Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Leah on April 27, 2009 at 4:19pm

I always wear a helmet, period. And if I forget it (it's happened), I always go back to get it no matter how late it will make me. And if any of my friends ride with me, I'll only ride with them if they're wearing a helmet. I feel pretty strongly about it.

I can't remember who said this earlier, but what I always tell my friends is, "I'm not worried about you and what you'll do. I'm worried about what other people will do." And to the objection of, "But we're only going a few blocks", I say, "How many blocks does it take for someone to hit you?"

I know to each his own, but this is what I say to my friends: "If someone said to you, 'You can avoid cancer by sitting in that chair over there for 10 minutes,' would you do it? It's fully within your capability, it doesn't hurt, and it could keep you from something terrible. What about, 'You can avoid massive head trauma by wearing a hat.' Would you do it?"

Yes, helmets might not eliminate all head trauma. But on a scale of 1-10, is a head trauma of, say 2 severity better than a head trauma of 9? Yes.

When it really comes down to it, I know I'm only in charge of me. But I think to myself, what if I was on a ride and someone hit me, and I became a quadraplegic or had a terrible head injury where I couldn't function. And if I knew that all I would have had to do to avoid it was wear a helmet... I think if the crash didn't kill me, the regret would.

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Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on April 27, 2009 at 4:24pm

I always ride with a helmet. Once in a blue moon I forget, and I am terrified and have to turn around as quick as I can.

I have personally been saved by wearing a helmet on one occassion, but that is enough for me. I am pleased that my helmet is free of scars, wearing out just from use. That seems like how it should be, like the groove getting worn on a favorite record.

The main thing that has me convinced is seeing my son forever having to struggle with the results of his brain injury. His was caused by an adverse reaction to a vaccine, but in the course of his lifelong treatment, I have met family after family having to cope with brain injuries and they are always devestating circumstances, plenty of them head trauma, and many cycling without helmets. In the four plus years since his injury, I can say for certain we never met any family who had a child in treatment or in the hospital who WAS wearing his helmet and that is no lie.

If you are wondering how many families we have met....it is in the hundreds. Severe brain trauma might not always manifest the same way, but there are always similarities, and the effects are incredibly profound on the individual suffering, and their family. Brain injuries are amongst the most devestating of things that anyone could ever live through and it is brutal on the survivors, so it is important to remember, you don't ever make a decision only for yourself.

Everyone I know through the chainlink is shocked when I tell them I have never been on a Critical Mass. I do a lot of community outreach and cycling and volunteering and people presume that I have ridden the mass. I support the mass, but I have never been.

I only knew about it in the abstract until after my son's injury. Now, since I found out about CCM I have missed every single one I have tried to do. At first there was no way that the responsibilities we had would have ever allowed the thought of such a distraction. Now, as badly as I would like to go, every single month I am unable to because I have to be home to help give Jackson his medications, clean the hole in his stomach where his feeding tube goes, replace the dressing around the tube, lift him from his mat in the living room onto his changing table in the bedroom, wash his face, brush his teeth, change his diaper (he will wear them for the rest of his life), put on his clothes, try to help him through his teeth gnashing, reflux and/or barfing, put him to bed, read him a story, turn him on his side (switches each night), propping him up so he doesn't suffocate, sing him a song, kiss him like crazy, put on his night light and noise and music and turn out the light. All told it is about an hour venture every night, 30 minutes extra if it is the third night, which is shower-bath night. It might seem like a lot, but please bear in mind that Jackson is just a huge kid. He is almost 6 years old, but he weighs 65 pounds.

My wife lifts him only as absolutely necessary because he is too heavy for her. The lift we have for him doesn't fit in the bathroom, or under the bed, so it isn't much good at bedtime. The only people we know that can help us with him are about to have their first baby, so we literally have to do this in some form every night no matter what. Period.

The fact that he is 6 means that we will do this with him for a very long time. Every year he will get bigger, and the task will be harder as my back or knees or whatever give out, and it will never, ever cease to be one of the things that I do. Most of you out there that are riding without a helmet are a lot bigger than he is. If you live through it, but don't make it through as you are thinking of this in the simple abstract, who would do this for you the rest of your life? Who are you going to burden with that unholy task for as long as you live? Who gets to pay for that?

