Please wear a helmet!

HelenTheKitchen · April 2011

I was out on a walk on this beautiful day with my family on a great trail that we have running through our neighborhood. We saw quite a few bikers, and at least half of them were NOT wearing helmets. I was very disappointed to see this.

I have known two people on separate occasions to die from head related injuries received from bicycle accidents. Both were way too young to die, both were very experienced bike riders, and in both cases Doctors said their lives would have probably been saved if they were wearing a helmet.

I don't care how well you can ride, usually bicycle accidents are caused by problems completely out of your control (i.e. cars, road debris, and weather conditions).

Biking is great way to exercise, but please wear a helmet. Think of how horrible it would be if you got seriously injured or even died just because you didn't think it looked cool.

Thanks!

Meganne1982 · April 2011

Agreed! When I was 6, my dad was taking his daily early morning bike ride and was hit by a drunk driver in a pick up. He broke both his shoulders and his pelvis, and he was told if he hadn't been wearing a helmet he'd be dead.

Looking "cool" isn't worth losing your life

maryann73 · April 2011

I agree. When my youngest was six, she had her helmet on. I ran inside to get the phone, she took it off, rode down our driveway, hit the bump where it joins the street and bumped her head. Her siblings carried her in, dazed, confused and vomiting. Yes, it was a concussion and very scary.

Fast forward 8 years. We started biking again. We were on a trail and she was wearing a helmet. I was not. A cyclist rode by and yelled "Hey Mom, where's YOUR helmet?" Then I started thinking about how she would feel if I wrecked and she had to deal with me having a concussion. I went out and bought a helmet that day. I look like a dork, but I have too few brain cells anyway, I need to protect them!

catcrazy · April 2011

I'd like to see helmets made mandatory, then no one has to feel like a "dork" as my son puts it. I have a real struggle to get my kids to wear their helmets...if I'm not watching them go out of the door i can almost guarantee its not worn!

hroush · April 2011

I know it saved my life. About 6 years ago I was riding with a friend and we were going down a hill, with me in front, and I crashed into a tree probably going 25 mph. The last thing I remember is being on a road on the way to the park and I had crashed on the opposite side of the park (about 15 minutes). The next thing I remember is being woken up in the hospital and asked what I wanted for breakfast. I had cracked the helmet and came out of it with a concussion and a bruised kidney.

biggiwig · April 2011

Your are so right. I even wear a helmet when I go inline-skating. Pick up a pretty good speed. You can go without knee or ellbow protection, but the head is very very very important to protect.

Atlantique · April 2011

Couldn't agree more!

Not quite the same, but my brother was hit by a pickup truck while on his motorcycle. He was very badly injured. Even WITH the helmet (with a full face mask), he had hundreds of stitches on his face, broke his lower jaw in half and shattered the part of the lower jaw on both sides that connects to the upper jaw, and broke his nose. Most of his teeth are also now implants, as they also shattered. He's got a plate holding the two halves of his lower jaw together.

BUT, he had NO brain damage or skull fractures (outside of the lower jaw). This was absolutely critical to his making a full recovery.

If he could sustain those sorts of injuries WEARING A GOOD HELMET, can you imagine what would have happened if he hadn't been wearing it? His head would have literally exploded on the pavement like a pumpkin.

Helmets absolutely SAVE LIVES!

Becky1971 · April 2011

Here they are mandatory for 16 and under, I wish they would make it mandatory for everyone. I could not expect my kid to wear a helmet and not wear one myself. I still wear one even with my kids all older than 16,and those who are not 18 yet are expected to wear one also, or they don't get the privilege of biking or skating.

I'd like to see helmets made mandatory, then no one has to feel like a "dork" as my son puts it. I have a real struggle to get my kids to wear their helmets...if I'm not watching them go out of the door i can almost guarantee its not worn!

dengarrett · April 2011

Thanks for the post - we got our bikes out of the attic today and discussed that we are getting helmets. Probably pads too.

