mr_stubble

I commute daily, year-round in Boise, Idaho, USA. I toyed with not wearing my helmet for a couple days, and on day two my employers' Worker Compensation manager, with whom I am friends, saw me riding into work without my helmet. She then sent me a very nice email informing me if I didn't wear protective equipment suitable for the task (driving, cycling, horseback riding) and I was disabled in an accident, the underwriters for our company Long-Term Disability would refuse to pay out because of it, even if the accident occurs "off the clock".

I am married with four minor children at home and the sole breadwinner. I cannot afford to become disabled with no way to support the family. For this reason (among others), I will always wear my helmet on a bike.

Bang0Bang00

You'd think think it would be a bird or something thrown from a vehicle, right?

Nope. Actually this path is nowhere near a roadway. There are some birds in the general area, however not a lot of bird traffic typically at this point on the path.

Answer:
There was a dumpster diver spotted rummaging through the trash next to the cycle path, opposite the water. This person threw a heavy piece of garbage towards the water, striking the cyclist and causing the accident.

I don't think it was ever clear if the cyclist died from the initial impact or the fall.

The point I'm trying to make is it's impossible to anticipate everything life will throw at you. No amount of judo break falls or stats would have helped. Often times a helmet is the last thing between your current level of health and whatever comes after some unpredictable outside force reminds you that Sir Isaac Newton and Murphy laid out some pretty fundamental laws.

There's no substitute for a buffer between your skull and the pavement.

As someone that's been hit in broad daylight on a bike route wearing a helmet, high viz, lights, reflectors, the whole bit, I can recognize everything before the helmet is negated when someone else (a driver in my case) makes a monetary risky decision. As far as whether or not to wear a helmet, one must decide how dearly one is willing to pay for someone else's mistake.

Ex Pres 

For those of you that have been hit, helmeted or not, and suffered concussion effects that have lingered:

Has it affected your bike riding? Specifically, I can not ride down hills fast, and especially around long fast sweeping bends. I really feel off balance and just have to be slower.
WHICH SUCKS, as these used to be my favorite. And as a [cycling overweight] non-climber, getting passed both uphill and then in addition downhill by those were behind me at the top is a real deflator.

Anyone else suffer this post-concussion symptom?

RobbieTunes

Then it would be a bottle from another cyclist.

RobbieTunes

Yes, and I've met you and you've met me. You kicked my butt both times we rode. As far as concussions; combined, we have half a mind to get things done.

Concussion 1 at age 12, trying to do a skyhook like Lew Alcindor. A 45-lb kid and a basketball are not of equal leverage. Nice bunch of stitches to the noggin.

Concussion 2 at age 17, two high school wrestlers shot the same double-leg takedown at the same time, head-head. I must have woke up first, because I pinned him. To this day, I do not remember more than 2 seconds of that match. My friends said it sounded like the beginning of a 9-ball game.

Concussion 3 from the shock wave Oct 23, 1983 in Beirut. No one had any clue what had happened, and there was a lot more going on than the splitting headaches.

Concussion 4 at age 48, shooting takedowns with a NC state champion at the Y. Again, two wrestlers shot the same takedown at the same time. Again, a pin, but then he got up and walked away and I could barely make it to the side of the mat. I have not stepped on a wrestling mat since, nor will I. Even the smell of a Resilite makes me nauseous.

My issues are at slow speed, Jim. I have fallen over probably 15 times in the last 3 months. (But my bikes still look good!)

Descending, I talk to myself the entire time, going over what to do and not to do. If I don't, time stands still and bad things would likely happen.

RobbieTunes

Ah, a bike messenger getting breakfast.

madpogue 

One could easily throw a bottle from a motor vehicle on John Nolen Drive and hit a cyclist on the adjacent path. Knowing the attitudes of some motorists here, I wouldn't be surprised if it has been done.

Actually, the reason I thought of that was, about 10 years ago, a drunk cyclist on the lakeshore path, on the causeway, swerved off the path right by one of the bridges over the passages into Monona Bay. Those bridge abutments are shored up with big jagged rocks. He hit one of those, ruptured... what was it... his spleen if I recall, and did not survive. BangO's post referencing the rocky shoreline reminded me of that incident.

RobbieTunes

Ah, Nolen Drive in the spring. Hard to concentrate on driving.

