Wearing your helmet on bike rides (Page 2)

like others, i've worked in ERs and seen first-hand what brain tissue looks like when it is suddenly and forcefully removed from one's skull. i can assure you it's not pretty. riding without a helmet is like riding without a seatbelt or having unprotected sex with a stranger you just met - you're asking for trouble with a capital "T."

sorry to hear about your friend, sue.

I ALWAYS wear my helmet. I have a family friend who was riding his bike and ran into a parked car head first. He was 10 at the time, LONG before kids' helmets were on the market. He's in his 30s now, but mentally, he is still a 10 year old, at best. I've seen it first hand, and I won't take the risk.

Additionally, I'm happy that professional cycling has implemented a mandatory helmet rule. There are a lot of kids out there who idolize Lance Armstrong, but were receiving mixed messages when they'd see pictures of him in a bike race without his helmet.

I was hoping to see a post from the 3 rocket scientists who voted for "sometimes".  Why so quiet?  Do you already have a brain injury that makes it hard to type?

I'm old enough that when I was a kid we didn't have helmets for anything.  We didn't even have a car seat for my little sister as I recall.  But to not wear a helmet these days - well, I'd like to hear that rationalization - and then I'll laugh at you.

Always, always, ALWAYS!

Brett- I once ran across bike maintenance site where the author promoted not wearing a helmet. His rationale was absolutely retarded. I'll try to find it so that we can all have a good laugh.

Edit: In the meantime, I found this really, really funny reason: "I will tell you why I don't wear a helmet. I choose to let God rule when He takes me, helmet or not. I view a helmet as something that's trying to cheat God, somehow." Uh, yeah...... Isn't there a joke some dude in a flood, sitting on his roof and a boat and helicopter and something else come by to save him and he keeps saying "No thanks. God will save me." Then when he reaches the Pearly Gates and inquires as to why God didn't save him, God says "Dude! I sent a boat, a helicopter and something else! What more do you want?!"

I always wear my helmet.

If someone gets in an accident without a helmet and dies from a head injury is that a "natural selection" event?

Yes you do have that right.  Now let me tell you what the rest of us should have the right to.  If you are ever in a crash and are unable to care for yourself because you're a cucumber laying in a bed (not name calling...just stating facts), the rest of us should have the right NOT to pay for you to vegetate for what's left of your life.

I've been working in emergency medicine for longer than I care to admit and I can't tell you how many people I've taken care of who exercised their "right" to not wear a helmet...and then society gets to pick up the tab (usually to the tune of hundreds of thousands to several million dollars) because even if they do have insurance, it won't come close to covering their emergency care, intensive care, rehab, and skilled nursing for the rest of their lives. 

So, yeah, you may have the "right" to decide for yourself whether or not to wear a helmet.  But along with that right comes the responsibility to take care of yourself and the results of that decision.  And if you think the health insurance you may have now will do it...think again my friend.  It won't even be close.  In essence, you're saying that you have the ultimate responsibilty for yourself...sorry, you don't if you crash.  You're going to leave it up to the rest of us to take responsibility for your silly decision.  Not very ethical or responsible if you ask me.

gee. let's see.  When my kid first started, the helmet went on.  He had just removed his training wheels, and went down a little incline not used to.  Crash. Dented helmet.

One of the neighborhood kids was riding one of MY kids' bikes.  I told him to put on a helmet or get off the bike.  He got all snippy, got back on HIS bike and went home to tell his mom!

My kids have crashed countless times doing reckless stuff on bikes, boards, skates, and even one of those electric scooters.  I should buy stock in Bell and Specialized. 

I bought one of their first ones from our hospital, part of a Keep Kids Safe promo for five bucks.  Not long after, that one was destroyed.  Took it back, got a free one.  cool.

My hubby crashed in front of me, I ran him over and hit him in the head with my pedal/shoe at 20mph.  Stitches right above his eye, would of knocked him out otherwise.

And... I have a $60,000 device implanted in my head, you bet your ass I'm wearing my helmet.