NYCkayaker Bike Helmets and PFD not important?

Sun Nov 9 01:16:52 EST 2008

Yes, April, you can die on a bicycle wearing a helmet, but you can also be
saved on a bicycle wearing a helmet in many cases. I am truly sorry about
your friend. It is sad, but your anti-helmet attitude just doesn¹t make
sense, and makes me sad also, and quite a bit dumbfoounded. The idea to ride
safe is, of course, paramount. To follow traffic signs and laws (which are
mandatory), to give enough distance between parked cars and the bike, to
never take your eye off the road, to always be alert, etc.

I¹ve had five friends killed on motorcycles, even though they were wearing
helmets (which was mandatory.) None of the accidents were there fault. Yet
we know that motorcycle helmets, like bicycle helmets CAN save lives and DO
save lives.  NOT all the time, but many times. It still is common sense to
wear a helmet. My friends are dead. Do I think motorcycle helmets are
frivilous. NO, I don¹t. Everyone who rides one of these machines, which I
won¹t get on anymore, should wear one, and also carry an organ donor
card....

Damn, if you get run over by a Mack truck on a bike, you are probably going
to die. And just like wearing a PFD correctly, so it doesn¹t come off when
submerged, a bike helmet also needs to fit and be worn correctly and not too
loosely. The same thing goes with seat belts and shoulder straps, which are
mandatory everywhere. They won¹t always save you, but it has been proven
that in many instances they can save you and they do save you.

It¹s not so much a trust in my helmet that I advocate. Of course following
common sense rules-of-the road and defensive peddling is extremely
important. The bicycle helmet gives you a chance that you might not have....

So April, Pleaaaaaase... It is your choice not to wear helmets, but it has
been proven to save lives, not all the time. No one is claiming that.
Nothing can do that..... If you feel invulnerable, infallible, above it all,
or just like challenging logic. Go ahead. I hope you don¹t become a
statistic. But why in the world would you discourage anyone from protecting
themselves...

Scratching my head, David

PS Everyone on this listserve does a reply to all, why are you whining only
to me.... There are polite ways and back channel ways of asking....

On 11/8/08 10:42 PM, "April Tam" <at_nyc at hotmail.com> wrote:

> 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 what
> helmets can do, and unfortunately I have witnessed the death of a cyclist
> who 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).
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>>> > > **********************************************************************
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>> > 
> 
> 
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