Bike Helmet...to wear or not to wear one? - Page 7 - PhillyBlog

sugarcoma · #61 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lolly

Whatever, don't wear a helmut if you don't want to, see what I care. But PLEASE be sure to pay your own medical bills if/when you crack your head open. If you use your insurance & I have to pay indirectly in increased premiums, I hate when that happens.

Don't worry, we've got good insurance.
Will you pay if I crack my head open in a non-bicycle related manner?

Lolly · #62 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarcoma

Don't worry, we've got good insurance.
Will you pay if I crack my head open in a non-bicycle related manner?

Well I sure hope you don't do that, but OK, if I have to! (But please reconsider the bike helmet anyway.)

gone down south · #63 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 10:38 AM

Just remember that 'some' protection is better than none, and there are a lot of idiots on the road who's actions you can't control......

Bike Coalition · #64 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 02:15 PM

We have observed that about 30 to 40% of the bicyclists on the Schuylkill River Bridges wear helmets, that might sound like a high level of non-compliance but in many places adult and juvenile helmet use is almost non-existent (outlying neighborhoods/shore communities).

I wear a helmet every time I ride, a serious head injury can be a life changing event. I broadsided an SUV once that cut me off making a left turn (known as the left hook) and fell backwards with the back of the helmet striking the pavement. I suffered a very mild concussion, I cannot imagine the severity of the damage without it.

lbphilly · #65 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bike Coalition

I wear a helmet every time I ride, a serious head injury can be a life changing event. I broadsided an SUV once that cut me off making a left turn (known as the left hook) and fell backwards with the back of the helmet striking the pavement. I suffered a very mild concussion, I cannot imagine the severity of the damage without it.

Ditto for the fall and its consequences. One minute I was looking at some kids on a wall along the west river drive, thinking, "That's dangerous. Maybe I should say something to them." The next thing I knew, I was on the ground with those same kids standing over me saying "Jeez, lady, we thought you was dead." I had hit a stone on the road just exactly wrong. My helmet lining was cracked and I probably also had a mild concussion, given that the fall knocked me out. I have no memory of hitting the stone or falling, but I'm sure that helmet saved me a hefty hospital bill.

sugarcoma · #66 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 03:58 PM

It's a lot of reading.
Some of us do this before we make decisions.
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm
Glad the helmets help everyone.

bob2314 · #67 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bike Coalition

We have observed that about 30 to 40% of the bicyclists on the Schuylkill River Bridges wear helmets, that might sound like a high level of non-compliance but in many places adult and juvenile helmet use is almost non-existent (outlying neighborhoods/shore communities).

I wear a helmet every time I ride, a serious head injury can be a life changing event. I broadsided an SUV once that cut me off making a left turn (known as the left hook) and fell backwards with the back of the helmet striking the pavement. I suffered a very mild concussion, I cannot imagine the severity of the damage without it.

There are 2 things of note in your statement. Just by the fact that you were cut off when a vehicle was making a left turn gives the image that you must have been on the left side of the SUV that would have put you in the wrong position of the road (according to the PA bike laws) to properly ride with vehicular traffic.

Secondly, you state that you fell backwards and that the back of your helmet struck the ground and you sustained a concussion. From the limited information you state, I CAN imagine the probable severity of what may have happened without a helmet looking at the biomechanics of the above scenario. You describe a linear rear cranial impact, which is good in the sense that there is lots of data on this type of impact. See the extensive studies of Holbourn and Grundfest... To cut to the chase, you still would have had a concussion and would have likely needed a bandaid, possibly some stitches. If we want to talk about Physics, we're looking at slowing the rate at which your head stops, by reducing the 't' in acceleration = v / t.

"Linear impacts were found to cause mainly only localised (focal) injury at the point of impact. These brain injuries were the result of deformation of the skull (with or without fracture) and were found to be mostly superficial. The impact causes shock waves to emanate back and forth within the brain. Holbourn notes that these shock waves are non-injurious as they do not cause permanent displacement of brain matter."
http://members.pcug.org.au/~psvansch/crag/h-i-mech.htm

sugarcoma · #68 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob2314

There are 2 things of note in your statement. Just by the fact that you were cut off when a vehicle was making a left turn gives the image that you must have been on the left side of the SUV that would have put you in the wrong position of the road (according to the PA bike laws) to properly ride with vehicular traffic.

Secondly, you state that you fell backwards and that the back of your helmet struck the ground and you sustained a concussion. From the limited information you state, I CAN imagine the probable severity of what may have happened without a helmet looking at the biomechanics of the above scenario. You describe a linear rear cranial impact, which is good in the sense that there is lots of data on this type of impact. See the extensive studies of Holbourn and Grundfest... To cut to the chase, you still would have had a concussion and would have likely needed a bandaid, possibly some stitches. If we want to talk about Physics, we're looking at slowing the rate at which your head stops, by reducing the 't' in acceleration = v / t.

"Linear impacts were found to cause mainly only localised (focal) injury at the point of impact. These brain injuries were the result of deformation of the skull (with or without fracture) and were found to be mostly superficial. The impact causes shock waves to emanate back and forth within the brain. Holbourn notes that these shock waves are non-injurious as they do not cause permanent displacement of brain matter."
http://members.pcug.org.au/~psvansch/crag/h-i-mech.htm

Yeah, what he said.

gone down south · #69 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 08:08 PM

You're overthinking the issue..... skull + pavement is just not a good combo.

jbk · #70 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob2314

There are 2 things of note in your statement. Just by the fact that you were cut off when a vehicle was making a left turn gives the image that you must have been on the left side of the SUV that would have put you in the wrong position of the road (according to the PA bike laws) to properly ride with vehicular traffic.

If Bike Coalition was riding on a one way street, he would be allowed to be riding on the left side of the street.

Or if he was preparing to make a left turn on a two-way street, he would also be allowed to be riding to the left of other traffic.

And of course he might have been riding in the UK. He didn't say.