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Wear that Helmet!!



 
 
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  #21  
Old July 15th 04, 04:14 AM
Tim McNamara
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

(Ritch) writes:

The article by Dorothy Robinson attempts to measure the efficacy (or
not) of mandatory helmet laws. It says nothing about the reduction
in risk of head injury given that an accident has occurred. These
are separate issues.

FWIW, the study showed no significant (or any at all, really)
improvement in head injury statistics after the introduction of MHL
in Australia.


Actually, the result was a increase in the risk of head injuries
because people stopped cycling in droves, which in turn made the roads
a more dangerous place to be. This has all been discussed ad
infinitum before and the archives are at Google.
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  #22  
Old July 15th 04, 02:53 PM
AustinMN
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

NobodyMan wrote:
Oh boy, do you need to do some research. Look at the medical data on
the subject of head trauma in bicycle accidents, both with and without
a helmet.


I have, and obviously you haven't.


The chances of fatality in a "head hitting hard object" drop
significantly when wearing a helmet. They do so much more than just
protect your head from road rash.


Proof of my previous statement. I used to believe the hype about bicycle
helmets, but the more studies I read, including those supposedly supporting
the premise that "bicycle helmets save lives," the more obvious the truth
became, that helmets are great at preventing road rash and bruises, and that
they rapidly become less effective at preventing other injuries, and have
probably never prevented a fatal head injury that wasn't offset by a fatal
head injury that was either caused by or worsened by the helmet. Oh, and
there are probably more serious neck injuries bike helmets.

This is actually what one would expect from the standards. Bike helmet
standards are designed for a 14 MPH fall (Note: NOT a crash -- the standard
is for a fall from a stationary bike) to a head that does not have the mass
of a body connected to it. 14 MPH is the speed your head would be moving if
you dropped it from the height of your bike.

Of course, if you never bike at speeds above 0 MPH (0 KPH) and only fall
with your head detached from your body, then perhaps bicycle helmets will
work for you.

Austin

  #23  
Old July 15th 04, 04:10 PM
Robert Broughton
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

Menno wrote:


Menno
wears a helmet when appropriate.


Interesting. Do you check your horoscope before you go on a ride to
determine whether you're likely to have a head-over-handlebars spill?

--
Bob Broughton
http://broughton.ca/
Vancouver, BC, Canada
"Watch your mouth, if you ever want to cross the border. Bad things
can happen to Canadians who use foul language in the US."
, Nov. 30, 2003
  #24  
Old July 16th 04, 04:04 AM
Ken Pisichko
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

A friend of mine was injured badly in a head on collision a year ago. He
was in "the right". Big Deal!!

He is still in rehab with significant damage to the grey matter. This is a
YEAR LATER!!!

My neighbour across the street ( Emergency Medicine specialist) I/C local
ER in local big-city hospital) mused out loud when I spoke about my
friend's situation. My neighbour wondered how the grey matter would have
"been saved' IF my friend was wearing a helmet (of ANY SORT) inside his
vehicle prior to the head-on collision.

Tim McNamara wrote:

You mean the shining light that I should never leave home without a
styrofoam beer cooler on my head, whether I am riding my bike, walking
or driving? Of that I should probably wear it in the shower too,
since more head injuries occur there than on the bike?

Man, if I was as risk-averse as some folks I'd never get out of bed,
let alone go on a bike ride.


  #25  
Old July 16th 04, 04:08 AM
Ken Pisichko
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

Tim McNamara wrote:

"Ooh, is that a threat? Are you gonna *make* me change my tune?


Give yourself a rest! NO ONE is obligated to MAKE you do anything remember
that the GRIM Reaper WILL harvest you (and me and...) no matter what you
scribble here.

  #26  
Old July 16th 04, 04:10 AM
Ken Pisichko
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

Are you suggesting an end to life as "we" know it?

Joe wrote:

Basically if we follow your argument then we should make all activities
which have a risk illegal.

  #27  
Old July 16th 04, 11:58 AM
John Forrest Tomlinson
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 22:08:35 -0500, Ken Pisichko wrote:


Give yourself a rest! NO ONE is obligated to MAKE you do anything remember
that the GRIM Reaper WILL harvest you (and me and...) no matter what you
scribble here.


Right! Be careful out there or the reaper will get you! Read the note
from by friend Alouischious about this. He KNOWS.

Three years ago I was riding my bike to the store, and little dog ran
out in front of me. I endoed and went over the bars. The impact with
the ground crushed both my shoulders, which are still in plaster
casts. My left leg was also broken in 18 places. My helmet was
broken too, and without it I am certain I would be dead, or would at
least have had a bruised brain. It's not how fast you are going but
how fast your head hits the ground. Never ever leave the house
without a helmet on your head.

The year before that I was on my bike with some groceries in a back
pack. When I got off the bike, I took my helmet off and when I
reached up to take off my backpack, a can of tomatoes fell out of the
pack onto my helmet, which shattered. I am sure if the can had fallen
on my head without the helmet I would be dead, or at least still have
ringing in my ears. Whatever you do, don't ride ever without a
helmet. It's not how light your bike is, but how heavy the object
hitting your head is. Don't risk it!

