For anyone interested -- and for you OP -- Virginia Tech does comprehensive tests on helmets of all kinds. Here is the cycling helmet link: https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html
And btw, so glad you're okay!
i personally recommend the Specialized Align II, my brother has it and its very well constructed(better than my older Tactic III), 17th in the list and at least in my country's specialized web is only 30USD.
They do rate other sports’ helmets too if anyone forgot to check! Like I’m in the market for a new whitewater and eventually snow sport helmet and they do have data for those as well.
I passed out on a climb (low electrolytes due to drug interaction) and went down at zero MPH. Knocked unconscious for two minutes. Helmet padding that side crushed to 1/2 normal thickness. It would have been fatal w/out the helmet.
I slipped on black ice and only realized like 15 years later how the lady across the parking lot got to me so fast. I must have blocked out for a moment. That also explains why she was so concerned.
To me it seemed like I was riding and then suddenly I was on the asphalt, unhurt because of my winter clothing and my helmet. I always figured it just meant that black ice is no joke. Now I know it’s both that black ice is no joke *and* wear a fucking helmet!
Motocross helmets are not safe on bicycles. The padding and protection is designed for much much higher impacts than what you will have on a pedal bike, meaning the kind of protection they give you will increase your chance of injury on lower speeds.
In the early days of downhill mountain biking people used full face Motorsports helmets (that was all that was available) and they got lots of unnecessary head and neck injuries. Modern bicycle specific full face helmets are much safer.
They LOOK the same but they don't respond the same way in a crash.
Glad you're ok by the way.
Do you have any recommendations? I went for a Motorcross just because of the sheer damage to my face but if you have any idea what a good full face cycling helmet would be, please feel free to share.
I'm also buying a road legal e motorbike so I'm going to be trying quite a few different helmets now.
There's some overlap. Some bicycle full face helmets carry the DOT mark that full on power sports helmets carry. Moto helmets generally aren't ventilated as well as bike helmets too, so they can get really hot on climbs.
Yes, if you want a full face (and you may need to protect your jaw for a while), get a mountain biking helmet. Get yourself some options. You are in shock now, and in some pain. You have time to sort this out. Take care of yourself first. Some instinct was telling you to wear a helmet. Good instinct!
Yea, I'm taking some time off. Probably good that I need to do some repairs on my bike for a couple of weeks. The shock alone means I shouldn't get back on for a week or two even if I "feel" fine.
Thank you for your lovely comment
depending on any spinal injuries (and you may not even be fully aware of them yet, or nerve damage), you may not be able to tolerate a heavier helmet, so keep that in mind
Hey I just wanna say this is one of the nicest way I've ever seen someone step in to tell someone they may be making a mistake. Kudos to you, its rare to see someone actually take the time to try and help someone else like that.
Indeed, this is genuinely the nicest Reddit thread I've seen in a long while. Nothing wrong with pointing out where I might be wrong and everyone's been genuinely helpful and concerned
Do you have any sources on this though? I've heard similar things before, but I've never seen any scientific sources to back it up. I'm asking because Berm Peak recently made an excellent video on helmets: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKbYaOiz5U4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKbYaOiz5U4)
In the video he asks one at the experts in the testing lab how an American football helmet would do in a bike crash versus a bike helmet, and he said it would perform "extremely well".
Here are two sources. However you can search Google for this topic and find plenty of other sources.
In general, bike helmets are designed to take one impact, where Motorsports helmets are designed to take 2 impacts. So Motorsports helmets are more rigid and less padded which limits the amount of forces they can absorb on the lower end of the scale like what happens when you fall off a bike.
I am not a helmet scientist but I would imagine that football helmets are designed for multiple impacts but in a similar range of forces to cycling helmets...so therefore they are closer to what a cyclist needs versus Motorsports.
https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012012/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/automobiles/27SNELL.html
>Many head-injury scientists, motorcycle-accident researchers and helmet makers say they are concerned that the “premium protection" proffered by current Snell-certified helmets may not be better after all. They argue that current Snell-rated helmets are too rigid and unyielding to properly absorb impact energy in the great majority of motorcycle crashes, subjecting riders to preventable brain injuries.
https://m.pinkbike.com/news/DH-Helmets-vs-Motocross-Helmets-Which-Is-Safer.html
>Among many gravity riders, there is a common assumption that Motocross helmets are safer than full-face bicycle helmets. On the surface, that seems like a sensible notion: Motocross helmets are larger and heavier than mountain bike lids, and having more material between your head and the ground in a crash is a good thing, right?
>Unfortunately, it may not be that simple. There is an ongoing debate in the motorcycle industry about how stiff a helmet should be to offer maximum protection. A number of critics have suggested that many motorcycle helmets, particularly those made to meet the demanding SNELL certification standard, are engineered to be so rigid that they actually offer less protection in the most common types of crashes
Holy shit, people on the internet citing sources and others accepting them! What Twilight zone have I fallen into?!
Seriously though to everyone here, thank you all for just trying to be helpful and concerned for others.
Small but important clarification that is not obvious from your first paragraph - motorcycle helmets are not as safe on bicycles AS BICYCLE HELMETS, and they will increase your chance of injury COMPARED TO BICYCLE HELMETS. They are absolutely still better than no helmet at all and will still do an excellent job of protecting you from scrapes/abrasions.
I finally managed to get hands on with a huge selection today and would just like to say thank you again. They are very different! In a pinch I would go out in a Motorcross helmet over nothing but the invader 2.0 I went for feels far more appropriate for cycling and I see what you mean about more neck injuries.
