View Poll Results: What Are Your Helmet Wearing Habits?
I've never worn a bike helmet
52
10.40%
I used to wear a helmet, but have stopped
24
4.80%
I've always worn a helmet
208
41.60%
I didn't wear a helmet, but now do
126
25.20%
I sometimes wear a helmet depending on the conditions
90
18.00%
Voters: 500. You may not vote on this poll
The Helmet Thread 2
11-09-14, 06:03 PM
#226
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The Bicycle Club of Irvine is one of the oldest - and certainly one of the largest - bike clubs in Southern California. Hundreds of riders show up for their weekend rides. I once showed up without a helmet, and took all kinds of abuse, including foul-mouthed insults. One guy put his face about ten inches in front of mine and yelled (literally) that riding without a helmet was against the rules and that he would not allow me to ride. Other people intervened before it came to blows but everyone did insist that the club forbade bare-headed participation, and several people claimed that the club would lose its liability insurance if I rode without a helmet.
Eventually, the club founder and president had to stand up and make a speech about the fact that the insurer had nothing at all to say about helmets and that the club had no rule about it one way or another. The entire experience sums up, for me, the level of knowledge (and manners) of the typical cyclist around here. It may also explain my attitude toward the "Just buy a helmet and wear it" posts on BF.
Eventually, the club founder and president had to stand up and make a speech about the fact that the insurer had nothing at all to say about helmets and that the club had no rule about it one way or another. The entire experience sums up, for me, the level of knowledge (and manners) of the typical cyclist around here. It may also explain my attitude toward the "Just buy a helmet and wear it" posts on BF.
11-09-14, 10:31 PM
#227
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Yes, it did, and yes, I believe you are right. I am quite sure that the helmeteers would rather see people not ride than ride without helmets.
I do feel compelled to mention, for the sake of locals if no one else, that the founder and president of that club is a knowledgeable and pleasant fellow who does believe in helmets but does not believe in forcing them upon other people. If only that attitude was commonplace...
I do feel compelled to mention, for the sake of locals if no one else, that the founder and president of that club is a knowledgeable and pleasant fellow who does believe in helmets but does not believe in forcing them upon other people. If only that attitude was commonplace...
11-09-14, 10:39 PM
#228
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Oh, and just as a side note... The ride is a crash fest; a total free-for-all with no rules and no pack manners. I was a complete fool to do it without a helmet, and a good argument can be made that one is a complete fool to do it at all. It's a very good example of the idea that "You have to wear a helmet, bicycling is dangerous!" is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don't know what you're doing, bicycling can be very dangerous. The mistake is in assuming that nobody else knows what they're doing either.
11-10-14, 07:48 AM
#229
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Wrong!!! Our club insurance co demands that any formal club sponsored ride states that all rider will wear helmets.
Wrong!!! Our club insurance co demands that any formal club sponsored ride states that all rider will wear helmets.
11-10-14, 08:40 AM
#230
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BTW, who exactly is being "insured" and for what on your formal club sponsored rides?
11-10-14, 08:49 AM
#231
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Oh, and just as a side note... The ride is a crash fest; a total free-for-all with no rules and no pack manners. I was a complete fool to do it without a helmet, and a good argument can be made that one is a complete fool to do it at all. It's a very good example of the idea that "You have to wear a helmet, bicycling is dangerous!" is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don't know what you're doing, bicycling can be very dangerous. The mistake is in assuming that nobody else knows what they're doing either.
I wonder what a bike club insurance policy would actually pay out for injuries to the helmeted club participants on a club ride. I suspect the policy only covers club officials from lawsuit against them from its own club members and/or the ride participants.
11-10-14, 11:20 AM
#232
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I can believe that club rides as you describe are risky business and provide good opportunities for cycling fools to show their "stuff."
I wonder what a bike club insurance policy would actually pay out for injuries to the helmeted club participants on a club ride. I suspect the policy only covers club officials from lawsuit against them from its own club members and/or the ride participants.
I wonder what a bike club insurance policy would actually pay out for injuries to the helmeted club participants on a club ride. I suspect the policy only covers club officials from lawsuit against them from its own club members and/or the ride participants.
11-10-14, 12:32 PM
#233
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11-10-14, 02:01 PM
#235
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Assuming that helmet wear "could" help mitigate the severity of some injuries to some degree, what do you think explains the absence of injury statistics that demonstrate this mitigation effect when comparing bicycling populations where the percentage of helmet wear is relatively high as in North America or Australia vice countries where helmet wear is low as in NL or DE?