Pandorian · April 2011

Helmets are worth it, and they make some pretty funky ones, let the kids pick out one that fits and that they like so they'll wear it. The days of wearing a Styrofoam bowl on your head for the helmet are ancient history now. There are very cool ones that you can color-match to your bike etc. No excuse not to wear them.

craftylatvian · April 2011

Helmets save lives. Make sure it fits correctly, low on the forehead and not tilted back.

jrbb0309 · April 2011

Two years ago, I went ice skating with my husband and daughter. I am a good skater - did figure skating as a kid, played hockey and ringette all through high school and university. Always wore a helmet for the sports, never for the recreational, even though I had my daughter wear one. I caught my toe on the back of my blade, fell backwards and hit my head incredibly hard. Basically bounced off the ice and hit it twice. I was stupid and didn't go to the hospital immediately, thinking I could tell if I had a concussion and needed to go. Long story short, this is an injury that took me six months to "recover" from and is still causing me problems today. Even if it a head injury doesn't kill you or disable you in some way, it can have effects long and far-reaching. Please please wear helmets for any activities - recreational or otherwise - where there is a chance of a head injury. I am now no longer allowed to do anything where I might risk another concussion, helmet or no.

HelenTheKitchen · April 2011

I love all the support for this topic!

I've never really looked at someone wearing a helmet and thought anything negative like "oh, they look like a dork." However, I have had some pretty negative thoughts when I see someone not wearing one. I seem to only notice when someone isn't wearing one. I also know it's none of my business, but when I see a kid not wearing one I am that person that says "Where's your helmet?" I've gotten some pretty dirty looks from parents, but I would hate to open the paper in the morning and see another story about some kid getting hurt because they weren't wearing one. Besides, it's state law.

Becky1971 · April 2011

Me too, me too! I sit on my porch in the summer time, and holler at the kids going by, I have given helmets away and everything!

I worked with Mentally and developmentally disabled adults, it was sad how many of them were in these homes because of head injuries! No way can I just not say anything.

when I see a kid not wearing one I am that person that says "Where's your helmet?" I've gotten some pretty dirty looks from parents, but I would hate to open the paper in the morning and see another story about some kid getting hurt because they weren't wearing one. Besides, it's state law.

JE55Y · April 2011

I agree that cyclists should wear helmets. I'm a car driver and I've seen alot of cyclists take risks. Obviously not all cyclists are like this but some weave in and out of the traffic, take silly risks, without any care for anyone includng themselves.

When I was younger and had a bike, my younger brother (by 7 years) said to me, "you can fix a broken arm, but you can't fix a broken head." I wen't back inside and got my helmet.

There's no need to take the risk is there?

katschi · April 2011

Drivers and pedestrians should wear helmets as well.
Car accidents and pedestrian runovers also cause head injuries.

If you want to make the decision for yourself to wear one because it gives you a false sense of safety by all means go ahead.
Leave the rest of us adults alone with your nanny state hysterics.

HelenTheKitchen · April 2011

Drivers and pedestrians should wear helmets as well.
Car accidents and pedestrian runovers also cause head injuries.

If you want to make the decision for yourself to wear one because it gives you a false sense of safety by all means go ahead.
Leave the rest of us adults alone with your nanny state hysterics.

Whaaaaat? Really? You think a helmet is a false sense of safety? Ok.

Pandorian · April 2011

Drivers in any modern vehicle have their seatbelt and what are they up to for airbags these days? 10? Of course they also have daytime running lights but so many people bypass them running with the parking lights on instead which means their tail-lights aren't on for visibility... safety devices can't save you if not used. And pedestrians need to use common sense, making sure they are crossing in appropriate areas and seeing that vehicles are stopped. Awful stuff still happens, we've had 3 vehicle-pedestrian collisions in 3 days here.

pmjsmom · April 2011

Drivers and pedestrians should wear helmets as well.
Car accidents and pedestrian runovers also cause head injuries.

If you want to make the decision for yourself to wear one because it gives you a false sense of safety by all means go ahead.
Leave the rest of us adults alone with your nanny state hysterics.

The Center for Disease Control reports that approximately 17% of fatal brain injuries are caused by vehicle accidents while 62% are caused by bicyclists not wearing helmets. Bicyclists do are not surrounds by a vehicle's body and thus are more likely to die in any accident.