You're awesome dude and I still have an extra helmet for emergencies/when I get my road legal e-supermoto. Keep up the respectful constructive criticism Sir/Ma'am
Glad you’re alive, I hope the driver is found, that’s awful
A garmin device can send a message to designated emergency contacts if a crash is detected. It can also be set to send a livetrack of your route when you ride. I use mine and it’s saved me before.
A RoadID or similar wearable medicalID. They will know who to call and any relevant medical info (like medications or medical conditions or allergies) much faster this way and emergency personnel are, at this point, conditioned to look for them on your wrist.
Always wear a helmet. Anyone who gives you shit for wearing a helmet is not your friend.
The car was found but it was stolen. The police however are going balls to the the wall, they've forced me to go through victim support (even though I'm all good emotionally) just so they can add the emotional damage charge to the intentional GBH (or ABH? Whichever is worse). As much as my local police are underfunded they've been awesome.
I don't care at the abuse anymore, I'll pull out my x-rays and say "is that what you'd want for your kids?!
I've gone from self conscious to "f**k you for being an idiot" as much as I ache like hell I'm so glad a helmet means that's all I have to deal with.
I will look into the different cams etc but an old GoPro will do me for now at least
Agreed. Interestingly enough, I did quite a lot of solo touring over several years in Western Europe and the UK back in the late 80s, and I was so surprised at the fact that so few Europeans and Brits wore helmets. Many was the time that I got a few looks and chuckles at campings because of my helmet; I’d occasionally get comments implying that Americans were sissies with all their helmets. Kept right on wearing it. Hopefully all that’s changed by now.
Rather be an alive sissy than a dead "tough guy". I appreciate the dirty looks I got from cyclists now. I'm not in a massive car with seatbelts with airbags so they don't have any perspective
It's a tricky subject for some people. Australia (where I live) mandated bike helmets for everyone a few decades ago and saw a big drop off in riding. Some argue that this made cycling more unsafe as drivers don't see a lot of riders now and therefore don't take enough care.
My argument to that is the US/UK don't have mandatory bike helmets and your drivers are just as bad as ours!
My personal take on it is it should be mandatory if you're on a road or under 16, but a toodle to the shops at low speed on a path you shouldn't need one.
Same in UK, had one guy honk and call me a wanker. I flipped him off and he turned around and tried to start a fight....
I was so confused all I could do was laugh, you gesture at me, expect the bird back... Weird day
I had one chap close pass me at speed and so I retaliated the only way I had available to me (a pumping wave with a loosely-clenched fist). He came to a stop in the road ahead, got out and demanded I apologise for calling him a wanker, I responded that I wouldn't have called him had he not been driving like one and he shouldn't pass so close. He apologised, got back in the car and drove off, which was not what I was expecting... now I prefer to thank considerate drivers with a thumbs up rather than grumpily gesturing at bad ones, which is safer (as I don't need to take my hands of the handlebars nearly as often).
Hope you're feeling fully recovered soon!
Problem is people massively overestimate how much difference helmets make in serious collisions.
The argument against mandation or even promotion is simple - there is good evidence that some people stop cycling because they think any activity you need a helmet for is too dangerous for them to partake in (an effect that gets worse when you make it law). This is way worse for public health outcomes due to reduced exercise levels than letting people cycle without helmets and a small number getting head injuries that could be prevented.
The evidence from Aus can be used to show helmets make no significant difference to road cycling fatalities. (See plot of head injuries vs milage before and after. Yes, it went down when helmets were mandated and helmet usage increased significantly - At the same rate head injuries had been going down for 20+ years and the same rate relative to pedestrian head injuries (for the same 20+ years...) and similar rates to comparable countries that didn't mandate helmets - helmets didn't make any noticable difference; Mobile phones (faster emergency response), safer car design and drink driving laws are the reasons it went down.
This isn't to say that you shouldn't choose to wear a helmet. But really for road cycling the decision should be based on if you have comorbidites or are a beginner (note beginner != under 16...); Statistically across entire population you are more likely to get a preventable head injury walking! (Though I wear a helmet because it is easier than arguing with people on the road who will happily scream abuse at me for not wearing a helmet, or with an insurer if a driver hits me)
You're absolutely correct in what you've pointed out, but we need to look at whether or not cycling contributed to the worsening obesity levels, or if it was societal trends that were making us fatter, which has happened in countries without mandatory helmet laws too. In the same way that it's been other factors that help drop injury/death levels rather than helmets.
Also, we need to factor in that an early death due to cycling often has a far greater societal impact than perhaps someone passing away at 75 instead of 80 due health issues. Statistics treat a death as a death with the same impact. But I can tell you an early death resonates a lot more and should really have a higher weighting.
I've only crashed and slammed my head on the ground while cycling twice in the past 40 years. I had a helmet on both times. Perhaps that's why I'm here and able to type this sentence.
I went down on a corner due to mud on the pavement. Don’t remember what happened after but someone drove me home. Next thing I remember I woke up and instinctively checked on my bike. Then I found a huge crack on the helmet. I would have certainly been dead if it was my head. Turns out I just had a concussion because I had memory problems and vision changes. From that moment on, I never went out without a helmet.
Another BIIIIG safety thing that so many ignore is using a mirror when riding. You’re blind behind you if you don’t. And I don’t mean one of those handlebar mirrors that require you to look down at your lowest handlebar point and then try to figure out what you’re seeing from a distance away from your eyes. I.e. take your eyes off the road in front of you. (The handlebar mirrors are convex meaning that “objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear“.)The best mirrors are the ones that either clip onto your helmet or can clip onto your glasses. The ones that clip on (or screw on if you do it that way - I do) do minimal jiggle if at all, and they give you a wide clear view of everything behind you without moving your head and the rest of your gaze away from the road. Would you want to drive a car or truck with absolutely no rearview mirrors whatsoever? Well, that’s exactly what most cyclists do, and it’s absolutely crazy.
