General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Wearing your helmet on bike rides Rss Feed  
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Wearing your helmet on bike rides
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Always. Even for a quick spin around the block.156 Votes - [88.14%]
Almost always. All major rides, but not little spins around the block.18 Votes - [10.17%]
Slightly more often than not. But I forget my helmet a lot and still ride.2 Votes - [1.13%]
Only when a race or other organized event requires it.1 Votes - [0.56%]

2005-05-05 7:42 PM

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Elite
2553
20005002525
Tucson, AZ
Subject: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
How often do you wear your helmet on bike rides?

Just curious how often the tri crowd wear their helmets while bike riding. I'm coming from a mountain biking background, where the majority of riders wear helmets on the trail. But I see more road bikers that don't wear one on the roads. So I figured I'd poll the tri crowd, which is a mix of the two.


2005-05-05 7:44 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Champion
7704
50002000500100100
Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
A friend of mine was killed in a bike vs car accident.  She died of head injuries and was not wearing a helmet.  I'm pretty religious about the helmet thing.
2005-05-05 7:45 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Extreme Veteran
476
100100100100252525
San Jose, CA
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
the pool is 1.1 miles from my house. I bike there. I have bagged a swim once as it was left in my girlfriend's car.
2005-05-05 7:57 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Elite
2553
20005002525
Tucson, AZ
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
As for me, I live on a pretty quiet residential street, and the mailbox is about 5 houses down from mine, so I take my beater singlespeed to get the mail and usually won't wear a helmet for that little trip. But everything else on the bike I do. Definitely on MTB trails (higher probability of crashing) and definitely on the roads where there's traffic. If I forget it, then I'm not going on a ride.
2005-05-05 8:00 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Master
2233
200010010025
Mechanicsburg, PA
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
I come from a MTB/BMX background myself, so a helmet is pretty much mandatory. It's just habit to wear one on the road bike.

-Frank
2005-05-05 8:05 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Member
44
25
Central California
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
I'm not one of those in favor of mandatory helmet laws cause I don't like to be told what to do, having said that, I think it's just plain dumb to ride a bicycle without wearing one. I spent years doing a lot of mountain biking and have had my share of OTB experiences. I've actually split a helmet down the middle in a dramatic catipulting fall. My head faired much better than my unprotected legs and arms. It made a believer out of me.

I always wear my helmet whether on road rides or trails.


2005-05-05 8:06 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Extreme Veteran
322
100100100
Bay Area, CA
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
Always Always Always, even down the street...
2005-05-05 8:39 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Expert
725
50010010025
Wilmington, NC
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
Absolutely always.

My son was hit by a car on his way to school 2.5 years ago. If it weren't for his helmet, I would not have been sitting at his induction into the National Honor Society last night. No helmet, no ride.

In fact, I used his cracked, scraped, and punctured helmet to make sure his boy scout troop always wear their helmets. A few mothers called to find out what happened and thanked me for frightening the sons into wearing helmets.


Edited by nuke_angel 2005-05-05 8:51 PM
2005-05-05 8:39 PM
in reply to: #153349

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Expert
666
5001002525
St. Thomas, ON
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides

It may sound harsh, but I think anyone who rides without a helmet is an imbecile. That said, I also wear my helmet all the time because I want my children to feel that riding without a helmet is not an option, and I can't do that effectively if I don't wear one.

The son of friends of ours was on his bike in the driveway, without his helmet. He fell, smacked his head on the concrete driveway, and suffered a major concussion. For a while they were concerned about brain swelling. He was lucky to not have suffered more serious injuries. HE HADN'T EVEN LEFT THE DRIVEWAY. Alot can happen on the way to the mailbox.

2005-05-05 8:42 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Expert
1836
100050010010010025
Lafayette, CO
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides

Let's figure this out:

  • Human brain: ~3 lbs
  • Human head (total): ~8 lbs
  • Human on a bike, avg. speed: ~ 15 mph
  • Car: 1000-3500 lbs.
  • Car, avg. speed, residential: 25+ mph

It only takes a few pounds of pressure to break bone - that plastic helmet exponentially raises your survival chances.

Me?  I ALWAYS wear it. 

And if you happen to be one of those people that just can't stand the thought of wearing one, remember this: if you get hurt, don't have a helmet, and I happen on the scene, I WILL add insult to injury.

2005-05-05 8:46 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Champion
5183
5000100252525
Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
always always always.

my partner is an MD and when she was in med school, on one of her rotations, she assisted with an ER case- a ten yr old boy not wearing his helmet who was hit by driver (happened to be a teen driver.) She was so disturbed by what she saw, it took her several days to recover. She now actually pulls over when she sees a kid w/out a helmet to tell the story of what she saw in the ER, brains spilled, chunks of skull, etc. she gets graphic but it seems to have an effect...


2005-05-05 8:46 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Veteran
166
1002525
Denver, CO
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
ALWAYS, ALWAYS wear a helmet! Biking, skiing, whatever. Just do it! My job is to test people with new brain injuries to determine the type and extent of functional deficits- like how much worse their memory or attention span or language skills are now. Let me tell you- you can get a brain injury even if you don't hit your head very hard. I've heard some wacky stories that made me think about wearing a helmet just for walking around. DON'T GET PUT ON THE SHORT BUS!
2005-05-05 8:46 PM
in reply to: #153331

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molto veloce mama
9311
500020002000100100100
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
we have kids, so we have to lead by example. i've also crashed enough to know i can break myself. i voted 'always', but i admit to riding my 3 speed up and down the alley w/o a helmet a few weeks back. probably the first time i've been on a bike w/o a helmet in years.
2005-05-05 9:10 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Pro
4507
20002000500
Simpsonville, SC
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
Always. Can't let the kiddos see me without a helmet. We require them to wear it even in the driveway. I'll relay the driveway concussion story to my 7 yo who is beginning to question why we wear our helmets when we don't leave the house.

