No Helmet, no clue

sanjuro · Nov 15, 2008

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=467390

pnj · Nov 15, 2008

Helmet use will start to increase. Levan is wearing one now and it sounds like Mikey will be sporting one as well, if/when he gets back on a bike.

There will always be those that go against the grain and refuse to wear gear.

Axis · Nov 15, 2008

Here is how it works....

Young males with massive amounts of testoserone are compelled to prove themselves via taking risks... big risks. This is programmed into our unconscious mind... much of human behaviour is irrational. It isn't right or wrong it just is.

nervous_john · Nov 15, 2008

I've always wondered why it is that in almost every other sport everyone accepts that protection is a necessary part of the activity. You don't really ever see a hockey, baseball, or even volleyball player going around sans cup, batting helmet, or knee protection even if it is uncomfortable, hot, or looks funny. Fact of the matter is that crashing is a part of biking no matter what your skill level or whether you plan on taking a spill or not. Why street riders refuse to wear helmets and DH riders refuse to wear armor but will wear a leatt brace and helmet is beyond me. I guess I wonder why it's more fun to bleed and take an incredibly expensive trip in an ambulance than to wear some smelly armor and a hot helmet, crash, and laugh about it over a beer.

sanjuro · Nov 15, 2008

Axis said:
Here is how it works....

Young males with massive amounts of testoserone are compelled to prove themselves via taking risks... big risks. This is programmed into our unconscious mind... much of human behaviour is irrational. It isn't right or wrong it just is.

I hope young males continue taking huge risks because that makes for more interesting riding shots and vids.

But not wearing a helmet doesn't make more exciting riding.

sanjuro · Nov 16, 2008

Sadly, someone is going to have to die before people get it into their heads to wear helmets.

This is exactly what happened in road racing. A top pro, Andrei Kivilev, could have survived a race crash if he had been wearing a helmet. The next season, with this death still on people's minds, UCI instituted the helmet rule, which people still follow today.

Zach Dank · Nov 16, 2008

sanjuro said:
Sadly, someone is going to have to die before people get it into their heads to wear helmets.

This is exactly what happened in road racing. A top pro, Andrei Kivilev, could have survived a race crash if he had been wearing a helmet. The next season, with this death still on people's minds, UCI instituted the helmet rule, which people still follow today.

Multiple people have died from skateboarding with no helmet. It changed nothing.

WhoRyder · Nov 16, 2008

You know, i brought up the same issue on another forum and some people got all emotional and upset about it....

And i donated 20 bucks to Mike A. fund raiser. (it isn't much, but i have 2 kids of my own)...

I still stand behind "Wear a helmet, stop being a little bitch about it.... because if guys did wear helmets we would not be having this conversation"

scottjustscott · Nov 16, 2008

While I've always said that it should be you own choice if you want to wear protection (whether it be helmets, seatbelts or anything else)or not; you should be willing to accept the consequences. I personlly think that there are too many laws out there protecting us for ourselves. The unfortunate thing is that when something does happen to someone; us "responsible" people also get penalized (through increased insurance rates, catching a gnarly disease from someone who chose not to wear a condom, etc...). Thats my main gripe.
I don't think that we should lump Jimmy Levan in the same group as Gary Young and Mike Aitken though. Jimmy's injury (while still sucked and was tragic) occured while dorking around on a friends skateboard. I mean seriously; how many of you if put in the same situation would say "Hey man, can I try your board? Hold on let me get padded up first."? I know I wouldn't.
I do check Mikey's blog daily and am rooting for him to recover; BMX totally changed when he came onto the scene. That's not the point though, he is a husband and a father and that's what really hits home for me (not the husband part though); although when my daughter was born, I definatelly stepped my riding down. Of course I didn't have the pressures of camera's and sponsors expecting big things for me either.
The thing I find funny is how many guys don't wear helmets but still wear gloves?

joelalamo45 · Nov 16, 2008

scottjustscott said:
catching a gnarly disease from someone who chose not to wear a condom

You getting rear-ended?