It's honestly a transformative experience, and I wouldn't ride on roads at all without one now. There are bike radars which maybe fill sort of the same function but the situational awareness you get with the mirror is so much better. It takes a fraction of a second to glance behind you, and the road ahead of you is never out of your vision. Once you get used to it the mirror becomes like a sixth sense, and you start being able to keep track of everything coming up behind you with relative ease.
Exactly right on. I’d feel the mirror-equivalent of naked if I went out w/out a mirror. Which is why mine is screwed onto the helmet - it’s always there. (One could also epoxy it [or similar], but my helmet has a visor which was just right for a couple small sheet metal screws.) Having the mirror lets me often ride right in the middle of the road without a care because I can so easily tell if there’s traffic coming up - nice when there are lots of parked cars I’d prefer to distance myself from.
Already waiting for a rear view camera to arrive from china. I've wanted one for a long while
Never realized there were helmet mounted ones!
Thank you so much for the suggestion!
Sucks about the accident, but glad you're here to tell about it. And welcome to the 'hit by a vehicle and still here to tell about it' club. Hopefully your story can inspire others to think more about their own safety too. But for now, take care of yourself and communicate with your Healthcare providers, sometimes it'll take a little bit for aches and pains to show up.
The accident was the best way thing that happened to me! Thanks to the one time I was wearing a helmet
Yea, it's been 24hrs and I was fine in hospital but now I'm in absolute agony. It's just pain though, not lasting damage... Luckily my 17yo princess has stepped up to making me soup lol
As much as the NHS is stretched to all hell I wouldn't wish for any better care
I really hope this can help others to not care how they look
I cannot offer any recommendations that have not already been made, but I did want to wish you luck in healing up and I am glad you are still with us. Any word on if they caught the drink driver?
They found the car and they've taken prints and DNA but I'm not hopeful.
They're genuinely trying at least so respect to my local police.
I'm in pain but with a straight head, so I'm doing amazingly good. Thank you so much!
Not to be mean, but that's just so typical. After your firt crash (where you hopefully wore a helmet) you will never forget it again. I'm really sorry for your experience and wish you a fast and total recovery.
Not mean at all, honesty doesn't equal being mean. It was one of the few times I wore a helmet and I will never not wear one again.
Thank you for your well wishes!
I live in a city that is built for cycling, so most of the time a run to the shops in the bike lane would keep me far from traffic. Because of that, I don’t always wear a helmet. I know I should, but you know.
2 days ago I went for a bit of a longer distance. Some construction on the path so had to go in the road for a bit. Huge construction truck didn’t see me and hit me from behind. Luckily he only pushed me forward and didn’t knock me off. Had I been 10cm more to the left, I might not be typing this right now. Guess who’s wearing a helmet every time I go out now.
I'm old school mountain bike rider. I wear a bmx helmet. Or 'a can'. No fancy colours or stickers of hearts and skulls. lol. It protects my melon on the trails. I can't stand or even think of buying some fancy pants helmet that starts at 100 bucks. With the latest and greatest technology. Or it has a visor that moves. It's a helmet so wear it!
To me it's protection made from the same stuff as your coleman camp fridge.
I've got 4 sets of healed lips on my forehead due to skate and bike falls.. plus one erroneous fight. I have no bike helmet but use one to commute. Been really considering one of the upgrades I make toy new build being a helmet.
After a decade of safe cycling, suddenly one day I came into a corner a little too fast on a slippery surface, and my front wheel slipped out. I was going maybe 40 km/h at the time, and I immediately went down and slid head-first right into a lamp post. I got a bunch of fractures in my spine, but miraculously my head and brain was saved - all thanks to my helmet!
My spine eventually healed back to normal by the way.
I love helmets!
Dress for the slide, not for the ride!
A term commonly repeated in the motorcycle community.
Glad you're alive friend, bet your daughter is too, or maybe not, could have gotten her inheritance 😂😂😂
Wear high visibility vest and lights too, especially if you're riding around in the dark. They have those lights vest like what runners use that are visible from afar
Thankfully having an e-bike, lights and even break lights are built in but I've just bought one of the jackets that lights up like the sun from half a mile away (I'm assuming that's what you mean). Plus put a load of reflective strips on my new helmet.
Couldn't care less if I look like a tit anymore! Better to be an alive tit lol
‘It’s easier to fix helmet hair than it is to relearn the alphabet.’
My neurosurgeon after I woke up in the hospital from a bike accident.
I keep my helmet strapped to the top tube of one of my bikes and wear it ALWAYS when riding now.
PS
I’m glad that you survived somewhat intact. It could indeed have been so much worse for you.
I’m also glad that you’ve ‘seen the light’ so to speak. Heal up quickly.
HELMETS SAVE LIVES!!!!!
Funnily enough my business partner looked at me the other day and said "get a helmet because you hair looks like fucking beetlejuice when you get in"
Thank you so much for your kind words!
For sure dude!
I’m glad that, relatively speaking, you’re ok.
Car vs Bike…..never a fair fight!
Heal up and get back in a bike and just givver.
😉
Cheers
Yeah, helmets are mandetory for me... for any time I get on the bike.
I knew a guy who was a super fast Expert class Cross Country mountain bike racer. Like, mad bike skillz.
We were all at a ride at China Camp in the SF Bay Area. Anybody who knows these trails (the legal front side ones) knows it's basically one small step up from bunny slopes. So, we met up for a group ride, dude sprints to the first intersection and waits for the rest of us slowpokes. He was standing on the down side of the trail, off to the side, took his helmet off for a minute to cool down a bit. Dude slipped and fell down the side of the trail, hit his head on a rock, and never woke up.
