The importance of always wearing a helmet

[Matt Sarad]

Sdfghh

[John Nelson]

Good story, but helmet discussions, like iPod discussions, never end until somebody locks the thread.

[johnsondasw]

And make sure it fits snugly.  I got a bad concussion when wearing a helmet that was loose and slipped back as I fell so I landed hard on the pavement right ablve the right eye.

[Pat Lamb]

I am off of work, healing a broken collar bone, five broken ribs, and some head trauma.

Had I had a helmet on, my head injuries would not be as severe.

Gotta wonder, if you had been wearing a helmet, would you be off work with only a broken collar bone and five broken ribs?

[Matt Sarad]

Fghjiin

[PeteJack]

Had I had a helmet on, my head injuries would not be as severe.

Try telling that to some Brits if you check out the Cycle Touring Club web site you'll find that many people get all up in arms and libertarian about helmet laws. Almost as bad as the tobacco lobby; many of the same words and phrases are bandied about e.g. 'freedom', 'Big Brother', 'personal choice' etc.

[DaveB]

I'm a member of the "Saved By The Bell" club.   Bell Helmets sends membership certificates to those who crashed and hit their head hard enough to damage or destroy one of their helmets.  I fell on a slick road at a slow walking speed when the bike went sideways out from under me and I hit my shoulder hard enough to break a bone and hit my head hard enough to crack the helmet in three places.  I had a mild concussion but it would have been far, far worse without the helmet.  You don't have to be going fast to get hurt.  I never rode without a helmet prior to the accident and certainly not after.

All the above being said, I'm against helmet laws.  People have the right to take chances and, if they refuse to use reasonable safety equipment, it's their choice. What I don't like is those who get hurt blaming (and suing) others for what they did to themselves.

[Matt Sarad]

Vhuijg

[DaveB]

So, in hot weather going up steep hills I remove my helmet and climb 3-8 mph depending on the incline. I always put the helmet back on at the top before the ride back down.

That brings up an interesting point.  As I posted above, my crash was at a walking speed so going slow isn't protection.  Basically you can get a head injury falling from the height your head is above the ground even at zero speed. 

A beanie-type or Pirate headcover helmet liner can make a helmet tolerable in hot weather and even at slow climbing speeds since it keeps the sweat out of your eyes. 

[Matt Sarad]

One issue right now is thinking and writing coherently and correctly. My wreck had me unable to do either for for the 12 days in the hospital. It has improved since I was released, but as you can see, there are a few glitches in my reasoning.

[staehpj1]

I grew up riding when no one rode with a helmet, later wore one religiously, then started removing it for long steep climbs in hot weather.  These days I tour without a helmet.  I am more likely than not to be wearing a helmet on the road near home where I ride on more dangerous roads than I typically encounter on tour.  I really like the feel of riding without one and understand the risks involved.

I understand the risks and figure that the risk of going without a helmet on tour is acceptable to me.  Bicycling is a relatively safe activity but yes there is some risk that can be reduced by wearing a helmet.  The same could be said about walking or running too and no one preaches about wearing a helmet walking or running in a major city.  People start to trot out "if it saves one life" type arguments, but apply those would mean wearing a helmet when walking or when in the shower.

I advise people doing what they find acceptable after weighing the pros and cons.

[aggie]

I agree that everyone should weigh the pros and cons of wearing a helmet and then except the consequences either way.  I don't like wearing a helmet but I personally find it a necessary evil.

I was on a tour a number of years ago and was coming down a mountain road.  As I entered the last hairpin curve at about 20 mpg my front tire went flat.  Needless to say me and the bike did a somersault.  I wound up with a broken collarbone, three broken ribs and a bad case of road rash.  I don't remember hitting my head but my helmet was broken in 5 places.  Now I never leave home without one.   

[litespeed]

I always wear a helmet. I have crashed at least twice where I have been saved from serious head injury by my helmet (which had to be replaced a couple of those times).

That said, I once had a very rare accident in which I would have been better off without a helmet. It was at a spot on a sidewalk/trail where a telephone pole guy wire infringed on the right side. I was used to dodging it but once got distracted dodging glass on the sidewalk. The guy wire snagged my right shoulder and helmet, jerking me backwards and slamming me to the ground. I remember briefly looking up at my bicycle. It shattered the helmet and cut my shoulder. Very embarrassing.

As I said, this was a very unusual occurrence. I still wear a helmet whenever I'm on a bike.

[DaveB]

That said, I once had a very rare accident in which I would have been better off without a helmet. It was at a spot on a sidewalk/trail where a telephone pole guy wire infringed on the right side. I was used to dodging it but once got distracted dodging glass on the sidewalk. The guy wire snagged my right shoulder and helmet, jerking me backwards and slamming me to the ground. I remember briefly looking up at my bicycle. It shattered the helmet and cut my shoulder. Very embarrassing.

Was the helmet at fault or would the wire have snagged your shoulder anyway and caused the accident?  Maybe the helmet saved you from being more seriously hurt. 

I grew up riding when no one rode with a helmet.....

Well, I grew up when no one wore (or even had) seatbelts in a car, steering columns were effective spears, all interior surfaces were hard metal and airbags were the stuff of science fiction.   These days we know better.

[e46rick]

A helmet is a personal choice - (unless a local law dictates otherwise)

Personally, I choose to wear a helmet. 
I figure if I chose not to wear it one day, and that was the day I crashed - it would nullify all those other times I wore and didn't need it.