Cru Jones · Nov 16, 2008

Snafu is trying to get all bmxers to wear full face helmets. Ain't gonna happen...

http://www.snafubmx.com/default.php?link=http://snafunue.blogspot.com/2008/11/call-to-arms.html

nwd_26 · Nov 16, 2008

Cru Jones said:
Snafu is trying to get all bmxers to wear full face helmets. Ain't gonna happen...

http://www.snafubmx.com/default.php?link=http://snafunue.blogspot.com/2008/11/call-to-arms.html

Maybe they should just go for skid lids first?

Random thought: New Era should release a line of hat-helmets that look like the normal 59Fifty bull****, but with a low-profile layer of D3o underneath. Better than nothing, if possible.

scottjustscott · Nov 16, 2008

joelalamo45 said:
You getting rear-ended?

Hahaha I guess I didn't think about it that way. I meant indirectly; like you did some chick who caught something from the previous dude she was with.

Bicyclist · Nov 16, 2008

scottjustscott said:
I mean seriously; how many of you if put in the same situation would say "Hey man, can I try your board? Hold on let me get padded up first."? I know I wouldn't.

I know a kid that died doing an ollie on a borrowed board. Something to think about...

4xBoy · Nov 16, 2008

I often road ride without a helmet, I spent most of my life riding without one.

Safety nazis frustrate me.

demo 9 · Nov 16, 2008

Bicyclist said:
I know a kid that died doing an ollie on a borrowed board. Something to think about...

just outa curiosity do u ride with a lid? (only asking because u saw that go down)

dan wask · Nov 16, 2008

sayndesyn said:
How the hell is it that after Jimmy and Gary have suffered serious brain trauma no one has learned a damn thing. I think Mike Aitken is a great rider, but wtf. For some reason helmets are acceptable in the park and at the trails, but wearing one on the street is blasphemy. Is bmx really so damn trendy that we have to steal the hard knock image of skateboarding. To be honest it is hard to even feel bad for people who get a brain injury and have a fund raiser in their honor when they could of simply put on a helmet instead of being a slave to a stupid image. I'm sure I'm preaching to the quire being that this forum is mainly 26" riders or at least converts, but I just felt like venting.

It's a proven scientific fact that helmets worn in the steets block the steeze glands. Thats why I'll never wear one.

Bicyclist · Nov 16, 2008

demo 9 said:
just outa curiosity do u ride with a lid? (only asking because u saw that go down)

Ironically not always when I just ride around town. For anything big, yes.

EDIT: Also, I didn't see it happen, just heard about it. Kid was a few years younger than I was, I went on a school snowboard trip with him a few years ago though.

4xBoy · Nov 17, 2008

sayndesyn said:
I'm not of the mind to make it a law. People should be smart enough to regulate themselves. What I am saying is if you are dumb enough to ride without one and without full coverage insurance don't have the gall to ask for money when you could of prevented the whole thing, but CHOSE not to. On a side note, I realize that it is usually the family that is strapped for cash, not the incapacitated rider.

I agree with you on this.

I just am the devil's advocate on most subjects.

Nick · Nov 17, 2008

I never post in helmet vs. no helmet threads. I wear a helmet 90% of the time I'm riding, be it trails, jumping or my road bike. I may not be the typical poster in this forum as I'm 39.

Having said that;

With the progression thats taking place in just the last few years and riders going bigger and bigger, people need to consider that even WITH a helmet the chances of serious head injuries are high.

Its my opinion that a helmet will reduce the severity of a head injury many or even most of the time, but when the fall involves falling from 15' in the air at 20+ mph that helmet is only going to do so much.

I don't rip riders who choose to not wear even minimal protection, I believe its everyone's choice, but I sure do question "why not" when those same riders have wives and children that count on them.

jonKranked · Nov 17, 2008

Nick said:
...people need to consider that even WITH a helmet the chances of serious head injuries are high.

Its my opinion that a helmet will reduce the severity of a head injury many or even most of the time, but when the fall involves falling from 15' in the air at 20+ mph that helmet is only going to do so much.