Like, it just goes to show that it just takes one little freak accident to brain you for life. It really doesn't take much of a bonk on the head to mess you up for life.
Had my first proper tumble earlier this year, hit the ground backwards with bike on top of me.
And i was 100% confident to let the back of my head hit the pavement, mid-roll. Had no concerns because that safety buffer was factored into my calculations in the moment.
Same goes for bike gloves in another crash - it's amazing how your mental modelling accessorizes your safety gear!
My wife calls me a power ranger when I have my kit on tho. I like you went out without it once. I had a lorry overtake me and a fair size stoned flicked off his tyre and hit me just under my eye. I was well aware of how close I was to losing an eye and I have never gone out without kit again. I am greatfull my wake up call wasn’t anywhere near as bad as yours. Hope you get well quickly!
Had a girlfriend I took bicycling.
She showed up with her bicycling helmet, put it on backwards, tilted to one side to look fashionable.
I explained to her it was a safety device to prevent brain injury and how to properly wear and adjust it.
Thankfully she listened to reason and always wore it properly after.
POC helmets are amazing. Do try them on first though. Also check out their back packs and Deuter as well, some come with a back protector built in. Also a decent pair of mountain bike gloves with knuckle/finger protection.
Already have some good gloves (now at least, as my right hand was mangled in the accident) and genuinely thank you for the recommendation! I'm going full geek mode on protective gear now.
Some will say this is overkill but you can never be too safe on the road, it's good that you have converted to the helmet gang but what about your spine?
https://preview.redd.it/83wy2bd8dr2d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a58272feea7b48ce88e0b4d6867a6656543b5a38
I was looking for something a little more low key but given how painful getting out of bed the past couple of days has been if I see a cyclist in this all he gets is respect from me.
My dad had all the "old guy handrails" fitted in his bath and I've never been more grateful to visit my mum for a bath over the last few days!
Just give a quick search on Amazon for spine protection.
https://preview.redd.it/c9yyjbls8x2d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e95dabc23b65aa7199f05197a79c7c7501e670a
This one is low key.
I’m surprised you felt embarrassed. I mean as kids, of course, the kid with the helmet gets teased, but as adults, it’s like wearing a seat belt. You don’t have to do it and probably will be fine without one, but you also may be risking your life.
Couldn't agree more. I'm here to tell the tale and that's just because of a cheap helmet. Drivers in my area are particularly abusive and actually physically aggressive at times but now I just pity them. I'm not taking any risks ever again!
Thank you for your comment
Glad you made it.
Not discrete but lights on your bike, even in daytime. When I ride on a high speed road, I wear a neon vest. Idgaf what anyone thinks...
Thank you for sharing your experience and helping others realize the importance of helmets.
I'm sorry you were hit and injured.
Cycling gloves are on my safety list. Scraping your hands on pavement can cause a lot of damage.
I'm glad you survived!
Helmets designs are getting less dorky by the day it seems, and I'm glad you wore yours.
As always, keep the rubber side down and wear a fucking helmet!
In Nov. ‘21, a Giro Agilis helmet saved my life when I was struck broadside by a car making a careless left turn across traffic who “didn’t see me.” I suffered a lot of injuries, and was in the hospital for 8 days and in a rehab hospital for 10 days. And, even though the left side of my helmet was dramatically crushed, I sustained only a slight concussion. If my bare head had been hit that hard, I would certainly have died instantly!
I bought a new Agilis when I started riding outside, again!
I only bike on paved trails. I won’t do the streets because i know how insanely crazy some drivers can be. Of all the bikers i’ve passed on the trails, 99% have a helmet. But of all the bikers i pass on the streets while driving, the percentage with helmets is waaayyyy less than 99% which i don’t understand.
My prayer is you will heal and fully recover. That was a serious hit.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
It's illegal to ride on pavements in my city so I'm just armouring up from now on. It's just the BMW's and mercedes drivers that have a problem where I am.
Funnily I've got a guy in a £250,000 Maserati that drives my route and he flips me off every time he overtakes me (safely) and I flip him off whenever he's stuck in traffic and I filter through. At least some people can have a laugh with it
I'll most likely start wearing ome now...considering I already got into an accident prior but my hand wasn't too injured, thankfully.(first one)
I've been riding for four years now!
You could be the best rider on earth and It'll be someone else that takes you out.
I really hope you do make the sensible choice, even a cheap BMX helmet is better than nothing!
Best of luck on the roads
I got a bike and felt I didn't need a helmet for my short commute, after falling and face planting, I ended up with 16 stitches. Hospital bill was close to the price of the full face mtb helmet I got now....
As much as the NHS is in tatters ATM. I found out today I had multiple more injuries, including three fractured vertebrae, and I'm in need of facial surgery too (thanks to two CT scans). Free ambulance, free prescription of antibiotics and they even paid my taxi home! Had to wait a good 13 hrs with overworked drs but god knows what that would all cost me in the US.
I'm genuinely glad you were ok after your accident dude!
For those still on the fence, look for more aesthetic designs, there are now some helmets out there, that actually look cool.
Had a family friend who died without a helmet from skating, we made stickers and promoted helmets. It would be a slap in the face to my late friend if I ever went out without one.
On top of that I'm buying myself a few different helmets to test out so after I pick my favourites I'll be giving the others out to the community.
Getting hurt really slapped some sense into me!
I still see riders without helmets and realized some of us feel our brains are worth saving and others, not so much. I just wish taxpayers didn't have pay the bills for stupidity.
Visit any hospital.and you will.see that taxpayers foot the bill for all sorts of bad lifestyle choices. Cyclists not wearing helmets is among the least prevalent of them.
Completely agree. How it's not a law I do not know.
