Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You know what a bigger problem than people not wearing bicycle helmets is?
Cell phones. People walking and texting, not looking. I've seen people walk across intersections texting and not looking, every single time I drive. People talking or texting while driving. That's a bigger problem than bicycle helmets.
In case you haven't fully read this thread ... a helmet saved my life in a bike accident ... so I do know what I'm talking about.
Nobody is forcing anyone to wear a helmet.
Bike / car accidents do happen from time to time ... and you don't get to decide when or where or how they will happen .... they just happen.
And if you are smart ... you'll be wearing a helmet if it ever happens to you.
Also, if you want to start a separate thread about the dangers of texting / cell phones ... feel free to do so. This thread is about bike helmets.
And backseat passengers in cars are supposed to be wearing seat belts so they are not thrown around inside a vehicle.
A bicycle is not the same as a car. It is more like a motorcycle, and motorcyclists are supposed to wear helmets.
You know what a bigger problem than people not wearing bicycle helmets is?
Cell phones. People walking and texting, not looking. I've seen people walk across intersections texting and not looking, every single time I drive. People talking or texting while driving. That's a bigger problem than bicycle helmets.
Backseat passengers heads will flail all over the place when a car gets into an accident with object of choice, why don't car passengers wear helmets?
Heh. I said that!
Also as an FYI to the what - TWO people in this thread who think that us free-riders are selfish risk-takers playing with death every time we pedal past our driveways...
I was riding my bicycle one day, when I was in 7th grade. I was riding off the schoolgrounds on my way home. One of the other kids threw what I thought was a rock at me, as a prank. I veered away from the rock, and onto the side of the street off the curb. I did this JUST as a car was coming by (in the same direction I was riding). Back then, car bumpers were made out of solid steel. This car's bumper was most definitely steel, but it wasn't solid. It had been in a prior accident and had broken away at the corner, and was sticking out around 14 inches away from the car's fender.
The driver was already practically hugging the curb, which he wasn't supposed to be doing. And I was -at- the curb, which I was allowed to be doing. I fell off the bike, onto the ground. I had no idea how that happened, I hadn't seen the fender, because the car was in the process of passing me, when I fell.
The car kept going. I got up, put my hands to my sides to stand again, and felt something wet. I looked down at my hand. There was - flesh. Globules of fat and muscle tissue, a little blood (not much), and sand and pebbles stuck to it, on my fingers. The car's fender had ripped my thigh open in a gash around 10 inches long. The torn fender was so sharp that it sliced neatly through the skin, causing minimal bleeding.
I wasn't wearing a helmet then, either.
So I -did- fall from a bike. And I -did- get hit by a car that caused the fall. And - I didn't die. Imagine that. The odds are greater that I'll die in my car, due to irresponsible drivers on the road with me, than they are with me riding my bike. I don't wear a helmet in my car, either. I do wear a seatbelt, but that's just to shut up the chime in my car. I can't stand the things.
A bicycle is not the same as a car. It is more like a motorcycle, and motorcyclists are supposed to wear helmets.
Not in my state. Not in several states. Eyewear is required, but not helmets.
BTW I -do- wear eyewear when I'm riding my bike. I wear those funky blu-blocker sunglasses that prevent glare and keep everything looking crisp and clear. And keep the bugs and debris out of my eyes. That's actually saved me several times, when irresponsible drivers flick lit cigarettes out of their windows while I'm behind them.
Also as an FYI to the what - TWO people in this thread who think that us free-riders are selfish risk-takers playing with death every time we pedal past our driveways...
I was riding my bicycle one day, when I was in 7th grade. I was riding off the schoolgrounds on my way home. One of the other kids threw what I thought was a rock at me, as a prank. I veered away from the rock, and onto the side of the street off the curb. I did this JUST as a car was coming by (in the same direction I was riding). Back then, car bumpers were made out of solid steel. This car's bumper was most definitely steel, but it wasn't solid. It had been in a prior accident and had broken away at the corner, and was sticking out around 14 inches away from the car's fender.
The driver was already practically hugging the curb, which he wasn't supposed to be doing. And I was -at- the curb, which I was allowed to be doing. I fell off the bike, onto the ground. I had no idea how that happened, I hadn't seen the fender, because the car was in the process of passing me, when I fell.
The car kept going. I got up, put my hands to my sides to stand again, and felt something wet. I looked down at my hand. There was - flesh. Globules of fat and muscle tissue, a little blood (not much), and sand and pebbles stuck to it, on my fingers. The car's fender had ripped my thigh open in a gash around 10 inches long. The torn fender was so sharp that it sliced neatly through the skin, causing minimal bleeding.
I wasn't wearing a helmet then, either.
So I -did- fall from a bike. And I -did- get hit by a car that caused the fall. And - I didn't die. Imagine that. The odds are greater that I'll die in my car, due to irresponsible drivers on the road with me, than they are with me riding my bike. I don't wear a helmet in my car, either. I do wear a seatbelt, but that's just to shut up the chime in my car. I can't stand the things.
Not all car / bike accidents are equal.
The accidents you should be concerned about are when a car suddenly darts out in front of you, or opens their car door right in your path, and you crash at full speed right into the car.
Depending on your speed, you may be knocked unconscious.
THAT is the time when your helmet may be the only thing which keeps you from dying.
