My mother tells me everytime I go ride a bike to wear my helmet, but my friends think its ridiculous. I ride bicycles well i.e. never fall, but how much protection does a bicycle helmet offer.
2007-10-20 09:35:55 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Cycling
TWEETY HAS THE BIGGEST LOAD OF RUBBISH STATS I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!!
I do wear a helmet, but the chances of you having a serious brain injury is minimal at the least! - You are more likely to break your collar bone, wrist, or lose some skin from legs arms,etc.
Have you ever seen the 'Final Destination' films??? this is what the Pro helmet people think is REAL!
It's up to you mate but don't listen to doom and gloom merchants who believe all they read in the papers and who are even frightened of their own shadow!!!!
Just be aware and ride safe.
.EDIT: Stats can be manipulated any way you like , particularly, if the company that commissions the research is Industry related!!! - Helmets have only really been around the last generation - what about the generations before??? half the population should be dead because they never had cycling helmets??( Most of China should be brain-dead vegetables or dead!!!!) Don't be told what to do by scare mongers ! - NOBODY BUT NOBODY can state whether an accident victim would be alive if they wore a helmet !!! -WHAT A LOAD OF TRASH !!!!
Don't believe the CR*P - make your own mind up!!!
EDIT2: Thanks for your 'half witted' comments Stephanie, but you are missing my point. Yes, I do wear a helmet and I am not telling people "don't wear them" - Read my posting again or better still, get an adult to read it to you and explain it's content !!
Up until a few years ago I didn't wear a helmet and the reason I do now is nothing to do with 'scaredy cats' or being a man! (your statements regarding this, belies your intelligence, or lack of!)
If you fall for every piece of Hype and Dogma, you would never eat sleep or do anything, you can't even hide indoors cos the Radon gas seeping through the rocks would kill you, or your house dust mites would eat you alive! Live in YOUR 'scaredy cat bubble' if you must - but there are intelligent people out there that are able to make up there own minds.
By the way do you have any stats reporting the people that have died of strangulation or throat laceration because they fell off their bike wearing a helmet??? YES it happens!
EDIT3: I was riding a sportif a few weeks ago and another rider hit a sheep!, broke her collar bone and punctured her lung - Perhaps you should consider shoulder pads and a chest protector next time you ride to the shops!!!!!
.
2007-10-20 10:33:04 · answer #1 · answered by onlyme Mr G 5 · 1⤊ 3⤋
They protect a lot. As in everything safety related, there can be accidents in which it wouldn't matter if you were wearing one or not, but it's just a smaller percentage, and safety speaking, you have to play the numbers.
It doesn't matter if you're good or bad, or just riding across the street or across the country, you can have a big accident 10 seconds from starting. Maybe you would say it's just number-crunching or sensationalism, but untill you see a crashed helmet and the guy walking away you might probably believe it's just a nuisanse.
Depending on the riding you do, you might do well just with a standard helmet, but if you do more jumps or downhill stuff, a full face is a great protection. A friend of mine which is very good at riding has fallen face-first on dirt, and the full face really protects more aggresive riders.
2007-10-21 14:32:04 · answer #2 · answered by Roberto 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You bet they do! I am a professional fireman and go to several hundred emergency medical calls each year. I have been to several bicycle accidents with and without helmets being worn. I have personally been on two calls where the cyclist would still be alive if he were wearing a helmet. I have also witnessed the aftermath of several horrific cycling accidents where the rider was still alive due to the helmet. In one case, the helmet actually broke in half! This involved a 9 year old girl who went through the windshield of a car. Other than superficial scratches, she was fine.
Wear your helmet. It is much cooler than drooling for life, or the inside of a casket.
Be safe.
Mike B
2007-10-20 10:00:06 · answer #3 · answered by Mike B 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Helmets work and save lives. Two weeks ago in the Seagull Century, a rider took a faceplant at approx 25 mph. His head injuries were so severe that he was helicoptered out for emergency brain surgery. He was wearing his helmet, and wearing it properly. The helmet was shattered because it had absorbed almost all of the impact to his head. If he were not wearing that helmet, he would have not been taken off the course in a helicopter. He would have been taken off in a hearse.
