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Helmetless riders.

golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
They built a long paved bike path that extends across the river to the trailhead of our main trail network and it seems that there are WAY more people riding than in years past. Which is great but all the newcomers are showing up without helmets and in some cases without bikes that can even handle the type of tralis we have here (i.e. I pass people walking the trails pushing hybrids sometimes).

Anyway, its the helmetless people that bug me. I passed a train of 4 riders yesterday, 3 of them had no helmets and one had a helmet with the chin strap just dangling open. Any they weren't trying to ride an easy trail either, they were on a really rocky difficult trail with a 50' drop off to one side. One of the guys was riding an Enduro, you'd think that he'd know better. Obviously he is in to riding enough to drop over a grand on a bike. What are they trying to prove?

I guess I shouldn't concern myself with it and let evolution weed them out, but it still bugs me.
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,304
13,424
Portland, OR
golgiaparatus said:
I guess I shouldn't concern myself with it and let evolution weed them out, but it still bugs me.
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It bothers me, too. My wife doesn't like to wear a helmet when we ride around the neighborhood and I try to remind her that she could still fall and it's a good example for our daughter.

Yes, I didn't wear a helmet as a kid. But I also had let at risk.
 
johnbryanpeters

johnbryanpeters

Hero
Sep 27, 2001
36,141
16,618
Making moss sad in New Haven, Vermont
Having almost taken myself out with a helmetless crash, I have an urge to stop, grab helmetless riders, and get in their face - especially the happy clueless riders headed to the store for eggs, or, worse, taking the kids for a ride.

Very few times have the circumstances been right to stop and make a polite comment, and if I did, I would probably not be heard.

Frustrating.
 
cracked

cracked

Monkey
May 10, 2008
316
0
walking the thin blue line somewhere in NY
Personally I don't give a rat's a$$ if some douche wants to become a veggie. But You should be a good role model to the little ones around you.......if you're riding without a helmet some little kid who looks up to you will do the same.

I have broken 3 helmets in the last 4 years and that could've been my skull.......that's enough for me to always wear my lid.....even on the easy stuff.

I used to work 911 in NYC on the ambulance and I've seen the little bike accident turn into a doa because they weren't wearing their helmets........but I think Darwinism was in effect there too........gotta cull the herd!!
 
stinkyboy

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
SkaredShtles said:
Man - CO would drive you crazy then... they don't even have a mandatory helmet law for MOTORCYCLES. :disgust1:
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Why should they? Oh because most fatalities on bikes are caused by head injuries.

Oh wait, it's the same with cars as well.

I'm going to yell at people driving their cars for not wearing a helmet today!
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Firstly, I always make some kind of comment (which comes very easy to me, as everyone knows). Usually I say "Helmet...".

Now, the problem for me is this: I am going to stop and help if you get injured. Now wearing a helmet might be your business, but given my extensive experience and first aid training, I feel obligated to help someone injured.

Frankly, I won't ride with beginners who do not bring a helmet. I am probably going to fix any mechanicals and the last thing I want to do is maintain spinal precautions while we wait for a medivac (although a helmet doesn't guarantee that either). But at least I can talk to you if you were wearing a helmet, as opposed to checking your airways for blockage...
 
cadmus

cadmus

Monkey
May 24, 2006
755
0
PNW
I get so pissed when I see helmetless riding in videos. So many kids buy that crap and see their favorite rider w/o a lid and think that's the way to go. Very irresponsible on the part of the riders and producers.
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,304
13,424
Portland, OR
cadmus said:
I get so pissed when I see helmetless riding in videos. So many kids buy that crap and see their favorite rider w/o a lid and think that's the way to go. Very irresponsible on the part of the riders and producers.
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BMX street? They NEVER wear a lid.
 
golgiaparatus

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
sanjuro said:
Firstly, I always make some kind of comment (which comes very easy to me, as everyone knows). Usually I say "Helmet...".

Now, the problem for me is this: I am going to stop and help if you get injured. Now wearing a helmet might be your business, but given my extensive experience and first aid training, I feel obligated to help someone injured.

Frankly, I won't ride with beginners who do not bring a helmet. I am probably going to fix any mechanicals and the last thing I want to do is maintain spinal precautions while we wait for a medivac (although a helmet doesn't guarantee that either). But at least I can talk to you if you were wearing a helmet, as opposed to checking your airways for blockage...
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I actually slowed down for a sec to tell them a little story (which is true): "2 weeks ago my buddy crashed on this very trail, got a concussion and fractured his skull just above his sinus cavity... and he was WEARING a helmet"... then I called "passing on your left" and pedaled around them.
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
golgiaparatus said:
I actually slowed down for a sec to tell them a little story (which is true): "2 weeks ago my buddy crashed on this very trail, got a concussion and fractured his skull just above his sinus cavity... and he was WEARING a helmet"... then I called "passing on your left" and pedaled around them.
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The reality is that there is almost a zero chance anyone will crash. Those fools can ride in blissful ignorance.

Of course, if you do crash, the chances of suffering a severe injury are extremely high without a helmet. That is not so obvious to idiots, and will most likely have to be a lesson learned the hard way.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,656
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
golgiaparatus said:
I actually slowed down for a sec to tell them a little story (which is true): "2 weeks ago my buddy crashed on this very trail, got a concussion and fractured his skull just above his sinus cavity... and he was WEARING a helmet"... then I called "passing on your left" and pedaled around them.
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Those kind of clowns would probably respond by saying "See? Wearing a helmet didn't help, did it?"

It's so obvious that I feel kinda silly trying to convince people to wear helmets. I'm at the point that if the rider doesn't care, and the rider's friends and family don't care enough to convince them to wear a lid, I don't either. I will talk it through with young kids but that's about it.
 
Leppah

Leppah

Turbo Monkey
Mar 12, 2008
2,294
3
Utar
jimmydean said:
BMX street? They NEVER wear a lid.
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hell. most Bmxers don't wear one period. Some of them around here have started wearing them since Mikey Aitken bashed his nog and turned all weird after his coma. i have a buddy that is really good friends with him. He says he's all messed up. Like a little kid in the head now.
 
AngryMetalsmith

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
21,250
10,227
I have no idea where I am
When I encounter a helmet-less rider I greet them by hoping off my bike and punching them in the side of the head as hard as I can.

Then I tell them that wouldn't have happened if they were wearing a helmet. It's good to teach the noobs prevention.
 
P

pbwrench

Chimp
Apr 25, 2009
16
0
Clemson, SC
I got 56 stitches across the top of my head when I was FOUR YEARS OLD, because I went over the bars without a helmet. I always tell customers at the shop that if I could wreck hard enough to do that at 4 years, it doesn't take much, huh? I keep my sister's old purple mushroom-head helmet at the house, and force it on anyone who shows up without their own.

Also, call me critical, but I wish video directors would refuse to film pros without helmets. If they had to wear helmets to film and at races and contests, they'd probably get used to wearing 'em all the time. BMX vids are the worst about this.
 
jdcamb

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,857
8,457
Nowhere Man!
I just yell at them really loud some mumbo jumbo and then ride away yelling at the top of my lungs had "Had I only been wearing a helmet" !! Then I follow them home.
 
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