"StainlessSteelRat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:I thought I'd relate a recent experience. This is not a pro or anti helmet post, but might prove
food for thought.
I have never been a helmet wearer, and do a mixture of on and off-road cycling. I was cycling
through my local forest a couple of weeks back on a trail that I have cycled for over 3 years. For
some reason I lost control
of
Quoted message said:the bike, going over a tree root I think, and shot forward over the handle bars. I stopped, mainly
because I was in cleats, took the handlebars in
the
Quoted message said:chest and the bike collapsed to the floor in some fashion (I'm guessing it went forward and to the
left). I must have taken a serious blow to the
left
Quoted message said:side of my head as I was knocked unconscious. I woke up probably seconds later with my left foot
still in the cleat and mashed up hands, left arm
and
Quoted message said:leg. I decided to stay there for a few minutes until the world stopped spinning. I eventually
disentangled myself from the bike and sat on a conveniently located tree stump.
I must have collapsed again because the next thing I knew I was lying on
the
Quoted message said:ground. I suspect I may have even partially swallowed my tongue as I had vague memories of choking
(I have had a petit mal fit before, so remember what this is like). Now there was no-one around,
so if I had fully
swallowed
Quoted message said:my tongue I suspect I wouldn't be here posting this today.
Suffice to say I have bought a helmet and will wear it on all future
rides.
Quoted message said:
I thought it might prove food for thought for those that cycle regularly, particularly those that
go off-road and think that they might be immune, like me ;-) Not being preachy, but I would hate
to see anyone else suffer what I did.
--
StainlessSteelRat "What do you call assassins who accuse assassins?" -- Kurtz, Apocalypse Now
Glad to see / hear you survived ok..... I've just got back from the Karrimor trail, where I spent
the day with my son. We've ridden there several times over the last few years and always have a
really enjoyable, trouble free ride......until today that is. I'm still trying to get used to my
full susser on singletrack. I used to manage the trails on my front suss muddy fox but find the
approach on a full suss takes some getting used to ;-).... I only managed one serious wipeout today.
managed to avoid head banging but slashed my knee about half way round (the course, not the knee!).
Due to constant flexing of the knee, plenty blood was forthcoming, leading to much sympathy and tlc
on return home. I also managed to break my chain for the first time ever. Had to remove a couple of
links to get it fixed, seems alright now though. As a follow on from the OP, my son told me of an
interesting meeting that he and his friends recently had with a spazzo (not my terminology!!) at the
local bike shop. Apparently, this young man is now in a wheelchair and not communicating with this
world in the normal fashion. His 'buzz' is obtained by defecating in his pants in public and
enjoying the feel of it with his hands. Apparently he used to be a great downhill cyclist but was
not impressed with the idea of helmet use. Although it obviously can't be proven, it is stated that
a helmet would've saved this lad from the state he is in now, or at least might have...... All of my
son's friends, even the hardened anti-helmet ones now wear helmets following meeting this
individual. I've no doubt there will be individuals on this ng who think that either the helmet
could've made the situation worse (duh, like what, death ??) and those who will insist that a helmet
would've made no difference. Personally, I would not like to try the experiment to prove them wrong
(or right ;-) I am pleased that my son uses a helmet. He does downhill, jumps and all the other fun,
dangerous stuff associated with cycling. As a parent I have my heart in my mouth when I see him
partaking of the various disciplines, but, he is good and gets a great deal of pleasure out of them.
He has got through 5 helmets since he started 3 years ago. There is the potential that each one of
those helmets destroyed in accidents could've been his head, but hey, even 1 in 5 would've been
enough to make me a very sad parent indeed..... This is just my story and not an attempt to dictate
that helmet wearing should be compulsory by any means. If you don't wish to wear a helmet, be my
guest and enjoy life to the full ;-) Dave.
