Dear pretty hipster girl, your headband will not protect you from major head trauma. It's bicycle season, friends! You know what that means: peddling to your favorite cafes, bags of apples tucked into your basket, wind blowing through your hair.
Until you get hit by an inattentive driver and die of brain injuries.
I'd like to channel your over-concerned mother here and beg with you to please, please, please wear a helmet on your scooter or bicycle this summer. And I'm not just nagging you because I'm a Virgo.
When I lived in Taiwan I drove a scooter, just like every other person on that tiny, crowded island. Once summer hit - sticky, overwhelming, tropical island summer - I traded in my full-face 'winter' helmet for one of those cute half helmets with the flip-down visor. Three days after the trade off? I got cut off in traffic, face-planted into the middle of the intersection and finished the day with road rash and stitches in my face. Imagine what would have happened had I not been wearing a helmet!
I know how dorky helmets look. And I know they're a total buzzkill - matted, sweaty hair can't really compare to sexy, wind-blown tresses. But you know what? Metal plates in your skull aren't very sexy, either.
Besides, look how cute these helmets are. Now you have no excuse!
Do you ride a bike or a scooter a lot? Are you wearing a helmet?
Until you get hit by an inattentive driver and die of brain injuries.
I'd like to channel your over-concerned mother here and beg with you to please, please, please wear a helmet on your scooter or bicycle this summer. And I'm not just nagging you because I'm a Virgo.
When I lived in Taiwan I drove a scooter, just like every other person on that tiny, crowded island. Once summer hit - sticky, overwhelming, tropical island summer - I traded in my full-face 'winter' helmet for one of those cute half helmets with the flip-down visor. Three days after the trade off? I got cut off in traffic, face-planted into the middle of the intersection and finished the day with road rash and stitches in my face. Imagine what would have happened had I not been wearing a helmet!
I know how dorky helmets look. And I know they're a total buzzkill - matted, sweaty hair can't really compare to sexy, wind-blown tresses. But you know what? Metal plates in your skull aren't very sexy, either.
Besides, look how cute these helmets are. Now you have no excuse!
Do you ride a bike or a scooter a lot? Are you wearing a helmet?
41 comments:
THANK YOU for addressing this. I hate that all magazines that promote 'green-living' show celebs riding bikes without helmets. Stupid? Yes.
So helmets aren't going to make the runway anytime soon... so what? Safety is more important. Totally with you there. I ALWAYS wear a helmet, I don't care how silly I look :D
We're saving up to get me a scooter, and really driving a scooter is pretty dorky looking as it is. SO why not go for broke and get an awesomely dorky helmet. Also added benefit of not being brain dead.
What I really love about living in Australia is that it's illegal to ride without a helmet! I think wearing a helmet looks cooler than your brains being smushed all over the road does. Sorry for being so graphic!
My brothers friend almost died because he wasn't wearing a helmet last summer. Thanks for the PSA.
Nope, metal plates aren't and also being flat on your back w/tubes attached to your bod isn't either...
I bike to work every day and always wear a helmet.
1. In cities where helmets are mandatory, there are fewer cyclists on the roads.
2. When drivers have more cyclists on the road, they do actually drive more carefully.
3. Drivers also give unhelmeted cyclists more room when they are passed. They also give women more room when they pass.
4. Helmets send the message to people that cycling is unsafe, and fewer people will be on their bikes, and more people in their cars wasting fossil fuels.
Anon,
I can see where you're going with that and I appreciate the input. However, I imagine those facts are of little comfort to my favorite barista who spent a month in the hospital and six months in the physical therapy after she was hit by a truck while not wearing a helmet.
Also, I think it's incredibly important that we *all* take responsibility for ourselves and our safety in every aspect of our lives - whether that means taking a self-defense class, wearing sunscreen, not smoking and drinking in excess or not going home with some dude we met at the bar half an hour ago.
Regardless, I appreciate your thoughts. Obviously you're very passionate about the topic which I respect. :)
I just returned from a lovely morning ride on my adorable blue cruiser...sans helmet. Thanks for the great reminder.
THANK YOU!
I always, always, always wear a helmet. I've been hit by cars twice and both times was so grateful that I was wearing one.
The ONE time I didn't wear a helmet? I flipped my handlebars, face planted into the sidewalk, broke my top two front teeth out, and ended up in the ER for 7 hours.
Something interesting that I've noticed with the growing popularity of biking (in Seattle) is that the "newbies" are the ones who usually don't wear helmets, especially with the rise of fixed-gear culture. It's all about looking "cool" which is turns looks less cool- seen as trying too hard.