A friend of mine was riding his bike slowly on the bike path near his
house. Some kids put a rope across the path and jerked it up when he
went by. They were just fooling around, but it caught his neck and
gave him severe rope burns. Luckily he was wearing a helmet, so when
he crashed he hit that and not his hear. Without the helmet I am sure
he wouldbe dead. Now he also wears a cravat. The kids keep trying
that trick on him, and though they take him down every couple of weeks
with the rope, it would be much worse if wasn't wearing a helmet.
Never ride on the bike path without a helmet! There could be kids in
your neighborhood who may crash you with a rope. It can happen
anytime.

If your head is not worth anything to you, don't wear anything on it.
How much is your head worth to you? Nashbar has the latest Giro for
$169 and my head is worth that much. Or $99 sometimes, but that's on
closeout.
My uncle was showing my nephew how to ride a bike last week.
So the nephew went out into traffic without his training wheels with his
helmet. But he didn't strap it on right, and it fell in the street in
front of his wheel and he crashed on his head. He got a consussion.
Luckily his bike was really little, so his head didn't fall so far,
but it still was a concussion. It would have been much worse if he
was taller or his seat was higher. Now my uncle makes sure my nephew
always has a helmet on this head strapped on tight, plus another one
loose that he can crash on. The first helment will protect him.

Always have at least one helmet on tight, even if you have others on
very loose. This is the most important thing about bicycling safety.

It can happen anytime.

Thanks, -- Big Al


  #28  
Old July 16th 04, 06:36 PM
Tim McNamara
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

Ken Pisichko top-posts:

A friend of mine was injured badly in a head on collision a year
ago. He was in "the right". Big Deal!!


Right or wrong makes no difference as to the injuries you receive in
an accident.

He is still in rehab with significant damage to the grey
matter. This is a YEAR LATER!!!


Recovery from brain injury is somewhat unpredictable. In general, one
tends to recover most of what they are going to recover in the first
year after the injury. Improvements are generally incremental after
that.

I have worked with hundreds of brain-injured people in the past 14
years; the vast majority sustained their injuries in what seem like
simple situations- falling down stairs, for example, or falling in the
bathroom. A rather high percentage of my clients sustained these
brain injuries when drunk or high. Other common causes are being an
occupant of a motor vehicle in an accident, being a pedestrian struck
by a motor vehicle, and assault (including the "sport" of boxing). I
have seen two people with brain injuries sustained while cycling and
know of one other case because it happened locally at the velodrome at
the Olympic qualifiers in, what 1990 or something like that.

My neighbour across the street ( Emergency Medicine specialist) I/C
local ER in local big-city hospital) mused out loud when I spoke
about my friend's situation. My neighbour wondered how the grey
matter would have "been saved' IF my friend was wearing a helmet (of
ANY SORT) inside his vehicle prior to the head-on collision.


It's not at all clear what your- or your neighbor's- point is.
However, you can fairly easily sustain brain damage without ever
hitting your head on something; a helmet can provide no protection
from this.

Tim McNamara wrote:

You mean the shining light that I should never leave home without a
styrofoam beer cooler on my head, whether I am riding my bike,
walking or driving? Of that I should probably wear it in the
shower too, since more head injuries occur there than on the bike?

Man, if I was as risk-averse as some folks I'd never get out of
bed, let alone go on a bike ride.

  #29  
Old July 16th 04, 06:38 PM
Tim McNamara
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

Ken Pisichko writes:

Tim McNamara wrote:

"Ooh, is that a threat? Are you gonna *make* me change my tune?


Give yourself a rest! NO ONE is obligated to MAKE you do anything


Who said anything about "obligation?" Read a bit more attentively,
and think a bit more clearly, and write a bit more coherently. It
will help.

remember that the GRIM Reaper WILL harvest you (and me and...) no
matter what you scribble here.


Nothing grim about dying, IMHO. I see people dying every day in my
job, and am well aware that it is unavoidable for all of us. In fact,
it is very often a blessing.
  #30  
Old July 16th 04, 06:43 PM
Tim McNamara
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Default Wear that Helmet!!

John Forrest Tomlinson writes:

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 22:08:35 -0500, Ken Pisichko wrote:


Give yourself a rest! NO ONE is obligated to MAKE you do anything
remember that the GRIM Reaper WILL harvest you (and me and...) no
matter what you scribble here.


Right! Be careful out there or the reaper will get you! Read the
note from by friend Alouischious about this. He KNOWS.


And indeed has some wise things to say.

Three years ago I was riding my bike to the store, and little dog
ran out in front of me. I endoed and went over the bars. The
impact with the ground crushed both my shoulders, which are still
in plaster casts. My left leg was also broken in 18 places. My
helmet was broken too, and without it I am certain I would be dead,
or would at least have had a bruised brain.


For the sake of illustration, note that this is a belief not a fact.
The helmet factions often conflate facts and beliefs (much like all
other activists).

It's not how fast you are going but how fast your head hits the
ground. Never ever leave the house without a helmet on your head.


Especially if you're walking, as pedestrians account for many more
brian injuries than bicyclists.

snipped the rest of Al's wisdom
 




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