Always Wear a Helmet

[Katzenjammer]

Found this link online and thought some here might find it interesting.

https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/r9d6wq

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Known to EBR Forums members for a while...

 

[Kayakguy]

Very reminiscent of "Norsemen" on Netflix, which is a very funny show, if you haven't seen it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

He didn't.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Guys,

I need to share two stories to you regarding the value of helmet wearing; one will be related to myself and the other to a friend.

Just before taking part in the Mazovian Gravel 250 ultramarathon, I bought -- among others -- a beautiful Specialized Echelon II helmet (MIPS). One of the reason was to look as a proper gravel cyclist but also get a better head protection and decent ventilation. 34 km into the race, I had to negotiate a speed bump on asphalt.

As a witness said later: 'There was a cyclist riding at 30 km/h. As he was negotiating a speed bump, his front wheel slipped on a road reflector and he badly crashed. I have never seen such a bad crash before. The rider stood up after several seconds of laying motionless, said he was OK, and pedalled away. He wore a helmet. Always wear a helmet!"

In fact, I fainted after the crash for some 30 seconds. I must have got a slight concussion. When I got up, I could only see the track on my Wahoo, and I was racing again. While I was riding, I was in a kind of a bad dream! Fortunately for me, my brother (who was driving a car nearby) was monitoring me on Strava Beacon, noticed the sudden stop, and he intercepted me at a safe spot several hundred meters away, with two witnesses on bicycles who were following me. It took me a good 30 minutes to fully regain my senses!

The right hand side of my helmet soon after the crash (the photo taken by my brother).

Now, there is one of my female friends, a recumbent bike rider with a great record, long distance international tours with big elevation gain (also mountain road rides). She wears very long dreadlocks, and because of that, she had been always reluctant to wearing the helmet (she was wearing wide brimmed hats for protection against the sunshine).

However, she had been looking at me as a cycling mentor and eventually she felt compelled to buy herself a proper helmet not a long time ago. Just yesterday...

'I have just had a bad crash. I'm currently in the clinic with a damaged knee. Fortunately, the helmet saved my head as my head hit the asphalt strongly! I never set off for cycling without the helmet now!'

ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!

 

[richamor]

Helmets are like diapers…. no one wants to wear them, they can be uncomfortable, they can be unattractive, and sometimes you just feel silly wearing it. But when you need it, I mean REALLY need it…..nothing else will do.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

no one wants to wear them, they can be uncomfortable, they can be unattractive, and sometimes you just feel silly wearing it.

I cannot agree with you. It might depends on your own views or on the general opinion where you live but in my neck of woods:

no one wants to wear them

Any sporty type will wear the helmet, and they even do not remove the helmet on stops to have their both hands free. Many urban riders here have understood the helmet was good for them. It is not unusual to see a cycling couple where the woman wears the helmet but her macho partner rides in a basketball cap. People who do not wear the helmet here are typically:

• Women with beautiful hair but without much brain, or
• Men who think they are immortal, and the helmet "makes their scalp itch",
• Or, teenagers.

Aware parents make their little kids wear the helmet even if the child is only learning riding a bike, or, when the kid is transported in a seat.

they can be uncomfortable

They can be very comfortable to the level you forget you are wearing something on your head. Similarly to good optical glasses.

and sometimes you just feel silly wearing it

Not in the cycling countries.

Wearing a helmet here is the sign the person is a cyclist, not someone to carry their ass in the saddle

Certainly, the owner of this bike would never even think of wearing a helmet

But when you need it, I mean REALLY need it…..nothing else will do.

True.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Or, when a race rule reads 'You must wear a helmet while riding' but you feel uncomfortable and remove it from your head. Then, you shoot a short video of yourself and prove to the community you broke the rule. You try defending yourself that you only took the helmet off for the video and then the official photograph of you is published.

DSQ and cancellation from the race results inevitable.