For the longest time, I’ve been wearing a helmet when I ride my bicycle. Years ago, I used to take a lot of grief for it. “Whadja think you’re doin’, riding a motorcycle?”
That’s because in New York State, only bicyclists under the age of 14 years old are required to wear safety certified bicycle helmets when they are operators or passengers on bicycles. BTW, children aged 1 to 4 must wear certified bicycle helmet and ride in specially designed child safety seats.
Whereas, motorcycle helmets ARE REQUIRED in New York State. “It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or ride upon a motorcycle unless he wears a protective helmet of a type which meets the requirements set forth in section 571.218 of the federal motor vehicle safety standards as may from time to time be amended.”
I’ve read that protective headgear is designed to absorb shock and redistribute impact on contact, thus reducing the risk of traumatic brain injury. Specifically, despite some criticism of bike helmets for not being protective enough, they do cut the risk of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) by half when riders suffer a head injury, a U.S. study suggests.
I have this friend Donna who had a serious bicycle accident in July 2017. She recently showed me photos some days beyond her event, and she would agree about two things: 1) she looked pretty terrible in the after her event, though she looks quite like herself now; and 2) if she had not been wearing a helmet, at best, she would have had severe brain injury, and more likely, she would have died.
I sought her out because my sister Leslie had experienced a remarkably similar event in June 2018, with each flying over the handlebars. Having seen her helmet, which she bought only three days before the event, there’s little doubt she would have been dead or permanently injured without the “shell”.
Some people don’t like helmets because of vanity, or “freedom”, or wanting to feel the wind in their hair. My experience suggests those are meaningless trade-offs if you’re deceased.
For ABC Wednesday
In the Netherlands everyone rides a bike, but only professional racers wear a helmet, but …a child needs to pass a test to ride a bike in traffic, the traffic rules a much more geared to bikes. When making a right turn, and bike rider goes straight, the latter one has right of way. If you manage to ride in a puddle and make a bike rider wet, you automatically fail your drivers license test. Her in the USA it’s dangerous to ride a bike, even with a helmet!
Reminds me of people wearing life vests while boating. Here on our lake you will see families getting into their boats to head up the lake to their cabins. The kids will be tucked safely into their vests, but the adults don’t wear any. The law is that life vest must be on board the boat, but you aren’t required to wear them. We always wear ours when we are traveling on the water. In an emergency you don’t have enough time to don your vest. Especially in winter when the water is extremely cold, that could be deadly. – Margy
Helmet wearing has been made mandatory in our country too. However, the crazy ones breach the rule.
Love the last sentence of your article!
I think it is a good thing to wear them, since the traffic has become so busy and far more quick that in our childhoodtimes..
Still… I never wear one, I hardly ride anything else but my car, in that way I have to thank my disabillyties …
We see them more and more though overhere, mostly on childrend though
Have a splendid, ♥-warming ABC-Wednes-day / -week
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Years ago when my children were young, I made them wear helmets – long before there was a law. No helmet, no bike – and I did not hesitate to take a bike away.
It always amazes me that adults choose not to wear one – guess their brains don’t matter!
Great post Roger!
I can still feel freedom with a helmet on my head. 🙂
Creative post and photo for H ~ thanks!
Happy Day to you,
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