The Chainlink

as an embalmer i get to see some gnarly shit and today was head trauma from a motorcycle accident. the dude wasn't wearing a helmet and. ironically, was on his way home to get the helmet when he was nailed by a car. i also noticed alot of "tsk tsk finger wagging" from some club riders at some of the riders in the group going down to darklord who weren't wearing helmets. i don't usually wear a helmet but i did saturday and i think as an adult you make your own decisions. so whats the personal take on the matter?

Views: 614

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Yay Lee Diamond!!! Tell 'em how it's done! I'm positively aghast at the multitudes of non-helmet wearing cyclists in this area. I used to bike with a lady who refused the helmet because she didn't want to mess up her hair. Then she had a collision on the pathway (when we weren't biking together) and took a header off of her bike.....that finally changed her mind.

I wear and always have and always will wear Giro helmets.
Great letter. I never wore a helmet when I was in my 20's and hot-rodding all over the city (Chicago) but it was pure dumb luck that I never ended up "in a vegetative state." Two accidents made
the truth actually hit me over the head. The first, the rod holding the axell to the fender of my front tire came loose, jamming into the spokes and flipping me right over the front. Second, the town I lived in had corner sewer grates that were not grids, but actually had side to side bars, as if someone had set bike traps. They got me--once again over the front handle bars and onto a busy street. Now I never, ever go out without my helmet.
I thought to myself your helmet looked like Bern, but i decided to check out nerd helmet anyways.....



Ammo said:
I meant Bern, not nerd. Word salad.

Ammo said:
Cycle smithy is where I got mine.

Joe Asbury said:
Ammo, where do you find Nerd brand? Tho, anything I put on is kind of nerd brand.

J
No brainer (pun intended). I wear a helmet. I don't trust chicago streets or drivers enough to not.

That said, if you don't want to and you're not my relative, fine. That's on you. My relatives (and anyone under 18) gets snark from me about it, but adults are free to make their own choices. I've fallen on rollerblades and a bike and hit my head, and I'm glad for the helmet.
It has been said in numerous blobs (links) it is only a matter of time be fore you go down. Despite the truism once on a bike you never forget, fate will find a way to remind you that you are Human..,curt
I perused this website last year, when I was in the market for a new helmet: http://www.helmets.org/helmet08.htm. They cite the Consumer Reports tests you mentioned, and, as a result, I too purchased a Bell Citi helmet. They also address important factors one might want to consider for a helmet as they pertain to safety and comfort; factors like shape, the shell material's ability to resist catching on surfaces, manner of construction (injection molded or not), et cetera.

I am very satisfied with the Citi. It fits nicely on my melon, adjusts easily, and vents well.

Up with helmets!

BK said:
I looked at Consumer Reports before I bought mine and they rated Bell Citi and Bell Slant the highest based upon impact and strap-retention tests. They tested 13 different kinds including Bell, Specalized, Giro, Trek, etc. The test was done in August 2007 but I think they still sell the Citi and Slant models. After looking at the ratings, I went with the Citi and really like it.

Josh said:
for those of you that do wear helmets. what kind do you own? any recommendations?
Bern makes pretty cool helmets. I don't mind wearing it. Cycle Smithy on clark and deming -ish, is a local shop that carries them.
It's based on the bike I ride which is directly linked to the conditions and speed at which I'm riding.

Helmet on the track, touring and mountain bike and always when towing a trailer. No helmet on the cruiser or upright three speed. I've broken 4 helmets on the ground, 3 in solo wipe outs. I have never smacked my head on the ground crashing a cruiser.

I acknowledge that you can be struck by a motorists while stopped at a light or even just fall over. But the horror stories here seem to be people who were riding fast or too fast for conditions.

25mph!? Good grief, of course you should wear a helmet.
There are some interesting statistics on helmets and injuries on this site:

http://www.helmets.org/stats.htm

According to them, overall there are 300 injuries per million rides, or about an injury every 3300 rides. But a number of factors increase the likelihood of accident. A disproportionate number of bike injuries occur between 10pm and 1am. Thirty-two percent of all cyclists who suffer injuries have been drinking. Finally, men are two and a half times more likely to get into bike accidents. So if you are a guy out late riding your bike between bars and are not wearing a helmet, you're really pressing your luck.
My cousin died on his bike of head trauma.

Helmets are for people with brains to protect.
Looks like I would have to wear a helmet around all these helmet wearers. A friend of mine from Amsterdam (the Dutch Ninja) told me to ask all these chain smoking, guilt tripping, smarty pant, lushes, if they have any stats for skateboarders and skaters suffering the joys of head trauma as well. He is still not convinced that he needs to put a brain bucket on despite all those American style horror stories.
it only takes one time , then it is to late....

John Dominguez said:
Looks like I would have to wear a helmet around all these helmet wearers. A friend of mine from Amsterdam (the Dutch Ninja) told me to ask all these chain smoking, guilt tripping, smarty pant, lushes, if they have any stats for skateboarders and skaters suffering the joys of head trauma as well. He is still not convinced that he needs to put a brain bucket on despite all those American style horror stories.

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service