Re: “How to stay safe while you bike,” March 19
We often joke that the only cyclists who don’t need helmets are the ones who don’t have anything to protect.
Always wear a helmet that fits proprerly and fasten the strap, even on short, familiar rides, and even at low speeds. If you get knocked or thrown off for any reason (vehicle, obstacle, panic-stop, something catches front wheel), particularly if you go forward over the handlebars, it’s like getting dropped on your head from three feet in the air!
I have two friends, both excellent cyclists, who’ve had serious accidents. In both cases their helmets saved their lives. I would be outraged if the “wear a helmet if you feel like it” attitude ended up costing a friend his or her life.
Dick Dunn, Hygiene
How many anecdotes do you need to realize that bike accidents happen close to home and on short familiar trips, too? I once worked with a woman who had a traumatic brain injury while just riding a short distance to her gym with no helmet. And when we are in familiar surroundings, we are often less aware of potential danger. Better advice is to wear a helmet, not “consider” a helmet.
Kris Jones
A talented, bright acquaintance had life-changing head injuries from a helmet-less ride close to home. His decision to finish up yard work and join his wife at a neighborhood gathering on his bike seemed OK at the time. The head injuries that he sustained while riding those few blocks from home without a helmet when he was hit by a truck rendered him unable to ever continue holding a job.
Another dear friend who did decide to wear a helmet on a neighborhood ride is still a bright, giving member of our community despite enduring the effects of significant bodily injuries sustained by a hit-and-run driver.
I hope these two anecdotes that affected my world will help to encourage riders to always reach for their helmets, even for a “short, familiar trip.” Brains will always lose against pavement and auto vehicles.
Judy Tate