Never put your butt on the seat without your helmet on your head. Ignore your friends. Let their brains be the topping on a street pizza, not yours.
2007-10-20 15:34:02 · answer #4 · answered by intrepidfae 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without a doubt they save lives. If you haven't been convinced yet, go to http://www.roadbikereview.com/Helmets/PLS_1636crx.aspx and read reviews on different helmets. While some have more features than others, you'll find lots of stories of people who survived serious falls because they wore a helmet. Even professional riders fall occasionally and they wear helmets.
2007-10-20 15:49:31 · answer #5 · answered by Terrence B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It offers plenty of protection, and could mean the difference between life and death.
Look at it this way...we know you're a good bike rider, maybe even a great one...but what about the automobile drivers on the road?
Believe me, your Mom trusts YOU out there, she knows that you're a great rider....it's the OTHER DRIVERS that she DOESN'T trust, and with good reason!
If you get hit by a car while on your bike, you have no chance..
You'll be sent flying onto the pavement... you head can be cracked open (sometimes literally) by the impact on the street... wearing a helmet can save your life!
Just because you're a great bike rider, doesn't mean there aren't terrible drivers on the road that might not see you until it's too late.
The GREATEST BIKE RIDER IN THE WORLD has NO CHANCE against ONE bad car driver that hits them (unless, of course, they're WEARING A HELMET) :) .
Wear the helmet...
And don't worry about what your idiotic friends say. If you get hit by a car and end up in the hospital, they won't be there for you...but your Mom will be!
Ten years from now, you won't even know where most of these 'friends' of yours are. And they won't know where you are either.
Some stats for you (sourced below):
# There are 85 million bicycle riders in the US.
# 784 bicyclists died on US roads in 2005. 92% of them died in crashes with motor vehicles (720).
# About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized.
# Bicycle crashes and injuries are under-reported, since the majority are not serious enough for emergency room visits.
# 1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries has a brain injury.
# Two-thirds of the deaths here are from traumatic brain injury.
# A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent.
# Many years of potential life are lost because about half of the deaths are children under 15 years old.
BTW - I hope you don't think that your friends care more about you than your mother does...but it sounds like that's exactly what you think.
2007-10-20 09:42:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 2⤋
in a mountain biking magizine i saw a pic of someones helmet with a rock about 2in. wide in the ventilation slit. it was impossible to take out. i think helmets protect a ton. it doesn't matter if you dont fall. someone could run into you and make you fall down. it happened to me. always wear your helmet no matter what.(for biking)
2007-10-21 04:41:27 · answer #7 · answered by Kojman47 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you hit your head it helps protect If you get hit by a car> good luck.
I fall plenty off road, not so much on the road anymore. I wouldnt get on a bike without a helmet
2007-10-20 13:36:42 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
About 3 years ago on my self supporting bicycle tour in USA , fully loaded panniers in back and loaded low riders in front , nice fast asphalt , was evening and was nice warm weather . Cycling life is so beutifull ....... I just had pleasure from high descending speed downhill on Cascade highway , I was relaxed and full of adrenalin not far from really fast long S , I did see it all ready , behind it is small hill , about 60 meters long and and another fast short descent , my cyclocomputer show speed 76 km per hour and I was shure that I will approach this small hill by rate of speed close to 90 km / hour when suddenly from my left start flying rocks from the mountain , one rock about half car size and smaller rocks missed me just about 10 metres , there was not enough time and space to do anything to avoid flying rocks then press my Maguras brakes and start braking hard when another flying small rock about baseball size hit my helmet . I did see on this moment before my eyes all the colours , I do remember that I stop full of pain on right side of the road , felt from bicycle and collapsed . Ambulance crew because of my colourfull face took me to hospital , they book me in and I had to stay in 5 days for observation . ( I was lucky that I had travel insurance , it will be expensive ) Beside the bed nurse place rest of my helmet , about half from it in pieces . This excellent madeTrek braincatcher did safe my life !
2007-10-20 12:11:47 · answer #9 · answered by Vladimir 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The helmet will protect you to its utmost capability when you crash. Just make sure that you get a good quality helmet with a nice look so your friends will envy you.
2007-10-23 20:20:46 · answer #10 · answered by Ryaski 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