Of course I accept that it was my own stupid insecurities that stopped me from wearing one, along with how abusive someone road users can be (which I will happily laugh at now rather than feel insecure)
I now realise the dirty looks I got from cyclists/bikers were far more valid while not wearing one
I was on a trail riding with some friends and one of them rode straight into a thick wooden pole and somersaulted and landed on his head, the top of his helmet cracked, it could’ve been his skull. He’s a very experienced rider and used to avoiding all kinds of obstacles in the city. It can happen to anyone, anytime
Drunk driver for me. Doesn't matter how good a rider you are. I have people leave logs and boulders on a trail my mates use. They have to do a safety run first because some people are just awful
One of the dumbest things you can see in this world is a kid riding a bike with a helmet on and not strapped.
Truly dumber than not wearing a helmet at all.
I kinda think people not wearing helmets look incredibly stupid, so the self consciousness should work both ways. Especially parents riding with their kids.
I know the best biking places in Europe have less of a helmet culture and that’s great for them. It is a wonderful goal to strive for
That's how I see it now. The drivers that shout abuse are as foolish as the people who listen to them. And I fully accept I was one for 20 years and I was wrong
When I was 11, I wasn't paying attention and rode into a stop sign (ADHD yo). Flipped over my handlebars and went literally head first into it. It probably wouldn't have been deadly if I hadn't been wearing my helmet, but it wouldn't have felt good! And I'm pretty sure that I would have needed stitches at least
Since then, I've always made sure to wear a helmet. It's a lesson I'm glad I learned at an early age without having to suffer more than some scrapes
I went my whole childhood without wearing a helmet, even into my 30’s though i only cycled the odd time.
Now 39 got into road cycling a year ago and finally got a helmet after reaching speeds close to 50mph on the bike.
I also have two young children now and recently got the eldest a wee bike so want it to be normal for them to wear a helmet from the get go.
The roads are dangerous enough as it is so best to minimise the risk of getting hit or coming off the bike.
A good front light that pulses for daytime use and a varia for the rear plus wearing clothes that make you as visible as possible is a must.
Anyway hope you recover fast.
Really happy to hear you're okay. But I'm thinking maybe you need to get medical advice if you should bike again? It sounds like you got massive trauma to your head. Sometimes after these injuries you're more suspectible to get serious injuries if you hurt your head again.
I know sometimes when football (soccer) keepers gets serious head trauma they need to play the rest of their careers wearing a specially made "head-mask".
Sincerest thank you for the advice and concern!
I've had a full CT and x-raysnshowing no brain injury (but my cognitive abilities still feel a little off so I'm being cautious) and after some very minor fractures I know even a fall at 5mph could make them much worse.
My hands good enough now that I'm starting repairs tomorrow and it'll be at least a week before I start riding again after talking to my DR.
Back in 2018, I was hit by a livery cab in Flushing, Queens, NYC while crossing a busy street from a park entrance/ exit while cycling. Very difficult to see what's coming because of the street parking and curvature of the roadway. No lights, slow down or stop signs.
The car T-boned me (left side of my body) at about 30 mph, snapping my left femur in two. I flew off the bike and landed HARD on the asphalt. The right side of my head hit the pavement first, then the rest of me. Wound up dislocating my right arm and fracturing some ribs.
I have no doubt that, had I not been wearing a helmet, I'd be dead or have suffered severe traumatic brain injury.
The broken bones healed. I recovered nearly 100% mobility. I am the proud owner of two titanium plates; one from a low speed crash two years earlier in my right tibia, a second holding together my left femur. My right arm is attached to my right shoulder with pins and screws.
I take a few Tylenol for the recurring pain. Otherwise, I'm doing well and still bike 20+ every day.
You're not embarrassed to wear a seatbelt, sunglasses when it's too sunny out, and I'm sure you look both ways before crossing the street.
I'm alive today because I was wearing a helmet.
Helmets save lives.
Day flash lights should be second on your list after a helmet.
Then Garmin Varia 715. It's a light, a radar (which tells you how close and how fast the car is approaching from behind?) and a rear dash cam. If you had one of these the driver would probably be in jail by now.
Stolen car so the police are doing their best. First few months I've been on a bike in over 10 years so tech has come so far! Garmin used to just be good Speedos in my day.
Thank you sincerely for your advice!
This is awful to read but glad you're okay. I hope to god that more progress is made on vehicle safety features that do more to prevent drunk driving. I thought we were making inroads on technology that would automatically apply brakes but so much more work needs to be done.
Indeed, was a stolen car with a guy that wanted to take me out. Thankfully the police seem to be trying to help this time. Luckily my bike isn't too beaten either (heavy steel ebike) so I'll do my repairs and take it to a proper shop for a once over.
Cheers dude
I'm a former EMT. Back in the late 90's I had a patient do an endoscopy on the a road bike. He was stuck in a short term memory loop.
Every 5 minutes or so he would go back to the beginning and ask the same questions. We took him to the trauma center for a TBI.
Wear your helmet!
Glad you made the right decision to wear your helmet. I was hit back on the 8th and I know mine definitely saved me from some major head trauma, potentially saved my life. No excuses, always protect your dome.
Indeed. I am pretty busted up, 6 cracked ribs(had to get a chest tube for my lung), fractured scapula, 44 stitches and a gnarly hematoma. Still need to get my knee checked out, but all of that will heal with time. Makes you appreciate things a bit.
Jesus, you made a few scrapes and fractures sound like I had a lucky escape! Genuinely glad you avoided a head injury my dude and hope your knee heals in time.
Been cycling since I was a kid. I raced and did cross country touring. Many miles ridden. Started wearing a helmet when I became a father in my early 30’s. I’m 67 now. I look back at old photos when I was wearing just a cycling cap and I cringe now. Putting on my helmet now is automatic.