I can't even begin to explain what my family has been through and i know I am simpatico with those families we have met that suffered different forms of head trauma. It is absolutely life-changing for everyone.

My dream is to one day ride the Chicago Critical Mass with my whole family as our monthly routine. I am just dreaming of such a beautiful day, and then i can join all of my cycling friends and people of chicago in what i think must be the greatest thing in the world that i can't even do without some grand interscession.

I also had to quit playing in two bands. My wife quit her job. I had to quit touring. I don't go out. I don't do anything other than work and family. Period. I have nearly $600,000 worth of debt to pay down as a result of everything, so there isn't any time to fuck around to be honest.

I don't regret it, and anyone that knows me at all knows I would do anything for Jackson. But I definitely don't get how anyone can say they are making this decision only for themselves.

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Permalink Reply by Ammo on April 27, 2009 at 4:52pm

The Nerd brand is what I've been sporting. They're pretty nice, and they have great winter accessories too.

Josh said:

for those of you that do wear helmets. what kind do you own? any recommendations?

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Permalink Reply by jonathan kabb on April 27, 2009 at 5:06pm

Without reading any of these answers...I see this 2 ways. They might be harsh, but it's just one person's view. 1) you are supposed to be like a car meaning you follow the rules of the road. Even if you don't, cars are supposed to have working red and white lights or they get a ticket. Also, it's the LAW to wear a safety belt. Consider the helmet your safety belt. Anyone that wants to ride next to vehicles 2000 lbs heavier than them and not wear a helmet in my book is crazy. I have heard too many stories of helmets being the only thing that saved a persons life. 2) This is extreme, but choosing not to wear a helmet essentially means you do not care about your brain. All you have to do is strap it to your head and you might save your life. YOUR LIFE! I am not already with dying and if the only thing I can do on a bike to stop it is ride safe and wear a helmet, you better be f'in sure I'm going to do it.
Also, if you get into an accident and seriously hurt yourself, insurance companies won't be so helpful when they find out you weren't wearing a helmet.
I was in an accident where I got knocked into the street by a door and then run over by the next oncoming car. All the impact was on my lower back and none of it was on my head/helmet. I still retired the helmet just in case it had a crack in it and bought a new one.
Do you wear a seat belt in a car? If so, why not a helmet on a bike. I guess having no hair means I dont have to worry about it being messed up.

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Permalink Reply by Vondo on April 27, 2009 at 5:47pm

I just don't see any real reason not to wear a helmet other than just not feeling like it. I always wear mine, it doesn't take anything away from my cycling experience, in fact, it adds to it because it allows me to feel a little safer when I ride.

As for not wearing a helmet, I believe Darwin nailed it by calling it natural selection. People will adopt certain behaviors to increase their chances of survival, and those that don't, sadly will probably be weeded out over the long run...

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Permalink Reply by Marco Verzocchi on April 27, 2009 at 8:07pm

Wear that helmet..... (and ask your representative to make helmets compulsory
for motorcyclists....)

Last Labour Day it was one of the rare times I rode without an helmet. The bike path
on the lakeshore was really crowded... Just riding 4 miles to downtown. Some Sunday
cyclist (no not a car....) makes a sudden left turn in front of me. I slam on the brakes,
fly over the handlebar, try to land on my arms, but my head still hits the ground. If
I pass out it's just for a couple of seconds, but I do bleed and people around me are
shit scared (ever seen how much blood comes out of a wound on your forefront ?).
Ambulance arrives.... I'm conscious. After a while in the ER I even start joking about
it. Until the ER doctor insists on scan of the head. I'm thinking I don't need it, I want
to go home, I'm fine... What the **** ??? No I am not, the scan reveals two tiny fractures,
a bubble of air in the brain. They decide to keep me in the neurology ICU just in case,
make a second scan in the middle of the night. Trust me, you don't care how cute the
nurse is.... you don't want to spend the night in the neurology ICU.... your friends visiting
will tell you that you're in good shape compared to other people, and you don't want to
go and have a look. And even if later they decide that you're not at risk for bleeding,
they still kill you with the 2nd most powerful antibiotic on the market because you're
at risk for infection (the fractures were between the sinus and the brain.... between one
of the dirtiest places on your body and a place which should stay clean...).

