Farewell to an old friend

Brian Watson

I'm a bit of a retro-grouch and as a result have been wearing the same
helmet since May '99 :-) I'm aware of all the arguments against
keeping them and starting that debate is not the purpose of this post.

I just thought that the way it failed was pretty dramatic and you
might be interested to see the photo :-)

http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l...nt=DSCF0412.jpg

I went over a very small jump that I am familiar with, but today I was
feeling good and hit it much faster than normal. I messed up the
launch and landed into a tree. My head hit hard and I was dazed for a
bit but there does not seem to be any real damage. I think the helmet
performed very well!

I almost bought a new one on Monday - so glad I didn't :-)

Brian

lemmiwinks.au@gmail.com

On Apr 4, 1:57 pm, Brian Watson <Brian.S.Wat...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm a bit of a retro-grouch and as a result have been wearing the same
> helmet since May '99 :-) I'm aware of all the arguments against
> keeping them and starting that debate is not the purpose of this post.
>
> I just thought that the way it failed was pretty dramatic and you
> might be interested to see the photo :-)
>
> http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l...cles/?action=vi...
>
> I went over a very small jump that I am familiar with, but today I was
> feeling good and hit it much faster than normal. I messed up the
> launch and landed into a tree. My head hit hard and I was dazed for a
> bit but there does not seem to be any real damage. I think the helmet
> performed very well!
>
> I almost bought a new one on Monday - so glad I didn't :-)
>
> Brian

At least it went out with a bang!

Get a Giro helmet to replace it. I had a helmet that fitted the same
way as your old one but the Giros have an adjustable framework inside
them that fits very comfortably on your head, the difference is
amazing.

DeF

Brian Watson wrote:
> I'm a bit of a retro-grouch and as a result have been wearing the same
> helmet since May '99 :-) I'm aware of all the arguments against
> keeping them and starting that debate is not the purpose of this post.
>
> I just thought that the way it failed was pretty dramatic and you
> might be interested to see the photo :-)
>
> http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l...nt=DSCF0412.jpg
>
> I went over a very small jump that I am familiar with, but today I was
> feeling good and hit it much faster than normal. I messed up the
> launch and landed into a tree. My head hit hard and I was dazed for a
> bit but there does not seem to be any real damage. I think the helmet
> performed very well!
>
> I almost bought a new one on Monday - so glad I didn't :-)
>
> Brian

Nice work. Have you seen the article in the Australian newspaper
today about compulsory helmets and helmet wearing in general? I
don't want to start a debate about helmet law (sh*t, I think I
might have already). It looks to me that in this case the helmet
saved you from a potentially nasty head injury. The life of one
of my helmets ended saving my head although the damage was less
dramatic. I only realised the helmet was broken by inspecting it
closely sometime after the off.

DeF

--
e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.

lemmiwinks.au@gmail.com

On Apr 4, 2:32 pm, DeF <""d.farrow\"@your finger.murdoch.edu.au">
wrote:
> Nice work. Have you seen the article in the Australian newspaper
> today about compulsory helmets and helmet wearing in general? I
> don't want to start a debate about helmet law (sh*t, I think I
> might have already). It looks to me that in this case the helmet
> saved you from a potentially nasty head injury. The life of one
> of my helmets ended saving my head although the damage was less
> dramatic. I only realised the helmet was broken by inspecting it
> closely sometime after the off.
>
> DeF
>
> --
> e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
> To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.

Sometimes I forget to put my helmet on if it's not dangling from the
'bars which can happen when I change bikes. I kind of like riding
without it, though I'm conditioned so that it feels weird once I
notice (or I notice because it feels weird). I still need to wear a
hat instead because I need *some* sun protection. I made a conscious
choice not to wear a helmet the other day while heading off for a
relaxed, slow trundle along the off road bike path, felt good.

Let the flame war commence :-)

Duncan

On Apr 4, 1:32 pm, DeF <""d.farrow\"@your finger.murdoch.edu.au">
wrote:
....
> The life of one
> of my helmets ended saving my head although the damage was less
> dramatic. I only realised the helmet was broken by inspecting it
> closely sometime after the off.

Ditto here.

I had a front washout on an off-camber corner in the wet.. smacked
down on my left shoulder and head. Helmet saved the side of my head
from a very nasty whack into the asphalt.

duncan

Bean Long

lemmiwinks.au@gmail.com wrote:

> Let the flame war commence :-)

ooooh! You''re askin' for it! Hehe :-)

TimC

On 2008-04-04, Brian Watson (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> I'm a bit of a retro-grouch and as a result have been wearing the same
> helmet since May '99 :-) I'm aware of all the arguments against
> keeping them and starting that debate is not the purpose of this post.
>
> I just thought that the way it failed was pretty dramatic and you
> might be interested to see the photo :-)
>
> http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l...nt=DSCF0412.jpg

'sok! You can glue it back together! Good as new!