11-10-14, 06:39 PM
#236
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11-11-14, 09:03 AM
#237
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11-11-14, 12:34 PM
#238
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There is a Saturday AM ride with another group, most of them racers and then there is a PM ride out of a local park that is a hammerfest but with us we just go and enjoy. Just got back from a 62 miler with 42 of those miles riding with 3 other guys, 67 year old, 66 year old, me a 64 yo and the youngster at 53, at a 21.7mph average just a bit slower than Saturday's AM ride of 32 miles at 22.8mph average. No sprinting going on, just good old fashioned long uninterrupted miles.
11-11-14, 02:01 PM
#239
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It seems you can't even read very well...since I mentioned your "experience indicates" and nothing about your "thinking". Wait, let me guess, you've hit your widdle head way too many times, proving that even a helmet can't cure stoopid.
__________________
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
11-11-14, 02:08 PM
#240
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The Bicycle Club of Irvine is one of the oldest - and certainly one of the largest - bike clubs in Southern California. Hundreds of riders show up for their weekend rides. I once showed up without a helmet, and took all kinds of abuse, including foul-mouthed insults. One guy put his face about ten inches in front of mine and yelled (literally) that riding without a helmet was against the rules and that he would not allow me to ride. Other people intervened before it came to blows but everyone did insist that the club forbade bare-headed participation, and several people claimed that the club would lose its liability insurance if I rode without a helmet.
Eventually, the club founder and president had to stand up and make a speech about the fact that the insurer had nothing at all to say about helmets and that the club had no rule about it one way or another. The entire experience sums up, for me, the level of knowledge (and manners) of the typical cyclist around here. It may also explain my attitude toward the "Just buy a helmet and wear it" posts on BF.
Eventually, the club founder and president had to stand up and make a speech about the fact that the insurer had nothing at all to say about helmets and that the club had no rule about it one way or another. The entire experience sums up, for me, the level of knowledge (and manners) of the typical cyclist around here. It may also explain my attitude toward the "Just buy a helmet and wear it" posts on BF.
__________________
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
11-11-14, 02:50 PM
#241
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There is a Saturday AM ride with another group, most of them racers and then there is a PM ride out of a local park that is a hammerfest but with us we just go and enjoy. Just got back from a 62 miler with 42 of those miles riding with 3 other guys, 67 year old, 66 year old, me a 64 yo and the youngster at 53, at a 21.7mph average just a bit slower than Saturday's AM ride of 32 miles at 22.8mph average. No sprinting going on, just good old fashioned long uninterrupted miles.
11-11-14, 04:12 PM
#242
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Was that good old fashioned ride accomplished by long stretches of peloton type drafting/tailgating of each other in order to maintain that pace for those distances? I might wear a helmet too if I was forced to participate in that type of cycling which I consider far more risky than riding properly, albeit slower, with a safe distance between cyclists.
11-11-14, 09:44 PM
#243
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What would happen if a non-helmeted rider asked to join in the old fashioned fun? Would you or your pals tell him to scram? Would the club insurance be cancelled if you guys did not comply with the insurance company/bike club edict?
11-11-14, 11:41 PM
#244
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11-12-14, 10:16 AM
#245
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11-13-14, 03:40 AM
#246
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"Working together" means drafting/tailgating each other for 30 or 40 miles doesn't it?
What would happen if a non-helmeted rider asked to join in the old fashioned fun? Would you or your pals tell him to scram? Would the club insurance be cancelled if you guys did not comply with the insurance company/bike club edict?
What would happen if a non-helmeted rider asked to join in the old fashioned fun? Would you or your pals tell him to scram? Would the club insurance be cancelled if you guys did not comply with the insurance company/bike club edict?
11-13-14, 09:32 AM
#247
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In August, a member showed up for the Tuesday AM ride with a friend who didn't have a helmet. Our ride leader asked him not to ride with the group because of the helmet required rule. Both riders took off on their own and the group continued with the ride. He accepted the rule and chose to comply.
11-13-14, 06:42 PM
#248
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In August, a member showed up for the Tuesday AM ride with a friend who didn't have a helmet. Our ride leader asked him not to ride with the group because of the helmet required rule. Both riders took off on their own and the group continued with the ride. He accepted the rule and chose to comply.
11-14-14, 08:33 AM
#250
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Here's an "idea" (new helmet concept):
smart-hat
smart-hat