I've heard all of "anon"'s arguments against helmets before- but I still don't believe any of it. Seattle has a helmet law and there are more and more cyclists every year. And point 3 may be true in some instances (I've never noticed- as a woman), however- the entire point is that a vehicle may not always see you. If you get hit- you get hit. And you'd better hope your head is protected when it happens.
[standing ovation] I do have a helmet. But after perusing that link, I want to buy another one.
Thank you for addressing this! Every day in San Francisco I see dozens of people riding bicycles without helmets. Virtually everyone I know who rides a bike in San Francisco has had some type of accident due to the shitty drivers and bad roads here. When I rode a bike I wore a helmet, and when I was being wheeled into the ER after having an accident the ambulance techs commended me for wearing a helmet (even though I broke my collarbone and both elbows, I don't think I actually hit my head).
Now I ride a Vespa and wear a full-face helmet, even though the half-face one is much cuter. I figure I kind of like my face, though, and I'd be much less cute if it got messed up.
One way to make your bicycle or motorcycle helmet cuter (and thus cajole yourself into wearing it!) is to add decals. Check out this cute polka-dotted bike helmet: http://ohjoy.blogs.com/my_weblog/2009/12/my-dream-bicycle-helmet.html
I've been meaning to do something similar with mine for forever. If you google motorcyle or bike helmet decals tons of links come up, and you can even get reflective ones to make yourself even more visible (and stylish).
I always wear a helmet even though I would rather not. Mostly because I would least like to be brain dead. You should always be safe whenever you are putting the fun between your legs. Mine is a red bmx style helmet by bern which means it kinda has a horse riding helmet type shape with a brim. I get lots of compliments on it from guys actually.
I always, always rode my bike everyday for like 10 years. There were a lot of kids in my neighborhood and we all rode bikes all year long too.
I swear it was just me and some other girl who had to wear our helmets but no one ever made fun of us so I never really thought twice about it. Looking back, I'm glad my mom cared enough to make me wear one (and it was a pretty cute one at that).
Ah! Of course! So many people neglect this and it makes me so disappointed!
And here's a sight I found with more cute helmets:
http://www.yakkay.com/
Except for 4 months studying abroad in the Netherlands, I've always worn a bike helmet. For some reason, you only wear helmets in NL for competitive biking, and helmets were way expensive (wish I had brought mine over from the US). Then again, there are major consequences for hitting bikers and accidents are rare. Still . . . I'm lucky nothing happened.
In the US, it is helmet on, every time. My helmet is red and cute and, best of all, sturdy and well adjusted (ask the bike shop guy to help you!). I'd never go out without it.
Can you extend the PSA to motorcycle? I don't know about other states, but Minnesota (as you may know) does not require helmets. The other day, I read about a guy who died after hitting a dog; he went head over his motorcycle and cracked his skull open. A helmet would probably have saved him.
Thanks for posting this great PSA! It's impossible to overstate this one.
Helmets ftw! Great post, miss Sarah Von.
Helmets ftw! Great post, miss Sarah Von.
THANK You for saying that!! I thought I was like the only one who didn't give a shit if my hair looks silly but does give shit if I get hit by a truck. Helmets rule!!! I('d) feel naked without one on a bike.
Sing it sister! I got in trouble on a daily outfits blog recently for politely asking the poster why she wasn't wearing a helmet while cycling. It is such a ridiculous idea to not wear a helmet while cycling, even if you're just going for a cruise down a river-path. I am a mountain biker rather than a commuter, and the amount of bad headaches I have had after smashing my head while wearing a helmet into a tree or rock is unbelievable.
The skid lid might look ridiculous but it is much more effective than your skull for protection.
I recently started cycling around Wellington (in winter, no less!) and I wear my helmet, mainly because it's the law in New Zealand. On quiet roads I feel okay, but sometimes I'm very, very glad I'm wearing my helmet - like when riding the roads near the basin reserve! Currently my helmet is an ass ugly one that was donated to me, but I plan on buying a cuter, safer one soon. I get very jealous when I see pictures of cute girls riding bikes with their hair flowing free, but I really don't want my brain matter plastered all over Courtney Place...
I ride a scooter & I wear a full faced helmet...(I also wear some form of protective jacket, leather or otherwise). I do this because I kinda like having skin.
No matter how safe/good a rider you are people are not always going to see you or you could hit diesel on the road or anything & you will come unstuck. It's not a hard thing to do (wearing a helmet) so why not...if only for the peace of mind they provide.
Believe me when my head bounced along the pavement 4 times when I was hit by someone who simply didn't see me (not his or my fault...stupid blind spot!!) & I got up without a scratch & my head fully intact I was very grateful I was fully protected.