Yup. 2 summers ago one of my closest friends was out on a street ride with some friends. They were tooling around in a parking garage and started racing down. My friend went to jump through this little passageway, but jumped too high and smashed his head into the overhead support. 10 Fractures in the skull, a broken eye socket, and a week-long induced coma. And this was WITH a helmet. We all know for a fact, that had he not been wearing a lid, he would no longer be with us. He's fine now, but damn did he scare us.

If you think it's hard wearing a helmet, try sitting next to your best friend in the ICU for a week while he's in a coma, not sure if he's ever going to wake up.

johnbryanpeters · Nov 17, 2008

4xBoy said:
I often road ride without a helmet, I spent most of my life riding without one...

I did that until I smashed my head. Wise up.

jonKranked · Nov 17, 2008

johnbryanpeters said:
I did that until I smashed my head. Wise up.

I won't lie, I've done road rides without a helmet before - but this was in rural farmland in upstate NY farmland where you can see a mile down the road minimum. While it IS a great feeling to have the wind rush through your hair, I don't want it rushing through my brain because of a car. I don't wear a helmet on a road bike because I'm confident in my skills, I wear it because I'm NOT confident in a lot of people's driving skills.

johnbryanpeters · Nov 17, 2008

Wull, I was doodling along on a suburban road and the front wheel fell out due to a defective skewer. The only reason that I am alive is fool's luck and the fact that it was rush hour.

Skills don't save you from dropouts striking macadam.

jonKranked · Nov 17, 2008

johnbryanpeters said:
Wull, I was doodling along on a suburban road and the front wheel fell out due to a defective skewer.

Were you trying to do a wheelie, or were you just JRA? :biggrin:

johnbryanpeters · Nov 17, 2008

jonKranked said:
Were you trying to do a wheelie, or were you just JRA? :biggrin:

Pothole and not a big one - maybe a one-inch drop in the pavement surface, just enough to let the wheel escape. I was commuting, not in a hurry, not going real fast, not trying tricks. NO warning - just instant transition from JRA to on my knees by the side of the road having trouble seeing and a real bad headache and my right eye being pushed out of its socket by pressure from internal bleeding. I do not recommend the experiment.

ServeEm · Nov 17, 2008

If I remember the damage done in Aitken's crash, a helmet wouldn't have prevented much. Get off your soap box this nagging question gets old. People are going to continue going through life making choices that aren't exactly safe or smart. You just need to worry about you and yours. I understand that question pops in your head of, "why" when a pretty awful accident happens but it's been going on for ages and will continue.

scottjustscott · Nov 17, 2008

ServeEm said:
If I remember the damage done in Aitken's crash, a helmet wouldn't have prevented much

That's kind of what I thought about his crash too but I wasn't quite sure and didn't want to post wrong information.
One devil's advocate argument would be "where will it end?" I broke my elbow slipping on an icy sidewalk last winter. Am I supposed to wear crampons and bring my ice axe next time I walk to the grocery store?

Hawaii 1979 · Nov 17, 2008

I started riding BMX again after quitting in the early 80's. I wear a full face helmet whenever I ride now. I went thru several crashes already. Few were bad enough that I ended up tossing my D2 helmet in the trash and buying another. The helmet saved me some serious dental work for sure. The mouth guard left a divit in the dirt and I was seeing stars but greatfully no injuries. I'm sold on helmets for sure.

jk

WhoRyder · Nov 17, 2008

I think the point the original poster was trying to make is this:

If you're doing a sport that may cause you harm, at least do it with a little protection.

It's like having sex.....

If you don't wear a condom you may end up with Herpes or some other ****, maybe HIV.... (is that a risk you wanna take?)

