NYCkayaker Bike Helmets and PFD not important?

[April Tam]

David, 
 
It's not neccessary to "Reply ALL". We all get a copy of your message from the list. I don't need to get it TWICE.
 
"So quote all the the crap about vertical velocity you want. I have seen whathelmets can do, and unfortunately I have witnessed the death of a cyclistwho would still be alive today if she had been wearing a helmet!!!!!!"
 
Your trust in helmet is so strong I feel I have to tell you my experience.
 
I had the misfortune of holding in my hand the shattered helmet AND SKULL of a fellow cyclist! She died, despite wearing a helmet! We knew that on the spot. There was brain matter on the pavement... Despite hitting the pavement with her helmet first, her skull was bashed in! The helmet did NOT protect her. 
 
The quote on vertical velocity is not "crap" as you thought. Helemets do not "save life". They offer only a limited protection: a slow fall from nearly stationary bike. Your "believe" on that dead cyclist being alive "if she had been wearing a helmet" is false. You don't know. She could very well still died, just like my buddy, despite wearing a helmet!!!!!!
 
You've only seen one side of the equation and had extrapolated a conclusion that's far beyond its validity. And you're advocating it as a mandate for everybody???
 
Pleeease!!!
April
 
> Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 18:13:13 -0400> From: peekamoose at optonline.net> Subject: Re: NYCkayaker Bike Helmets and PFD not important?> To: at_nyc at hotmail.com; nyckayaker at rockandwater.net> > April,> > Accidents happen April, even to the best of us. Even if you made a mistake,> or the accident was due to some other circumstance beyond your control,> having the right safety gear can be the difference between survival and a> funeral. In the end it doesn't really matter how the accident happened, what> matters is if you live to talk about the accident. I hope a car doesn't come> out across the median when you are not wearing that helmet, as you are> obviously too skilled to make a mistake....> > Personally, I cannot understand your arguments, but you are entitled to> them. By the way, I never feel too hot in my helmet, and I have ridden on> the hottest days of the year.> > David> > > On 11/8/08 6:54 PM, "April Tam" <at_nyc at hotmail.com> wrote:> > > > > Fair enough. PFD/helmet are basically a SECOND LINE DEFENSE. But too many> > people are hyping it as the be all and end all safety device, and mandating> > its use while TOTALLY ignoring the more important safety skills.> > > > Is it because skills are harder to mandate? Or because skills takes time to> > learn, so it's easier to "buy extra safety"?> > > > BTW, I've been riding the street of NYC since 1990. That's about 20 years.> > I've had ONE crash on my first year here. Afterward, I look long and hard on> > how I ride and made some changes to my riding habit, including start wearing> > helmet! But I think it's due entirely to the "hard look" at what cause the> > crash in the first place, that I've not crash since. I do still occasionally> > ride helmet-less, on days that are too hot, or when I for whatever reason> > simply forgot it (only can happen when driving to start).> > _________________________________________________________________> > Windows Live Hotmail now works up to 70% faster.> > http://windowslive.com/Explore/Hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_faster_11> > 2008> > **********************************************************************> > The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is a public> > service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River Watertrail> > Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org> > > > To unsubscribe or change delivery options:> > http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker> > 
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