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Get a Helmet |
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Written by Zach Magoon
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Sunday, 20 August 2006 |
If there is one piece of equipment that is essential to riding a bike it's the helmet. I don't care what kind of bike you can afford or have, just leave an extra $50 in your budget to get a helmet. I say this because quite frequently I see people out there riding without them. These folks have obviously not fallen or been hit buy a car--it freaking hurts. I can easily say that I have been saved by my helmet more times then I care to remember. Crashes that would undoubtedly result in serious head wounds were avoided because I always wear my helmet. I'm sick of hearing the "it looks stupid" excuse or the "it makes my head too hot" routine. Suck it up--you'll look even stupider with a partially shaved head and stitches.
There really is no other part of your body that's more vulnerable then your head. And a simple precaution to NOT DYING is the helmet. This is all fresh on my mind because this weekend I had a little accident on the mountain bike with a tree. I've never hit anything so hard--I really thought I was done for as my head, shoulders and knee collided with a large birch tree after clipping a stump with my pedal. With a crack, the side of my helmet hit the tree, and everything went black and then yellow. I thought immediately about my newborn daughter and wife--perhaps even before I crumpled to the ground. I was a bit dizzy and disorientated as my riding partners came running back to help me out. Luckily I was pretty much fine with a bunch of bruises on my shoulder, knee and neck. My head, despite the impact with the tree was aching, but I suffered no contusions or lacerations. The team issue Lazer Genesis literally saved my life--I have no doubt in my mind--or what's left of it.
Just this morning as I was riding into work, I caught up to a guy riding without a helmet. He was out to try to beat me for some reason because after I passed him on a hill, he proceeded to really put the hammer down on the flats to catch up with me again. We were probably cruising in the 19-22mph range on the flats, so if he ever went down at those speeds he would surely be in for a world of hurt. There's really no way he could avoid smacking his head on the asphalt. As we headed uphill, I passed him again pointing at my helmet. Hopefully he got the idea, but somehow I think he just thought that some punk in spandex was egging him on--I hope not. It's such an easy precaution and one that I hope everyone takes seriously.
So for the love of god, just strap on the brain bucket and be safe.
Zm |
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