Yet another 'wear a helmet' thread

Don't know if this poor gentleman was wearing a helmet or not, but nonetheless, it's the very reason you always should.

SAN DIEGO: A 45-year-old bicyclist was fatally injured yesterday after he fell off his bike and struck his head on a trail near the Chollas Lake Recreation Center, police said.

Police who responded to the 4:08 p.m. accident attempted to resuscitate the man, identified as Jose Hernandez-Martinez of San Diego. Hernandez-Martinez was pronounced dead at the crash site in Oak Park. The accident was being investigated by the Medical Examiner's Office.
– M.A.

 

No helmet + crash = bad things

Saw this on the news last night, they said he and his son were riding on a trail when he crashed and slid down a hill. There weren't many other details except that he wasn't wearing a helmet.#-o

 

Wow!, Thats close to my house. I used to jog around the lake.

 

I don't know why I keep seeing guys climbing up Holy Jim with no Helmets. Saw another one this weekend. Seems like every ride there now. And what's the big deal, if you can wear a baseball cap, you can wear a helmet. And these aren't super skilled vets who have been riding forever. A few months ago one of these guys fell into one of those gullies on a switchback. No helmet. He was okay. But he's probably still riding w/out a helmet.

I guess I don't care if you don't wear a helmet. That's your choice. It's when you fall, get hurt, sue the park or the national forest and it ruins access for everyone else that I don't agree with.

 

Yeah, it baffles me how I continue to see people ride without lids. I'm sure many of them do it because they think the trail they're on is benign; but those of us who've ridden long enough know there is no such thing. Even a low speed crash at the wrong angle or near a hidden rock could spell disaster.

Early in my MTB career a helmet saved my life (split into 3 landing on soft dirt no less!). I've driven hours and skipped the ride upon discovering that I forgot my helmet. I've been happy to waste the time and gas rather than my life.

 

I rode bikes all my life sans helmet. I wear one now, but it's been rare that it was actually used (mostly I hit it on tree limbs --oh, and it holds my light ).

I'm such a clutz though, I should prolly always wear a helmet. I'm gonna go get it now.

 

<3 my Remedy

 

As much as this is an example of why you should wear a lid, it's just tragic when stuff like this happens.

 

Likewise, I never wore a helmet as a kid unless we were hitting something really big for the first time or at the race track where it was required.

Something about coming of age though, maybe it's knowing what can really happen if you take a good header, or that there's just a lot more to lose. I can't remember the last time I rode without a helmet on a trail.

 

There has been a lot of riders at F-Loop lately with out helmets. The other day I told a group of what seemed to be a well out fitted, experienced, couple of riders and the "new guy" tagging along (without a helmet) that they should insist their friend wears one. They said they told him already.

I guess I don't care if you don't wear a helmet. That's your choice. It's when you fall, get hurt, sue the park or the national forest and it ruins access for everyone else that I don't agree with. Pho'dUp

That's why I started to be more vocal about it on the trails/road.

 

Some folks don't wear their lids on the way up, and put them on at the top. With my luck, I'd get clobbered by a descender, or forget to put the helmet on.

For me, I like to ALWAYS wear it, because good habits are your best friends just as surely as bad habits are your worst enemies.

 

Agreed on the helmets, but can anyone name one time this actually happened?

 

I wished I would have been a fan of the helmet when I was a kid. Would have saved me many-a-day in the hospital.

 

It's gotten to the point where I feel uncomfortable riding without a helmet. Besides, the older I get, the more I'm aware of my mortality.

 

Always wear 1

Wear One I cant stress it enough. I had a crash downhill hit a rock with my head luckily I had my Helmet. By the way helmet cracked. I hate to imagined what would of happend to me if i wasnt wearing a helmet.

:beer:

 

Cracked rock? :?:

 

no rock didnt crack :bang:

 

Safety First!!!!

Safety first!!!!!!!!! this guy is so old school; he's new!!!
This is from the Santa Rosa Newbie ride yesterday.

I just thought I'd share this picture to show you that you can still be cool while wearing your helmet.8)

Thumbs up,
Smitty
:beer:

 

I use to hate to wear a helmet... they didn't have helmets when I grew up.... only hair net helmets that racers sometimes wore.... Even when I started riding mountain bikes in the 70s... all they had were ugly heavy Bell and equally ugly Skid Lids. Finally Gero came out with a light helmet... I still didn't like the confining nature... but wore them as I saw the necessity. It really wasn't until I took a flying leap off of the Strawberry Peak Trail that they saved my life. Woke up at the bottom of a 70 foot fall with a rock embedded almost 1 inch into the helmet. Doctor said I would have been dead without one.

Now I feel funny when I ride without one around the house after cleaning or lubing the bike.

Remember grasshoppers, it's just nature's way of thinning out the gene pool for those that don't wear one....

 

Pretty much how I look at it.

I've broken three helmets including one full-face over the years so I can't imagine not wearing one.

I used to think Aliso was the no-helmet capitol of OC but lately O'Neill seems to be full of people trying for a Darwin award.