Why I always wear one

Dog Breath

I don't want to start a helmet debate here. That's not the purpose of this post, but rather to tell you of my incident yesterday.

I was cycling home after having done the Early Season Challenge (from Waverton, Chester) when I had an 'off'. Basically I was just entering the cycle path to join the Burton Marshes path (Wirral), which runs alongside and under the A548 flyover by Deeside Industrial Park. I took a wide berth around the barriers and close to the concrete flyover wall, but what I didn't see was a concrete buttress which protrudes from the wall of the flyover and supports a street light for the flyover.

I clipped this buttress with my shoulder and it propelled me to the ground. It actually turned me 180 degrees as I landed squarely on the base of my spine, and both elbows hit the ground. However, the momentum made the back of my head smash into the tarmac. I wasn't unconscious, but was very dazed and had to lay there for a few minutes until I felt I could sit up.

Finally made it on to my bike and rode the rest of the way home. Very sore this morning and didn't feel quite 'with it' in work, so went to the walk-in centre who suggested I should go home and have a few days rest.

While I'm a bruised, sore and have a bit of a headache, I shudder to think what the outcome would have been if I had not been wearing a helmet. I know for sure that I would not be sitting here typing this and would be in hospital, or worse, and that the helmet saved me from more serious damage.

A new helmet is now on order and I will wait until it arrives before venturing out again.

slowbike

You had an accident and wacked your head/helmet - great ...

I don't always wear a lid - I didn't this morning - I didn't fall off either ... I don't expect I'll have an accident on the way home - but I might ...

however ...

I have hit the back of my head - with the boom on a sailing dinghy ... believe me it hit hard - hard enough to stun me and I had to wait for 30 seconds whilst my head cleared (and my brother/crew stopped worrying!). No, I wasn't wearing a helmet and it's not usual to wear one whilst racing - dinghy sailing schools are tending to use them for their students and instructors though.
Although I've been sailing (a lot) for >30 years that incident was the only time I can recall a significant hit to my head and I have no reason to expect another hit (especially as I'm a bit more careful when it comes to gybes!) - and therefore no reason to wear a lid whilst doing so.

Cycling is a little different - you are more exposed to 3rd parties and that in itself could be a reason to wear a lid - plus as you've found, you may have an accident through your own errors of judgement and your head may come into contact with a solid object - but thankfully, both are unusual.
Your head is actually very strong - and the dazing and subsequent not quite "with it" are effects of your brain being battered about inside your head - and it's quite likely you would've suffered the same if you had not been wearing a helmet.

However, there's always that "what-if" element - which is why I'm neither pro or anti helmets - it is an individuals responsibility to decide the levels of risk for themselves.

btw - for the "you don't notice wearing a helmet so why not wear one" brigade - having had a couple of rides deliberately not wearing one I can state quite categorically that there is a noticeable difference - and this morning I could've done with one as it would've helped keep a little of the rain out of my eyes - or just a cap would've helped!

Overall, I'd prefer not to wear one, but usually do.

MrSweary

Phew... thought someone had brought up the old condom debate again.

DrLex

MrSweary wrote:

Phew... thought someone had brought up the old condom debate again.

Indeed! My neighbour the bus driver had to swerve to avoid a child last night & fell out of bed...

The Rookie

I wear a helmet, yes I will hopefully never need it, yes there is a good chance in a collision it may not be my head that needs protection, on the other hand most other parts of the body recover better and faster than the brain, and the brain is what make me into ME.

Had too minor offs where the helmet took a minor knock, did it save my life, no, did it save me from a headache, yes.

Kieran_Burns

arran77

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I got into trouble when I posted this on a similar thread

rolf_f

How about a competition - the winner is the one who posts the best facepalm image!

notsoblue

Rolf F wrote:

How about a competition - the winner is the one who posts the best facepalm image!

Hard to find a picture of someone facepalming with a helmet on.

UndercoverElephant

notsoblue wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

How about a competition - the winner is the one who posts the best facepalm image!

Hard to find a picture of someone facepalming with a helmet on.

Almost too easy:

Kieran_Burns

arran77

Not a facepalm but I like this anyway...

mtb-idle

Kieran_Burns wrote:

is that an early pre-fame iteration of Nirvana? (serious question). it looks like Kurt and Chris on the left

leeefm

Dog Breath

Ah, you can always rely on the good people of BR

vermin

UndercoverElephant

vermin wrote:

mtb-idle

pinno

Colinthecop

Agent57

Cool story, bro.

porlyworly

Pink Floyd I believe

MTB-Idle wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

is that an early pre-fame iteration of Nirvana? (serious question). it looks like Kurt and Chris on the left

sketchley

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Pink Floyd?

sketchley

DrLex

Looks like L-R:
Dave Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright.

airbag

I'll go with:



In fact I actively discare, or I would if that was a word, about your experiences and opinions. I don't think either are important at all if all you have is one datum and no controls.

sketchley

DrLex wrote:

Looks like L-R:
Dave Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright.

Think you might have Dave and Rick round the wrong way.....

sketchley

Sketchley wrote:

DrLex wrote:

Looks like L-R:
Dave Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright.

Think you might have Dave and Rick round the wrong way.....

Then again...... you might be correct.....

LiveGiantly

arran77 wrote:

Not a facepalm but I like this anyway...

I wonder what this guy is thinking on his way down to the HARD ground......... :idea:

mtb-idle

LiveGiantly wrote:

arran77 wrote:

Not a facepalm but I like this anyway...

I wonder what this guy is thinking on his way down to the HARD ground......... :idea:

that a piece of polystyrene covered with a thin plastic shell won't make any difference?

Sharkyssurfers

MTB-Idle wrote:

LiveGiantly wrote:

arran77 wrote:

Not a facepalm but I like this anyway...

I wonder what this guy is thinking on his way down to the HARD ground......... :idea:

that a piece of polystyrene covered with a thin plastic shell won't make any difference?

more like s*** I hope my bike is ok