That being said, i donated money to Mike Aitken,, again 20 bucks ain't much, but i have 2 kids and we're in a recession.... I hope the very best for him, and his family and wish him a full Recovery.

sanjuro · Nov 17, 2008

scottjustscott said:
While I've always said that it should be you own choice if you want to wear protection (whether it be helmets, seatbelts or anything else)or not; you should be willing to accept the consequences. I personlly think that there are too many laws out there protecting us for ourselves. The unfortunate thing is that when something does happen to someone; us "responsible" people also get penalized (through increased insurance rates, catching a gnarly disease from someone who chose not to wear a condom, etc...). Thats my main gripe.

I think the problem for someone like me is that there is a cost involved when you don't wear a helmet.

Let's say you slam your head into the pavement. Someone calls an ambulance and the police. You require a hospital stay and then rehabilitation, possibly long term care.

If you are wearing a helmet, then we laugh at bloody knees and torn-up shirt and tell you to get up, sh*thead.

ServeEm · Nov 17, 2008

sanjuro said:
I think the problem for someone like me is that there is a cost involved when you don't wear a helmet.

Let's say you slam your head into the pavement. Someone calls an ambulance and the police. You require a hospital stay and then rehabilitation, possibly long term care.

If you are wearing a helmet, then we laugh at bloody knees and torn-up shirt and tell you to get up, sh*thead.

Then wear your helmet and have a coke and a smile. This preachy sh!t is for the birds. To go out of your way to point this out is as annoying as my wife nagging me to take out the trash during a football game.

Now if your teaching your kids to ride trails or some grom, yea it'd be wise and responsible to tell em to wear their helmet. But to ask, "why, why, why don't these trendy riders choose not to wear a helmet when riders of pro caliber end up in the hospital not wearing lids"? Leave it alone already.

sanjuro · Nov 17, 2008

I wish I could just laugh at you when you crash on your skull and go Nelson, Hah-Ha, when the scalp has separated from your head.

But I am going to give you a hand. So I am sorry if I sound preachy.

ServeEm · Nov 17, 2008

^^^^ I DO wear a helmet so eat a d!ck sanjuro. That's some low sh!t to say to a fellow rider, just as bad as wishing death on someone. Very nice...

bdamschen · Nov 17, 2008

Here's a good question then- where does it end?

Say I wear a helmet when I ride, but no other protection. Am I a clueless idiot when I break my neck or back for not wearing a leatt or something with spine protection? What about if I fracture an elbow or knee because I didn't wear other pads? What if I wear all that crap and some how manage to impale myself through the chest with my bike or branch because I didn't wear a roost guard?

What's an acceptable amount of preventable risk? And how many more precautions is a person required to take over someone else before he can call them clueless when they hurt themselves?

I know a lot of couch potatoes who could just call any one of us dumb for not staying at home and watching TV where it's safe.

sanjuro · Nov 17, 2008

ServeEm said:
^^^^ I DO wear a helmet so eat a d!ck sanjuro. That's some low sh!t to say to a fellow rider, just as bad as wishing death on someone. Very nice...

Oh, I don't think that. A lot of my crew of guys do though, but I am the one to stop and help.

I did it just a few days ago, a few months ago, and I will do it again.

In my defense, you should read what I wrote again.

johnbryanpeters · Nov 17, 2008

I think you'd probably start with injury statistic, how many of what severity of injury occur per rider per year. I can't cite any, but my guess is that impalements are rare.

There wouldn't be any magic formula you could apply, though.

Centers for Disease Control:

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.

1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries had a brain injury.

Two-thirds of the deaths [were] from traumatic brain injury.

New York state data seem to show that for every 100 bicyclists that show up in the ER, about one will have a severe brain injury (http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/research/injury/bike/bikesev.pdf and http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/research/injury/injury.htm).

No Helmet, no clue

Turbo Monkey

Tube Smuggler

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings

Monkey

Chimp

Tube Smuggler

Turbo Monkey

Tube Smuggler

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

My name is Nick

Detective Dookie

Hero

Detective Dookie

Hero

Detective Dookie

Hero

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Chimp

Turbo Monkey

Tube Smuggler

Turbo Monkey

Tube Smuggler

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Tube Smuggler

Hero