My brother worked at the Coliseum and lived on East Wash. He rode to work and back, sometimes using one of the 20,000 unlocked bikes one could find in the student slums on East Wash....Someone rode his, he rode someone's....

gaucho777 

Well, I cracked my helmet on Friday after a collision with a car. I went over a decade without a crash, then broke my leg in April during a fluky bike accident. I just started commuting again last week and I hit the pavement again. I'm getting too old for this foolishness. Frankly, it was my own fault and I'm lucky it wasn't worse. I was going too fast--36mph in a 25mph zone (I know because I'd just passed a digital speed check sign). I approached a left hand turn where oncoming traffic can turn left across traffic. There was an SUV going my direction in front of me who wanted to make a U-turn, but came to a stop and veered nearly all the way to the right shoulder because a car coming the other way had started to turn left in front of both of us. I slammed on my brakes and my rear tire started a skid. Realizing I wasn't going to be able to stop in time (old Gran Sport brakes, fully loaded bike with about 30 lbs. of gear and books), I tried to shoot the tiniest gap between the stopped SUV and the curb on the right, but there simply wasn't enough room. As best I can recall (there are a few blurry moments on either side of the impact) my helmet, left shoulder, and bike (panniers?) all hit the right rear bumper of the SUV and I went down in a heap, with the bike, panniers and contents strewn onto the sidewalk, and me in the gutter. I'm a bit sore and was a little woozy afterward, but nothing too serious. Handlebars, and bar-mounted front TA bottle cage both bent pretty badly, and Campy globe-logo hoods torn up pretty good. No frame damage. The helmet was cracked in a couple places right in front. Only a small ding and a couple tiny scratches to the car, and the driver graciously said not to worry about it. It wasn't as bad as some of the others I've had, but I'm chalking that up as concussion number 4.

Salamandrine 

Bummer. Sorry to hear about this. I am glad you were wearing your helmet!!! I don't suppose the driver making the illegal left turn was cited? You should sue them if possible, though it may be difficult in reality. Bad drivers unfortunately usually get away with it and IMO the system is biased against cyclists. Irregardless, the accident was their fault.

I find I have to be increasingly careful of drivers making left hand turns. It possibly the biggest danger to look out for, though cars pulling out in front of you from a side street is still a concern. A certain law of the jungle has taken hold. Cars/SUVs often feel like since they are bigger, they can just bully you into stopping and ceding the right of way.

cbrstar

I'm surprised that no one has cited yet how in Australia they found that helmets actually increase accidents involving vehicles and cyclists. The reason they gave was two fold. One car drivers are less afraid of hurting a cyclist when they see a helmet, and they actually drive more cautiously when there is no helmet. And the 2nd was some cyclists feel more invincible and take more unnecessary risks when they wear protective gear.

bobwysiwyg

I'd like to see the details and numbers, etc. for this.

cbrstar

Here's one source Helmets: Australian bicycle helmet laws and brain damage

The problem is even though helmets increase the likely hood of a impact, they also greatly reduce the potential severity of a brain injury if that impact should occur. Kinda a win/lose situation IMHO

RobbieTunes

So, is it the helmet, or human nature?

cbrstar

Tough question, I think it's more so the human nature and it's false perception of safety. It's like how people perceive a bullet proof vest will automatically make you invincible to bullets when in reality there's still a good chance a bullet can stop your heart or you will die from internal bleeding.

Colnago Mixte

I have a theory, that if people started wearing kneepads while riding their bikes, anytime someone crashed, they would likely post close-up pictures of the shattered kneepads with the caption, "See! That crushed Styrofoam would have been my KNEE CAP!"

I imagine that when people crash wearing backpacks, a lot of times the backpack ends up taking the brunt of the impact. Why? Because it's sticking out, shouldn't be there, and is the one thing most likely to get hung on something while falling or sliding.

"BUT THAT COULDA BEEN MY BACK ALL TORE UP!"

bobwysiwyg

Sorry, but I'm a born skeptic. This reads like it was authored by someone determined to minimize the value of helmets, lots of maybes, etc. I think I will stick with my instincts borne of wakefulness in physics class.

clubman 

Exactly. IMO the only experts that should be heeded are head trauma doctors. I've never seen one suggest not wearing a helmet is OK. (someone will prove me wrong I'm sure)

Everyone else has an agenda.

cbrstar

Well here's an article by a Brain Surgeon that suggests that bicycle helmets are useless.
https://www.cnet.com/news/brain-surg...cycle-helmets/

Also as per the article above here is a study that also states the frequency of accidents goes up with the use of helmets...Press Release - 11 September 2006 University of Bath

cbrstar

Sorry for double post...

