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Considering I've been in cars that were hit 5 times in my life and I'm 24 years old, I'll wear the seat belt.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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(And that's not counting the 3 accidents my husband has been in without me since we've been married, in one of which my daughter was in the car.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Elmer's Glue: If you don't ever crash, then there is never a need to have a seatbelt.
Except no matter how awesome you are, you can't count on every one else being so stupendous. It only takes one drunk or distracted driver to send your car spinning into a pole.
They're called "accidents" for a reason. No one intends to wipe out or crash. Not taking minor precautions against the unexpected is just plain stupid. And "they look dorky" is the argument I used when I was 12.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I used to commute the streets of London during rush hour - a fantastic adrenaline rush - but it taught me one thing: No matter how dorky a helmet looks, a wheelchair is a worse option.
Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
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Look Elmer's Glue, it's one thing to say you don't wear seatbelts because you don't feel like it. It's stupid as hell, but at least you're being honest about things.
It's quite another to suggest it's smart not to, or that there's some logic behind it. There isn't. You're being an idiot. Feel free to continue to do so, but don't recruit.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Elmer's Glue: If you don't ever crash, then there is never a need to have a seatbelt.
Not actually true. An almost accident -- skid, dodging a drunk driver or some other idiot -- can involve very rapid deceleration, even if there is no crash. On a bike, that can mean going flying off (which is where the helmet comes in); in a car that can mean cranial impact with seat or window (which is where the seatbelt comes in).
Also, what Rakeesh and EL said.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Helmets are super uncomfortable, not to mention dorky.
While this may have been true of helmets 20 years ago, it's certainly not true today. In fact, I'd say that today's helmets are super comfortable, and ultra lightweight. And while cool is in the eye of the beholder, at this point I think there are a lot more people who will look at you and think you're an idiot for NOT wearing one than those will look at you and think you're a dork for wearing one. So if it's your image your worried about, wear the helmet.
I could have used a helmet in 1978 when I went over a bump and my front wheel fell off. I don't even remember the accident, but I do remember the people looking at me weird (and not offering to help) when I walked past them with blood streaming down my face.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I had my front wheel fall off going off a curb onto a street. I landed on the front fork and went over the handlebars. I took most of the impact on my arms and luckily didn't break anything, although I could hardly use my arms for another day or so.
That was about 8 years ago, and I haven't really trusted a bike since then.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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If you read Spanish, and have no qualms about strong language, then here is a site which lists mentions of this case. It makes interesting reading, if you have the time:
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Rakeesh, when did I say it was smart not to use safety equipment? I said it CAN BE unnecessary. If I'm not using safety equipment, and I get hurt, it's my fault. It's a risk I'm willing to take. And as long as I never get hurt, I'll be glad I took it.
Posts: 1287 | Registered: Apr 2006
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You never say it's smart not to, but you certainly suggest it repeatedly by saying that "it's a very small risk", "helmets are super uncomfortable and dorky" (both of which are untrue, by the way-a good helmet is not uncomfortable, and socially they are not dorky).
You also imply repeatedly that there's some calculated risk involved in your decision not to wear seatbelts. Only after getting called on it do you say, "It's not smart, and if I get hurt it'll be my fault."
Except earlier you said, "If you're going double the speed limit, it's all your fault," to drivers. Which is also incorrect, morally definitely but maybe legally too in some areas.
Safety equipment is never unnecessary, because its use is not predicated on necessity. Things like helmets, prevenative maintenance, and insurance are done to avoid the catostrophic which, while unlikely, is still a real possibility.
Your approach is, "It's highly unlikely, so why bother preparing for it?" You might as well win a round of russian roulette and proclaim your victory with pride. You haven't calculated a risk, you're just lazy.
How do I know? Well, it's pretty clear from that helmets are uncomfortable and dorky remark. If you'd bothered to look into the matter beyond, "I don't wanna," you'd have quickly found that a) helmets are not 'super unfomrtable' or even uncomfortable at all with a small investment, and b) they're certainly not dorky, for many cool and attractive people who ride their bicycles wear helmets all the time.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Mr. Glue, then you need to carry an appropriately certified "do not treat under any circumstance" card in your wallet, (and perhaps tatooed on your shoulder) Otherwise you are taking unfare advantage of my hard earned money for your emergency health care.
Posts: 1167 | Registered: Oct 2005
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An excellent point, Artemisia. The risk is yours, but the cost of that risk will not be born by you alone. Or are you not going to go to the hospital or use an ambulance if you get into a car accident and are seriously injured?
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Elmer's Glue: If you don't ever crash, then there is never a need to have a seatbelt.
You can get in an accident even if you are a perfect driver. There are other drivers on the road you know.
Posts: 1327 | Registered: Aug 2007
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Really? We're saying "if you don't care about your own life, please care about my wallet" now? I don't find that plausible in terms of being convincing Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
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I just needed to add my 2 cents on helmets.
First cent: I recommend wearing one. They are expensive and they can be uncomfortable especially on a hot day. But every now and then something happens on a bike, a patch of ice, a dog, loose sand, and you end up on the ground before you even knew what was happening. I've broken helmets twice that way, once on the ice and once when a dog hit my front wheel, and I'm really glad it was the helmet that broke and not my skull.
Second cent: While you definitely want to be wearing a helmet if your head ever hits the ground, it is ridiculous to suggest that a helmet will provide any significant protection if you are hit by a car. I have several friends who have been hit by cars, some of them have been seriously injured and even have permanent disabilities because of it. Most of them had their limbs, hips, ribs or backs injured. The mechanics of being hit by a car usually aren't going to put you landing on your head. Even if your head is hit by a car, a bicycle helmet is made to protect your head from the sort of force it encounters to stop the momentum of a person moving a bicycle speeds and just won't provide much protection against something as large and fast as a car.
The biggest danger to cyclists on the road comes from cars and drivers who don't look for cyclists and yield right of way to them when required. Helmets don't significantly change that and its silly to pretend they do. In fact, at least one study found that car drivers were far more likely to pass dangerously close to a cyclist when that cyclist was wearing a helmet. If that is true, wearing a helmet in traffic may actually make riding less safe.
(As a side note, the study I referred to above also found that drivers gave more space to a cyclist who appeared to be a woman than it gave to male cyclist. Maybe someone should design a helmet that looks like a long haired wig.)
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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I don't think that a helmet will necessarily save you from car-related injuries, but it's still good to be wearing one. And you never know, maybe it will help. I saw an article in the paper late last year about a guy who was run over by a truck and came out with his head undamaged, because his helmet took all the pressure.
I don't generally disagree with what you said, though, Rabbit.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I think the more relevant statistics are not based on what the bicyclist hit, but what injuries were the result of bicycle accidents. According to bicycle magazine, most fatalities are caused by head injuries.
I also know of several people with spinal chord injuries, who went over the handlebars and hit their heads. In each case they were wearing helmets, and in each case they believe that they might have died if they had not been wearing a helmet. I only have personal interaction with one of those people and he is able to walk, and to fix bikes (he owns a bike shop). He and his wife have indicated to me that if he hadn't been wearing the helmet, he would probably be a quadriplegic at the very least.
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