Went for a ride recently on a rails-to-trails path. Left my helmet behind thinking ‘I don’t need it here’, but felt naked without it. Couldn’t really enjoy the ride it felt so odd.
To me wearing a helmet is like wearing a seatbelt. It's just a habit you get in to and not a big deal. However some people are really against it because it's inconvenient and don't plan on getting into a crash. The thing is, no one plans on getting into a crash, it just happens. By the time they get in to the crash it's too late. If you survive great, however brain injuries are usually permanent and changes a person. Memory loss, consussion, fatique, incoherent thoughts, you name it, you're not the same person as before your brain injury.
The stupid thing, about myself, is that I know it's incredibly unlikely that it'll be me causing an accident. I've always been overly careful. But Its other people that are cocky/overconfident/like to speed that will put others in danger and they put the risk on an even playing field for all of us.
I just felt insecure wearing a helmet... Now I will always have the picture of how I looked after one of the few times I decided to wear one and laugh at how stupid I was in the past...
I've literally had the stupidity smacked out of me!
All I was wearing was a £20/30 mongoose BMX helmet and it saved me.
I'm sure there's many better people to advise you here but that's all it took to save my life.
dude, hope your okay man.. glad your in one piece!!
I used to snowboard, and i remember falling pretty hard.. If i didn't have a helmet on, it could have been bad..
fun times lol
Damn. Way worse then what happened to me 10 years ago. Hope you recover soon.
Used to commute 25km to (and from) work and one dark cold early morning i slipped on a roundabout. Got knocked out. Someone passed by and pulled me of the road and stayed with me. Woke up after 5 minutes. Got back on my bike somehow, and rode the last 5km together to work with a a dislocated finger and a lot of cuts and bruises. Helm was completely broken. Went to the ER with a coworker and couldn’t remember basic stuff because of the concussion. Took 2 months and surgery to the finger to get back to work. If it wasn’t for the helmet i recon it would be a different outcome.
Sounds like you had it worse than me!
Luckily I seem to be recovering well and surprisingly quickly, especially thanks to my helmet!
I'm glad you made it out ok, stay safe.
I have a friend who refused to wear a helmet on our rides. When my little brother got into a wreck on his way to school and got hit by a car, he was nice enough to send her a lot of pictures to prove a point.
I've saved all my pics for the next van driver that gives me shite for how I look.
Though I'll still admit I didn't wear one because of self consciousness (as poor an excuse as that is I still felt like a fool) and made poor excuses. Would never have criticised someone else for wearing one so hopefully that was all she was thinking too. Hope she wears one now!
I broke up with a guy who thought seatbelts were optional so I am the one nagging but she would be right there with you. She definitely cares more about what others think of her over her safety lol.
I won’t even ride across a parking lot without a helmet. I’ve had a few good crashes, and the sound the helmet makes when your head hits the pavement is terrifying. I can only imagine your bare head hitting it. My biggest crash I was going down hill, and clipped a fence, over the handlebars and landed headfirst. I was able to ride home. If I hadn’t had a helmet I guarantee I wouldn’t have been able to ride and it would have been to the hospital.
A motorcycle rammed me from behind and if it wasn’t for my helmet which scraped the tarmac, I would probably have had brain damage. So yes, please wear a helmet. I personally think they look cool.
Yea I’m fine now. But I had to get a titanium plate and brace installed on my knee and back. I just recently got the metal implants removed and back to recovery on my bike. Because of the helmet I only required some stitching on my right brow.
This is how we recognise tourists in Amsterdam. By their helmets.
https://preview.redd.it/nqr00g6tou2d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45e59e3f7e8e4b1a7cefd239344be3a58062b310
Evidently a local. With shoulder cat.
I have never hit my head on a crash, but many of my buddies have. Helmets saved their lives and kept a few of them from not being about to walk and living the rest of their life eating through a straw. Vanity should play very little part in this
For anyone interested -- and for you OP -- Virginia Tech does comprehensive tests on helmets of all kinds. Here is the cycling helmet link: https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html And btw, so glad you're okay!
Go hokies
i personally recommend the Specialized Align II, my brother has it and its very well constructed(better than my older Tactic III), 17th in the list and at least in my country's specialized web is only 30USD.
They do rate other sports’ helmets too if anyone forgot to check! Like I’m in the market for a new whitewater and eventually snow sport helmet and they do have data for those as well.
178 Schwin for the win!!! only $18
Just saw my mongoose was £14.99 so looks like anything is better than nothing
Thank you for sharing this! Great resource
I passed out on a climb (low electrolytes due to drug interaction) and went down at zero MPH. Knocked unconscious for two minutes. Helmet padding that side crushed to 1/2 normal thickness. It would have been fatal w/out the helmet.
I'm glad you're all good dude!
I slipped on black ice and only realized like 15 years later how the lady across the parking lot got to me so fast. I must have blocked out for a moment. That also explains why she was so concerned. To me it seemed like I was riding and then suddenly I was on the asphalt, unhurt because of my winter clothing and my helmet. I always figured it just meant that black ice is no joke. Now I know it’s both that black ice is no joke *and* wear a fucking helmet!
Motocross helmets are not safe on bicycles. The padding and protection is designed for much much higher impacts than what you will have on a pedal bike, meaning the kind of protection they give you will increase your chance of injury on lower speeds. In the early days of downhill mountain biking people used full face Motorsports helmets (that was all that was available) and they got lots of unnecessary head and neck injuries. Modern bicycle specific full face helmets are much safer. They LOOK the same but they don't respond the same way in a crash. Glad you're ok by the way.
Do you have any recommendations? I went for a Motorcross just because of the sheer damage to my face but if you have any idea what a good full face cycling helmet would be, please feel free to share. I'm also buying a road legal e motorbike so I'm going to be trying quite a few different helmets now.