I received a serious leg injury in 2001 in a bike accident but I am alive because I was wearing a helmet--my head bounced off the curbing when my bike went down.

garysgirl719 · April 2011

While not stated in the nicest way, I agree with katashi. I also think seatbelt wearing should be removed from the law as well. Do I wear mine? Yes. However, I firmly believe that is my choice as an individual. Whether I choose to wear it or not will in no way impact other drivers. Same goes for helmets. When I climb onto the Harley, wearing that helmet should be MY choice. If I get into an accident and get hurt, that is MY problem. It won't affect anyone else. God Bless Texas law!

Becky1971 · April 2011

Yes and then after you have suffered a severe enough head injury because you didn't wear a helmet or because you went flying through the windshield, the state now gets to pay you disability.

Or someone in your family gets to spend the rest of your life taking care of your daily needs. It may be your choice, but it impacts others when you make it.

lilybean17 · April 2011

I think people look like IDIOTS when they're not wearing a helmet. Any excuse is crap. My brother had a very bad fall off his bike last year and thankfully came away only with a very very bad concussion and a horribly scratched up face. I say only because if he hadn't been wearing his helmet we were assured he would have permanent brain damage or would have died. Yes, it's your choice, but make the right one.

shallo · April 2011

While not stated in the nicest way, I agree with katashi. I also think seatbelt wearing should be removed from the law as well. Do I wear mine? Yes. However, I firmly believe that is my choice as an individual. Whether I choose to wear it or not will in no way impact other drivers. Same goes for helmets. When I climb onto the Harley, wearing that helmet should be MY choice. If I get into an accident and get hurt, that is MY problem. It won't affect anyone else. God Bless Texas law!

If you end up in an accident and get injured enough that you can't work so you go on disability then it is the problem of the people paying taxes

Atlantique · April 2011

While not stated in the nicest way, I agree with katashi. I also think seatbelt wearing should be removed from the law as well. Do I wear mine? Yes. However, I firmly believe that is my choice as an individual. Whether I choose to wear it or not will in no way impact other drivers. Same goes for helmets. When I climb onto the Harley, wearing that helmet should be MY choice. If I get into an accident and get hurt, that is MY problem. It won't affect anyone else. God Bless Texas law!

That's not actually true. It does affect other people. If you happen to cause an accident in which you are very badly injured, the other driver could lose their home and all of their savings trying to pay for your medical care the rest of your life.

And even if you didn't manage to bankrupt the other driver or your family or the state of Texas, I have to believe that at least one person in your life loves you and would suffer tremendous pain and burden caring for you for the rest of your compromised existence following a horrific, but survivable, head injury.

JE55Y · April 2011

Yes and then after you have suffered a severe enough head injury because you didn't wear a helmet or because you went flying through the windshield, the state now gets to pay you disability.

Or someone in your family gets to spend the rest of your life taking care of your daily needs. It may be your choice, but it impacts others when you make it.

Well said Becky!

fatboypup · April 2011

there are two types of riders those whom have fallen and those whom will fall ....... wear a helmet

garysgirl719 · April 2011

Yes and then after you have suffered a severe enough head injury because you didn't wear a helmet or because you went flying through the windshield, the state now gets to pay you disability.

Or someone in your family gets to spend the rest of your life taking care of your daily needs. It may be your choice, but it impacts others when you make it.

The same can be said for any accident. Should we prevent all swimming because someone might jump in and break their neck? No, we trust adults to make adult decisions. The same should be applied to helmets.

fatboypup · April 2011

The same can be said for any accident. Should we prevent all swimming because someone might jump in and break their neck? No, we trust adults to make adult decisions. The same should be applied to helmets.

you may think you have control over your own decisions but when cycling you cant control the variables

BryanAir · April 2011

I rode my bike today 15 miles with my helmet on all the way. Wearing a helmet makes me feel like a more serious rider. Plus my brain is my life. I'm less worried about a fatal crash then one that leaves me incapable of caring for myself and making a living.

Please wear a helmet!

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