PS sorry for the longish post...this is something I feel very strongly.
Happy monday to everyone xx
Love the public service announcement. I used to be lazy about wearing a helmet, but now I never ride my bike without one. As a new speech-language pathologist working with brain-injured patients...there's no way I could leave it behind!
thank you for this. despite the fact that helmets do look daggy and unflattering, i will wear a helmet to ride my bike. every time. people riding bicycles are so, so vulnerable, and not many drivers are patient and attentive.
basically, i respect and value my brain - and everyone else's brain! so i'd like them to be looked after :)
Don't forget longboards/skateboards! I realize it's kind of a different culture, but I rode a longboard for transportation purposes a couple years ago and while home for thanksgiving I went out without a helmet, ended up with my head hitting the ground and I lost a lot of blood. I never want to see my parents look that concerned again. I sold the longboard, and I've only just gotten up the nerve to get a bike, WITH a helmet.
I will have a crack in my skull and a horridly scarred shoulder for the rest of my life, and there wasn't even a car involved! Don't risk it!
Sarah, you're actually wrong on this one, and anon is right.
A helmet cannot protect you from major head trauma - only minor impacts. The test for a helmet is being dropped with a 15kg weight from a height of one metre (sorry, don't know the imperial conversions). This is a force of .15kn - not very much at all. A helmet is just a little bit of polystyrene in a lightweight plastic case. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't think less of anyone who wears one, but they are not a talisman against danger, and provide very minimal protection. They will stop you from bleeding by protecting your skin from the ground, but this is largely cosmetic protection.
As anon pointed out above, once you're hit by a car going above 10mph the forces generated by a collision with the ground are many times this amount.
What's actually worse is that severe head injuries are caused by rotation of the brain within the skull. Because of their shape, bicycle helmets have been proven to cause and rotational head injuries, and worsen existing ones.
Your friend the barista would have suffered severe head injuries without the helmet, sadly. And even in North America, he would have been statistically safer without one. Studies have backed up those statistics by showing that cars give more room and are more aware of the vulnerability of unhelmeted cyclists, and cyclists take less risks when they don't think they're wearing a magical thing on their head.
Our friend the unhelmeted hipster is probably one of the safest cyclists on the road. She will drive at a comfortable pace, keep out of traffic, and ride smoothly and aware of the things around her.
For more of the arguments for and against helmets, http://www.cyclehelmets.org/
George - I would disagree that motorists see unhelmeted riders as more vulnerable. Perhaps this is the case in more cycle enlightened countries, but in New Zealand, where cycling is definitely a challenge due to the massive amounts of cars on the road and lack of infrastructure for cycles, I feel a lot safer when wearing my helmet. Whether I wear my helmet or not, I find that on busy roads motorists have a very cavalier attitude towards cyclists and won't give us much room.
Even if according to some studies helmets don't give much protection, I still feel much better while wearing mine, and I would argue that they DO provide protection for less serious accidents.
I think it is important to take studies with a grain of salt and use common sense. When NZ gets over its car culture (highly unlikely) and provides better spaces for cycles, I may decide to go sans-helmet, but until then I'm definitely wearing mine.
I feel a lot safer when wearing my helmet
That's cool. Just don't make your feelings a substitute for rational debate. And don't try to force me to wear something that increases my risk of serious brain injury =)
Helmets make cycling seem like a dangerous activity - when in fact it's actually statistically safer than walking. Helmets also put the burden of "safety" onto cyclists.
New Zealand saw a decline in cyclists of around a third after the introduction of the helmet law, while serious head injuries actually increased. I've cycled in Auckland and Wellington, and know that it can be chaotic at times. I also know that I do get more space when I'm sans helmet. Best thing to do is be high visibility with lots of lights and reflectors - avoiding a collision is by far the most important aspect of safety.
Oh, and since I don't want this to be all argument, have a look at pretty people on bicycles, all safely sans-helmet, at Copenhagen Cycle Chic
http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/
There's more interesting stuff about cycles, helmets, fear, and safety, at http://www.copenhagenize.com/
Sarah thanks for posting this. Helmets on bikes is something I am very passionate about, here in Portland, the top biking city in the U.S.
I have heard all of the arguments that George has stated above and believe most of them to some extent. I actually DO believe that cars sometimes give bikes more room when they aren't wearing helmets. But at least here in Portland, every one of my friends that has been hit by a car (and sadly, it's a lot just because of the sheer number of bikers we have here), it's never been from a driver not giving enough space to a biker, its always just from cars not looking and running straight through intersections, opening doors into bike lanes, etc. The idea that "cars give more room and are more aware of the vulnerability" doesn't mean that cars will not run run a red light behind a truck, or turn across a bike lane without looking.
