Hello All,
I'm admittedly new to the community, but Julie H. told me this group is amazingly diverse and very (hopefully) willing to offer their honest opinions on issues in the Cycling community.
Here's a little background. I'm a reporter from RedEye, and I'm looking into what seems to be a more controversial issue than most people thing: Actually wearing a helmet. I've heard from some great people on both sides, but in the interest of a balanced perspective, I would love to hear from some folks who choose NOT to wear a helmet. I've seen some people say it's a vanity/comfort issue, and others who question the effectiveness of the practice.
Whatever the case, I would be very interested to hear your opinions on the issue. I can be reached most quickly at mswasko@tribune.com. Also, if you have comments you'd like to post in the thread, I will be watching.
Thank you all very much for your help.
mick
Tags:
A hundred million pluses.
April said:
I won't mention my personal preferences, but when I was doing research for the Ride of Silence flier I noticed that in many of the news reports about bike fatalities the reporter felt it was necessary to mention whether or not the victim was wearing a helmet. Sometime this vein of reporting seemed kind of accusatory: "There was helmet found at the scene but no reports as to whether the victim was wearing it during the crash" This struck me as similar to the idea of placing blame on a rape victim because she happened to be wearing a short skirt. Juan, this might be something interesting to include in your article. Is the larger community perception (outside of cyclists) that a cyclist is irresponsible to choose not to wear a helmet and thus shares responsibility in any injuries they might sustain while cycling? What a scary idea that is!
I used to leave the helmet at home if I was running a quick errand or going out and not going far. Then I got doored on my way home from work. Thankfully I did have a helmet on, b/c I flipped all the way to the pavement after my legs hit my handlebars on the way off. Could have been 2 flips, might have only been 1.5. Things got a little fuzzy.
My clearest memory, as my helmet scraped along the pavement as I was completely upside down straight up and down in the air like a breakdancer, was thinking "at least I have my helmet on." The sound it made dragging along the roughness of the street pretty much crystalized things. Definitely saved some scalp and some hair, probably saved a concussion too. I don't care if you don't wear a helmet, but you won't see me without one.
For the first few years of trail riding in rural Wisconsin I never wore a helmet. One day I was going for few block ride to grab an ice cream when I hit a pothole had my chain jump and went over the handlebars. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. My arms reaching out in front as I supermanned over handlebars but they buckled under the impact and I went skating along the top of my helmet-less head for a moment before tumbling. After hearing the sound of my skull grating on asphalt no helmet = no ride.
It took almost 2 years of commuting in Chicago before wearing a helmet saved me from serious injury. A broken finger and shattered helmet seems like getting off easy though.
+1 for helmets.
For me, wearing a helmet is an insurance policy against all the random variables I can't account for in my ride...potholes, car doors, absent minded peds, etc. I have and will heal again from bumps and bruises but will likely not recover well, if at all, from a serious head injury if not protecting my brain.
If it's uncomfortable you probably don't have a proper fitting helmet and should play with the straps; or buy a new one.
Cost shouldn't be an issue because you can buy one for relatively cheap that is still held to the same safety standards as more expensive ones. The increased cost is in the venting system, design and brand name so safety is not compromised.
It's time to get over any reservations about not wearing a helmet and protect your most important asset ....so you're ready for the next ride.
Dave Grossman said:
+1 for Helmets
You can't compare riding in Chicago to Holland or elsewhere with a significant cycling infrastructure. It is apples to oranges.
When I hit a pothole on my way home from work going 18 mph a few weeks ago and my head bobbed off the pavement three times, I was sure glad I had on a helmet. I might not be typing this right now otherwise.
THIS. Seriously, if you don't wear a helmet -- especially in the States where drivers are typically oblivious to cyclists -- then you are unnecessarily putting yourself at the mercy of idiot drivers and bad pavement.
Crank said:
+1 for helmets.
For me, wearing a helmet is an insurance policy against all the random variables I can't account for in my ride...potholes, car doors, absent minded peds, etc. I have and will heal again from bumps and bruises but will likely not recover well, if at all, from a serious head injury if not protecting my brain.
If it's uncomfortable you probably don't have a proper fitting helmet and should play with the straps; or buy a new one.
Cost shouldn't be an issue because you can buy one for relatively cheap that is still held to the same safety standards as more expensive ones. The increased cost is in the venting system, design and brand name so safety is not compromised.
It's time to get over any reservations about not wearing a helmet and protect your most important asset ....so you're ready for the next ride.
Dave Grossman said:+1 for Helmets
You can't compare riding in Chicago to Holland or elsewhere with a significant cycling infrastructure. It is apples to oranges.
When I hit a pothole on my way home from work going 18 mph a few weeks ago and my head bobbed off the pavement three times, I was sure glad I had on a helmet. I might not be typing this right now otherwise.
I guess we all have our defintion of what a moron is.
To me, a moron is someone who can't tear down and reassemble a Sturmey-Archer hub from memory.
To each their own...
Adam Herstein said:
THIS. Seriously, if you don't wear a helmet -- especially in the States where drivers are typically oblivious to cyclists -- then you are unnecessarily putting yourself at the mercy of idiot drivers and bad pavement.
I corrected my original post because I thought "moron" was too harsh of a term. Still, I would not feel safe cycling on the streets of Chicago without a helmet.
James BlackHeron said:
I guess we all have our defintion of what a moron is.
To me, a moron is someone who can't tear down and reassemble a Sturmey-Archer hub from memory.
To each their own...
Adam Herstein said:THIS. Seriously, if you don't wear a helmet -- especially in the States where drivers are typically oblivious to cyclists -- then you are unnecessarily putting yourself at the mercy of idiot drivers and bad pavement.
262 members
203 members
269 members
63 members
172 members