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avkills wrote:

I agree that wearing a helmet is a good idea. But I never used to wear a helmet while doing all those crazy ass BMX tricks. Yes I had many a painful lessons, but I never did smack my head real hard.  I guess I was lucky.

That's a little different.
Sure its safer to wear a helmet when trick riding - but the real danger is when motor vehicle's are involved.

When an infinitely large object hits an infinitely small object, the infinitiely small object is thrown at twice the velocity of the large object.

Now someone on a bike is not infinitely small, and a vehicle is not infinitely large, but the same principle applies - the person on bike is launched at a speed that is faster than that of the vehicle.

When doing your trick riding, hitting your head can hurt - but the real danger is from being hit by cars, riding where cars are is where the real danger is - and where you _really_ should have a helmet.

I suppose tearing down mountain trails probably as well. Rocks are hard.

Last edited by resedit (2005-02-20 9:00 pm)

Why do you care what other people do? Mind your own business.

I used to think that wearing a helmet was "sissy".  Thank goodness I have changed my mind on this.  I think that the breaking point came when I started to ride a motorcycle and realy got a taste of what speed and impact can do.  I never ride now without a helmet.

avkills wrote:

Here in Colorado they have tons of bike trails w/o the risk of getting pummeled by cars.  I usually don't wear my helmet if I just go on a cruise on the trails.  Keep in mind they are paved.  If I ever do any off road or single track, then the helmet goes on.



-mark

Arghhh.......
I worked at a bike shop for 4 seasons and that just drives me nuts. Paved off street bike paths have higher rates of injury accidents than the road. Mostly I think because people think they are safe and ride like morons and run into each other. Its even worse if the path is shared with walkers, joggers and runners. Most of them with headphones on, oblivious to their surroundings.
Speed is not the issue.  I know many people who sustained bad concussions in crashes that occurred at not much more than walking speed. You'd don't have to be going fast, you just need to fall badly.
It is tragic and stupid that people let their kids ride without a helmet. Modern helmets are light, comfortable, cheap and well ventilated.
An ASTM/ANSI certified helmet can be had for $20, damn cheap brain damage insurance.
Since summer is approaching and I know their are some parents here do something for your child.
A>Make sure they have a helmet that fits well and make sure they wear it correctly, the helmet level on the head covering the forehead. Not riding back exposing it.
B> Check to see the brakes work well on their bikes. This is particularly important if you decided to save money and buy them bikes at Wal-Mart or some such.
Those bikes shipped with brakes that are made of extremely poor materials and rarely work correctly long. Have your child ride the bike past you on pavement and make sure they can lock up the back tire. 9 out of 10 department store bikes will fail this test.
Good brakes will do this with the pressure of 2 fingers, poor brakes take all the might a full grip can muster and crap brakes wont lock up the wheels at any amount of pressure on the levers.
If you don't know how to adjust brakes bite the bullet and spend $20 at a real bike shop to have them make them safe or better yet have them look over the whole bike for safety issues.
You do want them to be able to stop so they can avoid rolling under the wheels of a car, right?

Tallgeese wrote:

Can't say I've ever worn a helmet.
Can't say I ever needed one.

I thought all the short bus kids had to wear helmets all the time?

Pariah wrote:

snip

Yeah I see some real morons on the trails sometimes, but most of the time people here in Colorado are pretty nice.  When I first moved back, I roller-bladed a lot on the same trails, and it was never a problem. We sort of have a unwritten rule on the trails that if someone looks oblivious, you yell to them that you are passing on the left or whatever.

-mark

If I'm allowed to get my stuff out of the youth center, I'll be sure to post the pic of my helmet that says "Worn Under Protest".

Pro_ wrote:

Ill start wearing a helmet if and when I get clipless petals.

I'd think you'd wear a helmet with clips because it'd be harder to bail. Or am I thinking of the wrong type of pedal.

Tallgeese wrote:

the W'rkncacnter wrote:

Tallgeese wrote:

Can't say I've ever worn a helmet.
Can't say I ever needed one.

I thought all the short bus kids had to wear helmets all the time?

Is that the best you can do? I would think that someone in a service that DOES wear helmets all the time would not try that joke.

gozer wrote:

i hate helmets and that's why i continue to rollerblade. bike riders need them whereas bladers don't.

While I think we ought to make kids wear helmets, I say let adults do what they want.
After all, brain dead healthy bodies are the best organ doners.

resedit wrote:

MuckSavage wrote:

Why do you care what other people do? Mind your own business.

When there is a fatallity or serious injury - it impacts everyone.

How so?

MuckSavage wrote:

resedit wrote:

MuckSavage wrote:

Why do you care what other people do? Mind your own business.

When there is a fatallity or serious injury - it impacts everyone.

How so?

Well, a couple of years ago in my town, acollege student wiped out on inline skates, fell off a short cliff, and sustained head injuries that later killed her.  Now the parents are suing the city for a large sum of money.  If they win, where do you think the city will get the money from?  That's just one example.  There's also the fact that more preventable injuries increases the cost of medical insurance.