I often wonder just how safe a helmet really is. I've seen two extremely bad experiences that I would like to share

My friend who was a avid cyclist was riding his bike on a dangerous section of the highway when a large Dodge truck with extended mirrors came up behind him and the mirror of the truck hit the back of his head at 100 km/hr. The helmet basically did nothing. He actually died 4 times but the medics revived him. The accident left him in a wheel chair and practically a vegetable. I really hate to say this but he might have been better off not making it.

The second time was in the 90's and I was at a indoor BMX competition. There was this kid who was jumping higher and higher trying to touch the ceiling when he suddenly missed the landing and hit his head right on the edge of the jump as he came down. The helmet didn't stop the edge of the ledge from splitting his skull open and he actually died!

What bugs me about bicycle helmets there doesn't seem to be any safety rating like motorcycle helmets. When I go to buy a new motocycle helmet I look for the Snell rating so I know what I'm buying. With bicycle helmets your taking their word and your life in your hands.

Here's a pic of Scotty Cramer who was wearing his helmet when a stunt went wrong on his BMX. He even lost all his teeth



He even lost all his teeth

Here's the crash that did his head in

clubman 

I think both of these are lightweight internet posts. Agendas. Shoot me if I take my helmet off because "Dr. No" tells me I'll get three extra inches of clearance from cars. But then the day my crankarm snapped and I was thrown into the path of a streetcar...damn I had -40 inches of clearance and was wishing I'd wore my Game of Thrones gear.

cbrstar

Well if you could provide a source that shows helmets actually decrease the frequency of accidents I would be glad to read it. Like I said earlier helmets do help that they can reduce the severity of the accident, but there's quite a bit of proof that they increase the amount of accidents.

RobbieTunes

I was listening to you until you posted that.

There will always be debate re: helmets. It's easy to test. Sit in a chair with a helmet on. Have someone strike you on the helmet with a bat. Hurts, maybe a concussion. Now, remove the helmet and do it again. Get back to me on that. Same with the vest.

If a part of your body needs impact protection in a general sense and years of experience support a protective device, it's up to you to decide if ego dictates you accept that risk on behalf of yourself or those you care about. Sometimes, others mandate it after debate and decision. So be it.

There will always be people who want to step outside the impact and focus on other parts of the equation, be it defensive driving, Superman reflexes, the art of falling, or the random points on a body not subject to impact protection or torsion forces. Control what you've convinced yourself you can, convincing others is pointless.

63rickert

Want to respond here to a couple of posts where thoughts of safety beyond helmets begin to appear. Madpogue noticed what I said about the door zone and then remarked about extremely badly designed bike lanes near him. If the bike lane is that bad do not ride the bike lane. Local ordinances telling drivers they must take a look and yield are worthless when that door opens. Here in Illinois the law says if a driver doors a bike the driver is always at fault, period. The judge will not even listen to pleas about extenuating circumstances. This law makes zero difference. None. It does help with recovering damages, it does nothing whatsoever to prevent injuries. If it is not safe, it is not safe.

Perhaps more to the point there is a badly designed lane near me. We had a librarian who had been commuting daily for 30 years on that street with no incident. Days after the bike lane was opened she died right in front of the library. Bike advocates, politicians were still basking in the afterglow of a 'successful' project. No re-consideration. Victim blaming. No, I will not ride in that lane.

Gaucho77 takes the blame for his accident. Huge step in right direction. Most find that step very hard, most never take it. Bunches of stuff happening in that story beyond excessive speed. Gaucho saw an impending left hook. Left hook is the hardest of the common accidents to avoid, and it is one that will hurt you. To avoid a left hook you have to have sharp handling. You will not have that handling with a 30 pound load on an old skinny tube bike. In general even if that were a dedicated touring bike with skinny tubes you'd have zero chance in traffic at speed with a load that big. On a race bike forget it. Bikes are safe because they have better visibility than anything on the road and better maneuverability than anything on the road. Take away the maneuverability and an accident will happen. Presumably the speed was possible because this all happened downhill. The rear brake might do a little downhill with 30 pounds near the rear axle. In emergency braking all the load goes to the front, the rear brake does nothing. Yes, there was a skid. At speed in traffic you will never have more than a front brake. Plan accordingly. And please go another decade without an accident. Currently I've gone two decades. It is possible.

Other posters talk about breaking cranks and splat. What? I've broken half a dozen. It will happen if you ride a lot. Sure it could cause a problem. Always? Inevitably? Never for me.

clubman 

Nope. Do it yourself. Life's too short to argue this silliness. It's a red herring to suggest I implied that.