I have to admit, what completely astounds me about this thread ... is how several of you are so amendment about keeping fit, and eating healthy, and avoiding foods with chemicals, and doing everything you can to keep your body healthy and strong ... and you then will argue against something as simple and logical as wearing a helmet when you ride a bike.
It's like your life only matters to you when it comes to eating right and exercising ... but not when it comes to protection against serious accidents.
An attentive bike rider will not allow what you described to happen -
Quote:
The accidents you should be concerned about are when a car suddenly darts out in front of you, or opens their car door right in your path, and you crash at full speed right into the car.
And if it happens anyway, then it's because the driver of the car is doing something illegal (like crossing an intersection with a stop sign without stopping) and is going to plow you over, and the least of your worries is going to be a fractured skull. You'd be dealing with multiple internal injuries and a myriad of broken bones, from which you might never recover - assuming you live through it at all. A helmet won't save you from that.
Car doors don't magically open by themselves. That requires that someone be sitting -in- the car, at the time. Perhaps you have problems with attention to your surroundings, but I don't. I also don't make a habit of driving next to parking spaces filled with cars. So I don't have to worry about the car 4 doors ahead of me, where I can't see that there's someone in it ready to open his door.
In our area we have driveways, parking lots with fire lanes, bike lanes, bicycle trails, sidewalks, and wide side-streets with ample room for a bicycle to keep a safe distance from cars parked on the street. There's no reason why anyone in our area would ever have to worry about someone opening their car door, unless -we- are stupid enough to ride too close to the car without looking. And then - yeah. You wear a helmet. To protect you from your own stupidity.
Also, there's simple logic to actually reading WHY people don't wear helmets, before judging them and making assumptions about their character for their choices.
In case you missed it the first time - I wear a wig. I -must- wear one, in public, because I'm a female with splotches of hair on an otherwise bald scalp. I am - what the neighbors kids would say - a freak. And rather than 'be' a freak in public, I wear a wig. Wearing a wig means - not wearing a helmet. If you take the helmet off, the wig comes with it. And that's not something I'm going to allow to happen, when I ride my bike to the supermarket for a half-gallon of milk.
And since you probably never tried to wear a wig, while wearing a bike helmet - and I have tried - lemme tell you. On a hot summer day in New England, the heat between your scalp and the helmet WITH a wig on, is around 10 degrees warmer than the heat between your scalp and the helmet WITHOUT it. It's bad enough that you end up with sweat rolling into your eyes - which is *dangerous* when you're riding a bike. It's bad enough that you can very quickly become dehydrated and feel faint - which is *dangerous* when you're riding a bike. It's bad enough that you will be distracted by the heat and discomfort, and distractions are *dangerous* when you're riding a bike.
I also suppose there should be a law against bicyclists riding their bikes with no hands down a busy street (i just saw this).. as well as a law against car drivers driving with one hand... or no hands. We should make laws for EVERY thinkable scenario.
An attentive bike rider will not allow what you described to happen -
And if it happens anyway, then it's because the driver of the car is doing something illegal (like crossing an intersection with a stop sign without stopping) and is going to plow you over, and the least of your worries is going to be a fractured skull. You'd be dealing with multiple internal injuries and a myriad of broken bones, from which you might never recover - assuming you live through it at all. A helmet won't save you from that.
Car doors don't magically open by themselves. That requires that someone be sitting -in- the car, at the time. Perhaps you have problems with attention to your surroundings, but I don't. I also don't make a habit of driving next to parking spaces filled with cars. So I don't have to worry about the car 4 doors ahead of me, where I can't see that there's someone in it ready to open his door.
In our area we have driveways, parking lots with fire lanes, bike lanes, bicycle trails, sidewalks, and wide side-streets with ample room for a bicycle to keep a safe distance from cars parked on the street. There's no reason why anyone in our area would ever have to worry about someone opening their car door, unless -we- are stupid enough to ride too close to the car without looking. And then - yeah. You wear a helmet. To protect you from your own stupidity.
Also, there's simple logic to actually reading WHY people don't wear helmets, before judging them and making assumptions about their character for their choices.
In case you missed it the first time - I wear a wig. I -must- wear one, in public, because I'm a female with splotches of hair on an otherwise bald scalp. I am - what the neighbors kids would say - a freak. And rather than 'be' a freak in public, I wear a wig. Wearing a wig means - not wearing a helmet. If you take the helmet off, the wig comes with it. And that's not something I'm going to allow to happen, when I ride my bike to the supermarket for a half-gallon of milk.
And since you probably never tried to wear a wig, while wearing a bike helmet - and I have tried - lemme tell you. On a hot summer day in New England, the heat between your scalp and the helmet WITH a wig on, is around 10 degrees warmer than the heat between your scalp and the helmet WITHOUT it. It's bad enough that you end up with sweat rolling into your eyes - which is *dangerous* when you're riding a bike. It's bad enough that you can very quickly become dehydrated and feel faint - which is *dangerous* when you're riding a bike. It's bad enough that you will be distracted by the heat and discomfort, and distractions are *dangerous* when you're riding a bike.
I just hope you never have a bike accident with a car.
Then you will look back from your hospital bed (assuming you survive), and wonder why that wig mattered more to you than your personal safety?
If it was me, I'd leave the wig at home, and bring a baseball cap or some other type of collapsible hat to wear whenever you take your helmet off. It would take seconds to switch from your helmet to a cap.
Since you are out riding on a bike, you are probably dressed in athletic attire which would look fine with a cap.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
