Wear your helmet!



After a friend of mine did a summersault and cracked his helmet when we did our first Argus I vowed to never ever cycle without a helmet again. He got away with minor cuts an bruisers, but had he not been wearing a helmet his head would have been toast.
 
I never leave home without the following:

a. Helmet - My peanut is worth much more than looking "cool", looking like the "pro's" (the pro's don't ride without helmets), etc., etc.
b. Mediband - What if I do fall and shake the peanut a bit too much? How are the paramedics going to know that I do have a medical aid (a must in SA) and that I must be taken to a private hospital? On the band they can get all my info and emergency contact no.'s

The rule of "No Helmet - No Ride" should be made into a law to prevent idiots from setting a bad example to the new cyclists starting out with cycling.
 
In australian there is a law that requires all cyclists to use an approved helmet. The police can issue an on-the-spot fine if your caught without one ::)
 
is that so admin? ;)
the other day i saw a bloke on a old road bike who was just wearing a bandana (looked like a pirate). iv also seen a bloke riding around with a construction hat on?. i agree helmets are a must and they look cool too 8)
 
I cannot always wear a helmet because my throat

Due to shouting at rugby matches :-[ I have damaged my Choke Reflex, so as a result somedays the slight pressure from the strap triggers off a bout of choking (no fun),Even when I cannot put the helmet on I take it with me and hope that I can wear it after awhile. Because it's amazing how vunerable you feel without it.
 
On Sunday I T-boned a card with my head, doing about 25kph when a car pulled out of his driveway. I hit the brakes, went over the handlebars and hit the side of the car square with the top of my head (I did have a helmet on). Briko helmet now has a crack in it, my neck is a bit stiff but I'm alive thanks to the helmet. Cars a bit buggered though!

Ride safely!! See you on the road!
 
On Sunday I T-boned a card with my head, doing about 25kph when a car pulled out of his driveway. I hit the brakes, went over the handlebars and hit the side of the car square with the top of my head (I did have a helmet on). Briko helmet now has a crack in it, my neck is a bit stiff but I'm alive thanks to the helmet. Cars a bit buggered though!

Ride safely!! See you on the road!
Eish! glad it was not too serious. thank goodness for the helmet. Whats the damage to the bike ?
 
I go along with all these postings. I sometimes cringe when I see some "fast" guy without a helmet. I've had three bad head injuries back in the days before helmets. Each time I was unconscious 12 hours or more and cannot remember anything about any of them. One they say I rode into the back of a truck (probably late for work and was draughting! :p) Another was at night and guy I was with said a cat went into the front wheel. :'( Blood on the bike, whether mine or a cat I don't know. Other time I was just found lying by my bike. ???
Acid. Glad you're OK but not too sorry about the guy's car! ;D
 
Eish! glad it was not too serious. thank goodness for the helmet. Whats the damage to the bike ?
No damage to the bike... bike stopped dead (Damn good brakes!!) I went clean over the handlebars, if it wasn't for the car being in the way I probably would have landed on my feet. My only point of impact with the car was the crown of my head/helmet. My knees hit the tar..scraped some skin off.. really impressive, lifelike blood :eek:
Quote came back for repairs to the car R2300.00..... :'(
 
Don't tell me that you have to pay for the damage to the car?
 
Acid. Sounds like you've got a good case. I would counter claim for medical expenses, pain and suffering etc etc. before I paid out anything for car damage! :eek:
 
Acid, from what I can gather it was not your fault at all, I would not pay a cent to this guy in your case.

How did you get the bike to stop so quickly without the tyre locking up, last night a guy pulled infront of me and I was only doing about 20 - 25 km/h when I hit the brakes my rear wheel locked, I had to release and grab again (little anti lock trick I learned when I had my first car). The guy did apologise profusely.
 
I agree! Don't pay the driver of that car because it was HIS fault, and not yours!

Same thing happened to me a year or so ago. I was going at around 32 kph when this guy on a BMX stops dead right in front of me. Luckily, the Shimano 105 brakes did their job (although I did lock up the rear wheel) and stopped the bike whose rear wheel was wobbling like a worm due to the lock up. Luckily too, all I got was some road rash and a chainring tattoo from the sadi BMX (this guy was an egg vendor who goes around residential areas on a BMX, selling a special type of egg). I know, I know, I should have been wearing a helmet! I never ride without one now!
 
Hi guys, Sorry about the delay in my responses but my browser only wants to load the top of this page before timing out, it takes me a couple of attempts and some fiddling before I can see all.

The accident was my fault, not the drivers so I'm quite prepared to cover his costs. He's been really nice about the whole thing. He called me to say he's not accepting the quote for replacing the fender, he's going to find a panelbeater to knock out the dent instead.. this will be cheaper.... My insurance company is prepared to pay out as well under my personal liability cover so I may just have to pay my excess (Deductable for you USA surfers!)

This whole incident has brought a lot into perspective for me though, my style of riding and lack of caution has suddenly changed and I'm taking things a little easier now. Before it was always max speed and push the edge but my wife explained to me that she doesn't really like hospitals that much and visiting hours are very incovinient for her :)

I'm still noticing huge groups of cyclists skipping red lights in the early morning while I'm out running/fastpacking. It gives me the shivers.

Guys be safe.... See you on the road! ;)
 
Hi Acid. I guess you're the best judge of who was at fault. Just be pleased you came out OK. ;) I've just been paid out by my personal accident insurance for my accident last year. ;D

Off subject, did anyone see the pictures the other day of the SA presidential motorcade rear ending everyone? :p These guys drive like they've been watching too many US movies! Poor guy in the Uno who slowed down in front of the convoy is getting the blame for getting hit up the a*se! ::) Maybe Thabo should get himself a helmet?! ;D
 
Off subject, did anyone see the pictures the other day of the SA presidential motorcade rear ending everyone? :p These guys drive like they've been watching too many US movies! Poor guy in the Uno who slowed down in front of the convoy is getting the blame for getting hit up the a*se! ::) Maybe Thabo should get himself a helmet?! ;D

I've been on the road many a time when various motorcades come through, they just bully everyone out of the way. Nothing like spreading a little presidential goodwill!!
 
Is there reallya significant difference (apart from style)between say a R400-00 helmet and one that cost R1000-00.
 
Yep, most importantly are the safety features, such as the roll cage of the helmet. Make sure the helmet is certified by a safety standards organisation. You will get this type of info on the manufactures website.
Secondly, there are features such as ventilation, comfort and weight.
Bottom line? Protect your nut as best you can!

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One of my friends bought himself a piece of land in Johannesburg recently. As we are both BIG helmet "must wears", he had his helmet on. After dropping to the road and getting up, he felt that the helmet did not sit right. The helmet was cracked from the front to the back. He went to the doc (a sport doctor) which told him that if he was not wearing his helmet, he might have been lying in the I.C.U. of the nearest hospital. I just wish the "pro's" (please note: Pro's in "") would wear their helmets to set an example to the new cyclists. Maybe we should all try to give some sound advise to new cyclists about the wearing of helmets.
 

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