My fiance's best friend has been in an ICU unit for the last two months due to a fall on a speed bump, no cars involved, while not wearing a helmet. She had emergency brain surgery while they removed a portion of her skull that was cracked in four places from unprotected contact with the road. And my brother one time survived a topple on a hill (again, no cars in sight) and his helmet was significantly dented (as in, completely caved in) in the front. The doctor said, "You were one helmet away from your coffin, kid."
Sorry not trying to argue, I'm just passionate about helmets!
I live in Amsterdam and this city is like made for bikes. everyone has one and uses it all the time. Without a helmet. You reallly don't need one here because bikers rule the city. Everyone is used to it and it has been like this for ages.
It's annoying when tourists ask me why no one wears a helmet.
I get it you need one for racing or on a scooter but Amsterdam is like the saves place on earth to cycle.
With you on this, it really bugs me when people don't wear a helmet. Cars may give people without helmets more room, but generally drivers that see cyclists don't hit cyclists as often as drivers who don't see cyclists.
thank you so much for posting this! i hate how no one wears a helmet because they look kind of dumb. being alive is way more important than looking cute all the time! i bike a lot & wear a helmet whenever i go out because people drive crazy over here! especially at intersections, people cannot seem to understand the concept of staying behind the white line so i always get nervous crossing the road.
I live in Vancouver, BC and bike everyday and don't wear a helmet on my little commutes along bike routes or if I take the seawall.
On longer bike rides (for exercise - so not too often!) I will wear a helmet as I'm usually riding in traffic.
I know it's for my own protection and everything, but truth be told, I should probably also wear a helmet if I'll be walking across intersections - and probably a full body suit if I'm getting drunk (I seem to awake with mysterious bruises!)
This is so timely!
I've resolved to learn to ride a bike this summer, & the only thing really holding me back at the moment (besides being 21 and terrified of bikes) is that I haven't got a helmet yet.
But! Fear not - payday is at the end of the week, & it's topping my shopping list.
Let's not forget that cyclists need to yeild to PEDESTRIANS. Having been T-boned by a bicyclist while moseying along minding my own business I'm a little bitter about these guys.
I have one of these for biking, rollerblading, etc. Highly recommended!
http://www.nutcasehelmets.com/Pages/Street.aspx
I've known too many people who've been hurt during high velocity sports to not use a helmet, but the traditional bike helmet look is a little painful for everyday wear.
One random stranger even told me I made her day by having a brightly colored helmet, which in turn made my day right back!
I ride a bike and do not wear a helmet. I'm not a daily commuter, but I do not believe that bicycling in general, and the way I ride in particular, is dangerous or helmet-worthy.
This prolly isn't the place to debate the issue; everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this is kind of a hot topic among cyclists. However, let me just say that I prefer to take my guidance from cities that have strong bicycle cultures, places like Copenhagen or Amsterdam. People in those cities rarely wear helmets and there isn't currently an epidemic of bicycle-related head injuries.
A pal of mine started the "Safety is Sexy" bike helmet campaign. The "You'd look hotter in helmet" stickers are great fun to tuck into bike tires around town:
http://www.zazzle.com/safetyissexy
Thank you for this! I have never read your blog before, but someone sent me a link and I was delighted to find this.
I'm actually still in highschool, and I can't tell you how frustrating it is that no one that I know wears a helmet.
In the previous places where I have lived, it was either against the law to not wear a helmet, or just common practice to wear it while riding a bike.
However, once I moved to the Midwest, I found that no one cares about safety. I think its because its so flat here...people don't realize the risk. I seriously have only seen two people wearing helmets while riding bikes in the past four years I've lived here, and they were on little children (accompanied by adults not wearing helmets themselves!!)
And when I desperately try to tell my friends to wear a helmet, they look at me like I've grown another head. "Why would I do that, Kelsey? I would look so stupid! What...everyone wore one out West? How strange!"
It is getting to the point where I can't even ride my bike anymore, for fear of the laughter of all my unsafe peers when they see me whisking by in my bright, lumpy/foamy helmet!
Hopefully I can save up some money to buy a pretty one...I've actually wanted one for a while. The only problem is that I've got an abnormally big head and I'm not sure if they'll fit me...
THANK YOU for mentioning this. Having been through a loved one sustaining a traumatic brain injury, I get upset every time I see a cyclist without a helmet (wearing headphones, biking recklessly, etc...) and have been known to roll down the car window to yell at them to wear a helmet :/ It's not only silly not to; it's selfish. K done ranting, thanks again :)
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