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#181
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Can't Use Helmets in the Sun????
"GaryG" writes:
wrote in message ups.com... I have been doing long distance self contained touring for about 20 years and have been hit by cars twice. Both times was hit within a mile of my home while riding in the middle of a group of bicycles. In each case a car rode directly across the road from a cross street through the group of riders. How lucky can you be. In both cases although low speed collisions, I was thrown from bike and landed by hitting my head on the curbing. The first time in 1986 an MG hit my front wheel throwing me into the air. I landed on my back and the back of my head hit the curbing. It must have hit fairly hard because my glasses were throw completely across the road despite the eye glass retaining strap I was wearing. The driver kept on going but was caught by another driver. I was stunned, My back abraded. My glasses were gouged, my front wheel and fork were a pretzel and my helmet (a bell hard shell) was cracked. But I was just dazed and abraded, otherwise unhurt. I think the helmet saved my life. The second time in 1998, I was the middle of three riders on the same street as the previous accident. A Chevy station wagon, ran a stop sign and hit me. This time she hit closer to the middle of the bike and I was thrown across the street and hit head first on the curbing. This must say something about the weight of my head versus the rest of my body. I was knocked out. and had some pretty deep gouges on my right leg and ankle, a strained neck and shoulder plus lots of bruises. My helmet didn't crack this time (it was a Giro) but I was happy to replace it. Again, I think the helmet saved my life. I have been run off the road since but luckily not hit. There are two things I take away from these incidents: 1. Stay off of that street 2. Always wear my helmet especially when I ride near home. Roland Dover, NH ebent.com Blasphemer!!! How dare you bring your personal experience with the ostensible injury reducing benefits of a helmet into this hallowed intellectual discussion? Since you've raised the issue, be prepared to hear that: 1) You're a very poor cyclist. "Real" cyclists never get hit by cars, or fall down. Peter? Is that you? 2) Your injuries were worse than they would otherwise have been due to the presence of the helmet on your head (rotational forces increased due to additional circumference and weight, etc., etc.). Be thankful that you're still alive given your ridiculous choice in headgear. It is! 3) You would have survived those head impacts just as well, if not better, if you had been wearing a proper cotton cycling cap (or, better yet, nothing at all). Yep. Its you alright. But why didnt you advocate wearing it for walking to the toilet too because statistically .... blah blah blah. 4) You've clearly not studied the available research which proves (to some AHZ stalwarts anyway) that wearing helmets increases the risk of head injuries (unless you wear one while showering). |
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#182
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Can't Use Helmets in the Sun????
Kevan Smith wrote:
I was thinking something similar earlier. Since collarbone fractures are by far a more common cycling injury (anecdotally), why hasn't anyone developed some sort of protective gear for it? And, what would it look like? It might be so bulky and hot as to spoil the fun of riding on a warm enough day. Sort of like a lid. A straightjacket? Virtually all collarbone fractures are the result of putting your arms out to stop the fall. A direct fracture is very rare indeed. Impractical for cycling "but if just one collarbone could be saved" -- Tony "Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci |
#183
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Can't Use Helmets in the Sun????
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#185
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Can't Use Helmets in the Sun????
David Kerber wrote:
That doesn't mean the helmet didn't reduce the severity of the injury, though. Recognising that optimal performance removes no more than 10-15% of the energy needed to fracture a skull. -- Tony "Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci |
#186
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Can't Use Helmets in the Sun????
Tony Raven wrote: Cathy Kearns wrote: Worked for me for my children. One continues to ride a bike. The other decided it wasn't worth it, and gave up bike riding when she entered junior high. Prefered to walk the 1.5 miles each way. As we were looking at colleges I was surprised to hear this child that gave up bike riding at age 11 wouldn't mind getting a bike for transportation when she goes away to school, as by then she won't need to wear a helmet. (In California adults (age 18) are not required by law to wear helmets while cycling.) Which is an excellent illustration of one good reason many of us oppose mandatory helmets - they put people off cycling especially children and there is no clear evidence of any compensating benefit. I am a little confused, though, why the daughter gave up riding when she got into junior high. Did she give it up because she had to wear a helmet? I understand the current comment made what, four years later, that she wouldn't have to wear a helmet when she goes to college, but did she say back in junior high that she was quitting because she had to wear a helmet? That is always hard for me to believe, but I don't have a daughter, and apparently they have different agendas than sons. My 10 year old son wears a helmet. He cares how he looks, so there may be some helmets he wouldn't wear if they made him look too dorky. But otherwise, it is no big deal. Getting him to ride at all, though . . . that's a big deal. Kids are so lazy these days, and it is usually easy to get a ride in the car from mom and dad, so the incentive to ride just isn't there anymore. -- Jay Beattie. |
#187
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Can't Use Helmets in the Sun????
Jay Beattie wrote: I am a little confused, though, why the daughter gave up riding when she got into junior high. Did she give it up because she had to wear a helmet? I understand the current comment made what, four years later, that she wouldn't have to wear a helmet when she goes to college, but did she say back in junior high that she was quitting because she had to wear a helmet? That is always hard for me to believe, but I don't have a daughter, and apparently they have different agendas than sons. I'm surprised you find it unusual. I know a family in our bike club that took the "No helmet, no bike" stance with their daughter. She was somewhere around 14 at the time, IIRC. Her response? "Fine. I won't ride a bike." And despite their continued avid cycling, and the years they spent riding pre-helmet, she never rode again. (She's probably older than 30 now.) With our two kids, we had the same discussion, although it was my wife, not me, doing the promoting. Now this was years ago, when I was still a helmet promoter, before I'd read the research papers on the topic. Anyway, when each of our kids gave us the same response, I decided riding was more important than wearing a plastic hat. The kids continued to ride, and in fact, our daughter completed a coast to coast tour across America with us just a few years ago. And it goes without saying, neither kid ever had any problems. Each kid toppled at low speed a few times (worst injury: leg scratches or scrapes). Neither heads nor helmets ever touched ground. Cycling is NOT very dangerous! Helmets are an ineffective solution to a nonexistent problem. - Frank Krygowski |
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