What would happen if you don't have a good health insurance ? keep you in the ER for
the night, no scan, send you home the next morning and hope that there is no damage ?
When you see the hospital bill for 3 days, two CT scans, some additional X-rays to check
your neck and shoulder, the antibiotics, the 20 minutes with a physiotherapist (which you
need because you cannot even lift the arm you've tried to land on) you start being thankful
for having a good health insurance (insert your favorite rant about the US healthcare system,
but it's in one of these cases that you realize the difference between being insured and not
being insured).

That was the last time I rode without an helmet. Even if it's in the city, just riding for 2
miles.... (the day before the accident I was cycling downhill at 40 mph in Wisconsin and
I was shit scared.... s**t happens when you least expect it....)
~

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Permalink Reply by David Travis on April 28, 2009 at 2:05am

Those who have detailed stories to tell of head injuries are the only ones we need to listen to in this debate. I have yet to meet someone who has survived such an ordeal and still refuses to wear a helmet.

If you can't do it for obvious reasons, then do it to show you are not being selfish. Having later to rely on the support of others or cause them grief because of the attitude that not wearing a helmet only concerns the unprotected rider, is at its core a selfish act.

Marco Verzocchi said:

Wear that helmet..... (and ask your representative to make helmets compulsory
for motorcyclists....)

Last Labour Day it was one of the rare times I rode without an helmet. The bike path
on the lakeshore was really crowded... Just riding 4 miles to downtown. Some Sunday
cyclist (no not a car....) makes a sudden left turn in front of me. I slam on the brakes,
fly over the handlebar, try to land on my arms, but my head still hits the ground. If
I pass out it's just for a couple of seconds, but I do bleed and people around me are
shit scared (ever seen how much blood comes out of a wound on your forefront ?).
Ambulance arrives.... I'm conscious. After a while in the ER I even start joking about
it. Until the ER doctor insists on scan of the head. I'm thinking I don't need it, I want
to go home, I'm fine... What the **** ??? No I am not, the scan reveals two tiny fractures,
a bubble of air in the brain. They decide to keep me in the neurology ICU just in case,
make a second scan in the middle of the night. Trust me, you don't care how cute the
nurse is.... you don't want to spend the night in the neurology ICU.... your friends visiting
will tell you that you're in good shape compared to other people, and you don't want to
go and have a look. And even if later they decide that you're not at risk for bleeding,
they still kill you with the 2nd most powerful antibiotic on the market because you're
at risk for infection (the fractures were between the sinus and the brain.... between one
of the dirtiest places on your body and a place which should stay clean...).

What would happen if you don't have a good health insurance ? keep you in the ER for
the night, no scan, send you home the next morning and hope that there is no damage ?
When you see the hospital bill for 3 days, two CT scans, some additional X-rays to check
your neck and shoulder, the antibiotics, the 20 minutes with a physiotherapist (which you
need because you cannot even lift the arm you've tried to land on) you start being thankful
for having a good health insurance (insert your favorite rant about the US healthcare system,
but it's in one of these cases that you realize the difference between being insured and not
being insured).

That was the last time I rode without an helmet. Even if it's in the city, just riding for 2
miles.... (the day before the accident I was cycling downhill at 40 mph in Wisconsin and
I was shit scared.... s**t happens when you least expect it....)
~

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Permalink Reply by T. Mo on April 28, 2009 at 2:13am

This pretty much sums it up for me, too. Besides, I don't want anyone to ever see the color of my brains.

... and I still can't get this story out of my mind: http://www.bicycle.net/2007/giro-helmet-helps-saves-man-head-when-h...


root said:

I think this random comment, posted by a user 'RidingMama' on bikehacks, sums it up best:

I always wear my helmet when I get on my bike, even if it is a test ride around the block. No helmet no riding. A simple easy to follow rule because I like the privacy of being able to wipe my own ass!

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Permalink Reply by Joe Asbury on April 28, 2009 at 2:31am

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

J

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Permalink Reply by Ammo on April 28, 2009 at 4:14am

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

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Permalink Reply by Dana on April 28, 2009 at 4:42am

wearing a helmet should be no different than buckling your seat belt in the car - but then again, people will find every reason to tempt fate there too.

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Permalink Reply by koala on April 28, 2009 at 4:57am

My quick summary: two fractured helmets, one ambulance ride, no fractured skulls. I wear a helmet all the time.

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