty good for
this winter.

"We need more people like you riding bikes to help with
the pollution problem." "Indeed yes" I replied.

"But you're not wearing a helmet". "No I don't really
take to them. I think they're over-sold for safety". I
have become deadened towards helmet scoldings. Just about
every organized ride I've ever done over the past 5-7 years
has had someone ride up alongside of me and critique my
sanity by not wearing a helmet. Sometimes it's a very
righteous warning, sometimes downright rude.

"My life was saved by a helmet once", she declared. I
replied that most everyone I know who wears a helmet has
had their life spared by its use.

She smiled slowly, looking almost amused at what I'd said.
The light changed to green. Time to continue on. "Well
have a pleasant ride home. Keep up the good work!"

"Thanks!" A nice lady and about the most pleasant and brief
helmet debate I've ever engaged in. I don't think much more
needed to be said by either of us, and I certainly parted
feeling a little better from her pleasant remarks and manner
in stating them.


SMH

I wish you luck trying to keep this pleasant!
Peter

--
This transmission is certified free of viruses as no Microsoft products
were used in its preparation or propagation.

My life was saved by my left arm.

It cradled my skull when I went over the bars in a traffic crash. a
h*lm*t might have done as well. I'm ambivalent.

-Luigi

Well, I doubt you'll get as sweet a responce here, LOL! In fact, I find
it rather amazing how short this thread is!

BTW, I don't ride anywhere without a helmet, But that's my choice.

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

i don't like helmets either, but i think if i don't wear one, that will be
the pricise time that i would have needed it


and my mom told me to wear it too


"Stephen Harding" wrote in message
...
Was riding my bike through downtown Northampton late
last week from work and stopped at a light at the main
intersection of town. While waiting for the light to
turn green, a woman walked up to the street corner and
after looking me over a bit, spoke.

"I admire your spunk, riding in weather like this!".
I replied it really wasn't a big deal. It was actually
about mid-30's and anything above 20 is pretty good for
this winter.

"We need more people like you riding bikes to help with
the pollution problem." "Indeed yes" I replied.

"But you're not wearing a helmet". "No I don't really
take to them. I think they're over-sold for safety". I
have become deadened towards helmet scoldings. Just about
every organized ride I've ever done over the past 5-7 years
has had someone ride up alongside of me and critique my
sanity by not wearing a helmet. Sometimes it's a very
righteous warning, sometimes downright rude.

"My life was saved by a helmet once", she declared. I
replied that most everyone I know who wears a helmet has
had their life spared by its use.

She smiled slowly, looking almost amused at what I'd said.
The light changed to green. Time to continue on. "Well
have a pleasant ride home. Keep up the good work!"

"Thanks!" A nice lady and about the most pleasant and brief
helmet debate I've ever engaged in. I don't think much more
needed to be said by either of us, and I certainly parted
feeling a little better from her pleasant remarks and manner
in stating them.


SMH

Luigi de Guzman wrote:

My life was saved by my left arm.

It cradled my skull when I went over the bars in a traffic crash. a
h*lm*t might have done as well. I'm ambivalent.

Perhaps a couple more left arms might be useful then?


SMH

In ,
"tbone" opined:

i don't like helmets either, but i think if i don't wear one, that will be
the pricise time that i would have needed it

A few years either side of '90, I owned a helmet only because you
couldn't do organized rides without one. I didn't wear it much unless I
had to - it felt heavy and hot and I was immortal anyway.

;-)

But for a couple of years running, every second time I put it on to JRA
I had an accident, whereas I -never- did without it.

It must have been a curse upon that particular helmet though. I've now
owned three more helmets, and worn them a lot, and I've only had one
accident.

Coincidence?


--
Dave Salovesh

(REPLACE example WITH mindspring TO EMAIL ME)

Luigi de Guzman wrote:
My life was saved by my left arm.

It cradled my skull when I went over the bars in a traffic crash. a
h*lm*t might have done as well. I'm ambivalent.

If you were ambidextrous, you could save TWO heads next time.

Bill "little if any meaning" S.

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 16:41:18 +0000, S o r n i wrote:

Luigi de Guzman wrote:
My life was saved by my left arm.

It cradled my skull when I went over the bars in a traffic crash. a
h*lm*t might have done as well. I'm ambivalent.

If you were ambidextrous, you could save TWO heads next time.

Bill "little if any meaning" S.

Would that make him ambicephalous?

Peter
--
This transmission is certified free of viruses as no Microsoft products
were used in its preparation or propagation.

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 16:41:18 GMT, "S o r n i"
wrote:

Luigi de Guzman wrote:
My life was saved by my left arm.

It cradled my skull when I went over the bars in a traffic crash. a
h*lm*t might have done as well. I'm ambivalent.

If you were ambidextrous, you could save TWO heads next time.

My life was saved by my LEFT arm. with two of *those,* I'd be
bisinistral.


=-Luigi
www.livejournal.com/users/ouij
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