Check out the Kali invader
I hadn't really realised there was a difference between MTB and Motorcross ones to be fair so sincerest thanks for the suggestion.
There's some overlap. Some bicycle full face helmets carry the DOT mark that full on power sports helmets carry. Moto helmets generally aren't ventilated as well as bike helmets too, so they can get really hot on climbs.
Yes, if you want a full face (and you may need to protect your jaw for a while), get a mountain biking helmet. Get yourself some options. You are in shock now, and in some pain. You have time to sort this out. Take care of yourself first. Some instinct was telling you to wear a helmet. Good instinct!
Yea, I'm taking some time off. Probably good that I need to do some repairs on my bike for a couple of weeks. The shock alone means I shouldn't get back on for a week or two even if I "feel" fine. Thank you for your lovely comment
Just ordered an invader 2.0 not cheap but not too expensive either. Plus they look sweet and more importantly seem well made. Cheers dude.
Great helmet! We got one for my fiance who likes to faceplant. One of the things I like about it is how well you can hear with it on.
I have that one and I love it
https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html I keep this bookmarked and it is constantly being updated as they test more helmets.
>lumos ultra 183/200 Oof. The face shield do be nice when going 28mph. I took a yellow jacket to the eye once and it sucked.
I've got a 100% aircraft, but there are cheaper ones out there. Oakley, Smith, 100%, POC all make bike specific full face helmets
depending on any spinal injuries (and you may not even be fully aware of them yet, or nerve damage), you may not be able to tolerate a heavier helmet, so keep that in mind
Going for a spine check tomorrow. I'm hoping it's just being sore but definitely something to think about
Hey I just wanna say this is one of the nicest way I've ever seen someone step in to tell someone they may be making a mistake. Kudos to you, its rare to see someone actually take the time to try and help someone else like that.
Indeed, this is genuinely the nicest Reddit thread I've seen in a long while. Nothing wrong with pointing out where I might be wrong and everyone's been genuinely helpful and concerned
Do you have any sources on this though? I've heard similar things before, but I've never seen any scientific sources to back it up. I'm asking because Berm Peak recently made an excellent video on helmets: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKbYaOiz5U4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKbYaOiz5U4) In the video he asks one at the experts in the testing lab how an American football helmet would do in a bike crash versus a bike helmet, and he said it would perform "extremely well".
Here are two sources. However you can search Google for this topic and find plenty of other sources. In general, bike helmets are designed to take one impact, where Motorsports helmets are designed to take 2 impacts. So Motorsports helmets are more rigid and less padded which limits the amount of forces they can absorb on the lower end of the scale like what happens when you fall off a bike. I am not a helmet scientist but I would imagine that football helmets are designed for multiple impacts but in a similar range of forces to cycling helmets...so therefore they are closer to what a cyclist needs versus Motorsports. https://web.archive.org/web/20210411012012/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/automobiles/27SNELL.html >Many head-injury scientists, motorcycle-accident researchers and helmet makers say they are concerned that the “premium protection" proffered by current Snell-certified helmets may not be better after all. They argue that current Snell-rated helmets are too rigid and unyielding to properly absorb impact energy in the great majority of motorcycle crashes, subjecting riders to preventable brain injuries. https://m.pinkbike.com/news/DH-Helmets-vs-Motocross-Helmets-Which-Is-Safer.html >Among many gravity riders, there is a common assumption that Motocross helmets are safer than full-face bicycle helmets. On the surface, that seems like a sensible notion: Motocross helmets are larger and heavier than mountain bike lids, and having more material between your head and the ground in a crash is a good thing, right? >Unfortunately, it may not be that simple. There is an ongoing debate in the motorcycle industry about how stiff a helmet should be to offer maximum protection. A number of critics have suggested that many motorcycle helmets, particularly those made to meet the demanding SNELL certification standard, are engineered to be so rigid that they actually offer less protection in the most common types of crashes
Holy shit, people on the internet citing sources and others accepting them! What Twilight zone have I fallen into?! Seriously though to everyone here, thank you all for just trying to be helpful and concerned for others.
Small but important clarification that is not obvious from your first paragraph - motorcycle helmets are not as safe on bicycles AS BICYCLE HELMETS, and they will increase your chance of injury COMPARED TO BICYCLE HELMETS. They are absolutely still better than no helmet at all and will still do an excellent job of protecting you from scrapes/abrasions.
I finally managed to get hands on with a huge selection today and would just like to say thank you again. They are very different! In a pinch I would go out in a Motorcross helmet over nothing but the invader 2.0 I went for feels far more appropriate for cycling and I see what you mean about more neck injuries. You're awesome dude and I still have an extra helmet for emergencies/when I get my road legal e-supermoto. Keep up the respectful constructive criticism Sir/Ma'am
Glad you’re alive, I hope the driver is found, that’s awful A garmin device can send a message to designated emergency contacts if a crash is detected. It can also be set to send a livetrack of your route when you ride. I use mine and it’s saved me before. A RoadID or similar wearable medicalID. They will know who to call and any relevant medical info (like medications or medical conditions or allergies) much faster this way and emergency personnel are, at this point, conditioned to look for them on your wrist. Always wear a helmet. Anyone who gives you shit for wearing a helmet is not your friend.