--
TimC
When the revolution comes, we'll need a longer wall. -- Tom De Mulder

Brian Watson

On Apr 4, 2:32 pm, DeF <""d.farrow\"@your finger.murdoch.edu.au">
wrote:

..snip.. Have you seen the article in the Australian newspaper
> today about compulsory helmets and helmet wearing in general?

Do you mean this one?

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.a...6-30417,00.html

I hadn't, but have now. I know one case does not affect the science,
but I'm glad I was wearing mine today.

Brian

Brian Watson

On Apr 4, 2:32 pm, DeF <""d.farrow\"@your finger.murdoch.edu.au">
wrote:

..snip.. Have you seen the article in the Australian newspaper
> today about compulsory helmets and helmet wearing in general?

Do you mean this one?

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.a...6-30417,00.html

I hadn't, but have now. I know one case does not affect the science,
but I'm glad I was wearing mine today.

Brian

DeF

Brian Watson wrote:
> On Apr 4, 2:32 pm, DeF <""d.farrow\"@your finger.murdoch.edu.au">
> wrote:
>
> ..snip.. Have you seen the article in the Australian newspaper
>> today about compulsory helmets and helmet wearing in general?
>
> Do you mean this one?
>
> http://www.theaustralian.news.com.a...6-30417,00.html
>
> I hadn't, but have now. I know one case does not affect the science,
> but I'm glad I was wearing mine today.
>
> Brian

Yep, that's the one. This is a hoary old chestnut that comes out
every now and again. Both sides to the argument point to the same
data and say it supports their position. Having not seen the data
I wouldn't like to comment.

--
e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.

Alan Erskine

"Brian Watson" <Brian.S.Watson@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:5de702c6-f363-4837-bb7c-5bfd3e12c54a@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> I'm a bit of a retro-grouch and as a result have been wearing the same
> helmet since May '99 :-) I'm aware of all the arguments against
> keeping them and starting that debate is not the purpose of this post.
>
> I just thought that the way it failed was pretty dramatic and you
> might be interested to see the photo :-)
>
>
http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l...nt=DSCF0412.jpg

Brian; that's the best argument for wearing a helmet I've ever seen -
imagine how you'd look if you hadn't been wearing it - you'd look like the
helmet!

Jock

It died doing what it loved.... that's the main thing.


"Brian Watson" <Brian.S.Watson@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:5de702c6-f363-4837-bb7c-5bfd3e12c54a@x41g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> I'm a bit of a retro-grouch and as a result have been wearing the same
> helmet since May '99 :-) I'm aware of all the arguments against
> keeping them and starting that debate is not the purpose of this post.
>
> I just thought that the way it failed was pretty dramatic and you
> might be interested to see the photo :-)
>
> http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l...nt=DSCF0412.jpg
>
> I went over a very small jump that I am familiar with, but today I was
> feeling good and hit it much faster than normal. I messed up the
> launch and landed into a tree. My head hit hard and I was dazed for a
> bit but there does not seem to be any real damage. I think the helmet
> performed very well!
>
> I almost bought a new one on Monday - so glad I didn't :-)
>
> Brian

PeteSig

"Brian Watson" wrote:

> I messed up the launch and landed into a tree. My head hit hard and
> I was dazed for a bit but there does not seem to be any real damage.
> I think the helmet performed very well!

You are very lucky! The helemt failed and you could have suffered serious
injury if your speed had been a bit higher.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet
"Anecdotal evidence
A common misunderstanding is to assume that a broken helmet has prevented
some serious injury. "the main impact was to my head. So much so, that my
helmet broke in two (as it is designed to do). Without the helmet, it would
have been my head that was broken and I wouldn't be writing this blog entry!
I'd be dead..."[47] Helmets are designed to crush without breaking; expanded
polystyrene absorbs little energy in brittle failure and once it fails no
further energy is absorbed. To prevent overt fragmentation, the foam in most
helmets is reinforced inside with plastic netting to keep the foam
together."


--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

Davo

PeteSig wrote:
> "Brian Watson" wrote:
>
>> I messed up the launch and landed into a tree. My head hit hard and
>> I was dazed for a bit but there does not seem to be any real damage.
>> I think the helmet performed very well!
>
> You are very lucky! The helemt failed and you could have suffered serious
> injury if your speed had been a bit higher.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet
> "Anecdotal evidence
> A common misunderstanding is to assume that a broken helmet has prevented
> some serious injury. "the main impact was to my head. So much so, that my
> helmet broke in two (as it is designed to do). Without the helmet, it would
> have been my head that was broken and I wouldn't be writing this blog entry!
> I'd be dead..."[47] Helmets are designed to crush without breaking; expanded
> polystyrene absorbs little energy in brittle failure and once it fails no
> further energy is absorbed. To prevent overt fragmentation, the foam in most
> helmets is reinforced inside with plastic netting to keep the foam
> together."
>
>

So did it save his head or didn't it?

Was he "lucky", or has he "prevented serious injury" due to a concious
decision to wear a helmet?

Has he been reported in any statistical evidence demonstrating the
effectiveness of helmets, or is it just "anecdotal" evidence that can be
disregarded?