Pam
2005-05-05 9:50 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Extreme Veteran
494
100100100100252525
Horse Country
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
Always, always, always. I'll bag the ride before I'll go lidless. I've taken a few spills, never cracked a helmet, but enough to scare me... and heard enough stories too. Been hit by a baseball (while batting, not biking), etc. It just makes sense. The only place I don't wear a helmet is on my trainer. And if I get rollers, I'll probably think hard about wearing it even then...

For the kids, it's no lid, no ride. And we tell them rather graphically why (not TOO graphically). My daughter once mentioned on seeing another kid riding helmetless - "That girl's mommy must not love her. She doesn't have a helmet on." Another reason why I always wear mine. Kids can spot a hypocrite ten miles away in the dark with a blindfold on.

I fully intend to make it a complete habit before they're old enough to care. And when they do question it... that's when I get the cantaloupe out... or take them for an ER visit.
2005-05-05 9:59 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Champion
4902
20002000500100100100100
Ottawa, Ontario
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
I always wear a helmet whether to commute to work or just go to the corner store.  I've been wearing a helmet since 1974 and did not need to be told by anyone that I had to wear it.  I figured out the benefits all by myself.  Wearing a helmet has saved my life on more than one occasion.   

Edited by Machiavelo 2005-05-05 10:01 PM


2005-05-05 10:00 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Champion
7036
5000200025
Sarasota, FL
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
Always. I bought my first helmet a year ago just before I did my first triathlon - a $12 special on sale at Target. After training for a year and being able to sustain 20mph on my bike, I just upgraded and bought a new Bell helmet. Cheap insurance.

Mark
2005-05-05 10:22 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Champion
6285
50001000100100252525
Beautiful Sonoma County
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
Of the three times I can recall not wearing my helmet, it was unusual circumstances... and I always felt "naked" without it.

The same way I feel when I don't wear my seat belt.

I think the cyclists I see on rides who have their helmets strapped to the aero bars are the funniest. They must be really quick to strap it on their head just before an accident! Almost as *funny* as those kids you see wearing helmets with the straps just hanging down. Reeaallll cooolllll, dude!

When I was a pre-teen, my mother's friend's son died when he was riding his bike and hit a crack in the pavement which forced his bike to topple (I don't know the specifics). His head hit one of those landscaping rocks people put in their yards along the street. Before that, I was a dumb kid who just rode any ol' where without one. Since then, I've rarely gone without one.
2005-05-05 10:33 PM
in reply to: #153423

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Veteran
139
10025
Arizona
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
I'm wearing my helmet now!!!

Of course work requires me to wear one at all times....apparently I'm not very 'coordinated' Sheesh..whatever, It's not like nobody else has managed to get a concussion because they fell off their chair, and i did manage to get my ear caught in the stapler. Hmm, come to think of it, there was the infamous shredder incident.

Whatever, I just wish they would give me back my pencil sharpener..I learned my lesson.


Edited by justjester2000 2005-05-05 10:34 PM
2005-05-05 10:34 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Champion
8766
5000200010005001001002525
Evergreen, Colorado
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides

I agree...always always always!  I wouldn't even THINK about going out without it on.

What kills me (as I think the person above me said) is seeing kids out with helmets on completely improperly.  A lot of darn good that is going to do them!  Only stupid parents allow their kids to get away with that.  If they are going to wear the helmet, they'd better put it on right.  Oh, motorcyclists with the helmets strapped to the back anger me too...why are people so stupid sometimes?

Pardon me while I get down off my soapbox...

2005-05-05 10:49 PM
in reply to: #153331

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Extreme Veteran
341
10010010025
Niagara Falls, Ont
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
yep, gotta wear a lid. mine saved my mellon big time when i t-boned a car at 40kph. still ended up with a concussion and smashed in the side of the helmet but other than that only had a broken hand. not too bad....
btw, bell offers up replacements (at cost) for helmets damaged in accidents. they just want any info (accident decriptions, police reports, photos etc) and they use it for real world research.


2005-05-06 12:27 AM
in reply to: #153331

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Expert
1274
10001001002525
Jackson, Mississippi
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
I often ride through neighborhoods near my house and I see very very few people riding with helmets. If I see any other cyclists out they will have helmets on but the kids in the neighborhoods generally don't. Hopefully when they see a "grown up" (me) riding with a helmet they realize that it's an important thing. Maybe I'll be a little more pro-active from now on.

Always wear it. besides.. the ones they make now days are so light you don't even know they are there!!

2005-05-06 12:37 AM
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Subject: ...
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2005-05-06 8:12 AM
in reply to: #153331

Pro
3903
20001000500100100100100
Andover
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides
I always wear a helmet and it's a good thing. Back in the day I cracked one on a MTB crash. And, the other night, I took a digger, also on the MTB, and hit my head so dang hard everything went black then I saw stars. I even sat there for a minute thinking, "My head!" But, then it dawned on me, as my shoulder started to throb, that I had my helmet on!

I always wear a helmet!
2005-05-06 8:45 AM
in reply to: #153331

Expert
1166
10001002525
Colchester, CT
Subject: RE: Wearing your helmet on bike rides

I've got two kids and the rules are: No Helmet, No Ride.  So I'm never without a helmet.  Need to set an example for them.

Chris

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