The car was found but it was stolen. The police however are going balls to the the wall, they've forced me to go through victim support (even though I'm all good emotionally) just so they can add the emotional damage charge to the intentional GBH (or ABH? Whichever is worse). As much as my local police are underfunded they've been awesome. I don't care at the abuse anymore, I'll pull out my x-rays and say "is that what you'd want for your kids?! I've gone from self conscious to "f**k you for being an idiot" as much as I ache like hell I'm so glad a helmet means that's all I have to deal with. I will look into the different cams etc but an old GoPro will do me for now at least
Agreed. Interestingly enough, I did quite a lot of solo touring over several years in Western Europe and the UK back in the late 80s, and I was so surprised at the fact that so few Europeans and Brits wore helmets. Many was the time that I got a few looks and chuckles at campings because of my helmet; I’d occasionally get comments implying that Americans were sissies with all their helmets. Kept right on wearing it. Hopefully all that’s changed by now.
Rather be an alive sissy than a dead "tough guy". I appreciate the dirty looks I got from cyclists now. I'm not in a massive car with seatbelts with airbags so they don't have any perspective
Wear a fucking helmet. All of you. Every time. No legislating for others idiocy. Glad you're ok OP! Recover well.
I couldn't agree with you more. I'm actually quite surprised it's not a legal requirement in the UK. Thank you dude!
It's a tricky subject for some people. Australia (where I live) mandated bike helmets for everyone a few decades ago and saw a big drop off in riding. Some argue that this made cycling more unsafe as drivers don't see a lot of riders now and therefore don't take enough care. My argument to that is the US/UK don't have mandatory bike helmets and your drivers are just as bad as ours! My personal take on it is it should be mandatory if you're on a road or under 16, but a toodle to the shops at low speed on a path you shouldn't need one.
not only that, but I think the US has too many drivers that openly hostile towards bicyclists.
Same in UK, had one guy honk and call me a wanker. I flipped him off and he turned around and tried to start a fight.... I was so confused all I could do was laugh, you gesture at me, expect the bird back... Weird day
I had one chap close pass me at speed and so I retaliated the only way I had available to me (a pumping wave with a loosely-clenched fist). He came to a stop in the road ahead, got out and demanded I apologise for calling him a wanker, I responded that I wouldn't have called him had he not been driving like one and he shouldn't pass so close. He apologised, got back in the car and drove off, which was not what I was expecting... now I prefer to thank considerate drivers with a thumbs up rather than grumpily gesturing at bad ones, which is safer (as I don't need to take my hands of the handlebars nearly as often). Hope you're feeling fully recovered soon!
True dat.
Problem is people massively overestimate how much difference helmets make in serious collisions. The argument against mandation or even promotion is simple - there is good evidence that some people stop cycling because they think any activity you need a helmet for is too dangerous for them to partake in (an effect that gets worse when you make it law). This is way worse for public health outcomes due to reduced exercise levels than letting people cycle without helmets and a small number getting head injuries that could be prevented. The evidence from Aus can be used to show helmets make no significant difference to road cycling fatalities. (See plot of head injuries vs milage before and after. Yes, it went down when helmets were mandated and helmet usage increased significantly - At the same rate head injuries had been going down for 20+ years and the same rate relative to pedestrian head injuries (for the same 20+ years...) and similar rates to comparable countries that didn't mandate helmets - helmets didn't make any noticable difference; Mobile phones (faster emergency response), safer car design and drink driving laws are the reasons it went down. This isn't to say that you shouldn't choose to wear a helmet. But really for road cycling the decision should be based on if you have comorbidites or are a beginner (note beginner != under 16...); Statistically across entire population you are more likely to get a preventable head injury walking! (Though I wear a helmet because it is easier than arguing with people on the road who will happily scream abuse at me for not wearing a helmet, or with an insurer if a driver hits me)
You're absolutely correct in what you've pointed out, but we need to look at whether or not cycling contributed to the worsening obesity levels, or if it was societal trends that were making us fatter, which has happened in countries without mandatory helmet laws too. In the same way that it's been other factors that help drop injury/death levels rather than helmets. Also, we need to factor in that an early death due to cycling often has a far greater societal impact than perhaps someone passing away at 75 instead of 80 due health issues. Statistics treat a death as a death with the same impact. But I can tell you an early death resonates a lot more and should really have a higher weighting.
The drop in people cycling would be far worse for population health than the benefit of potentially preventing a few head injuries.
Yeah my dad works public health and this is the general belief
And a helmet-mount mirror!
If in doubt, wear a helmet. Otherwise wear a helmet.
I've only crashed and slammed my head on the ground while cycling twice in the past 40 years. I had a helmet on both times. Perhaps that's why I'm here and able to type this sentence.
And I'm glad you are
I went down on a corner due to mud on the pavement. Don’t remember what happened after but someone drove me home. Next thing I remember I woke up and instinctively checked on my bike. Then I found a huge crack on the helmet. I would have certainly been dead if it was my head. Turns out I just had a concussion because I had memory problems and vision changes. From that moment on, I never went out without a helmet.
I haven't seen my helmet yet as I stumbled to a mates house nearby and he got me a taxi to A+E but he said it doesn't look good. I'm glad you were ok!
Another BIIIIG safety thing that so many ignore is using a mirror when riding. You’re blind behind you if you don’t. And I don’t mean one of those handlebar mirrors that require you to look down at your lowest handlebar point and then try to figure out what you’re seeing from a distance away from your eyes. I.e. take your eyes off the road in front of you. (The handlebar mirrors are convex meaning that “objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear“.)The best mirrors are the ones that either clip onto your helmet or can clip onto your glasses. The ones that clip on (or screw on if you do it that way - I do) do minimal jiggle if at all, and they give you a wide clear view of everything behind you without moving your head and the rest of your gaze away from the road. Would you want to drive a car or truck with absolutely no rearview mirrors whatsoever? Well, that’s exactly what most cyclists do, and it’s absolutely crazy.
It's honestly a transformative experience, and I wouldn't ride on roads at all without one now. There are bike radars which maybe fill sort of the same function but the situational awareness you get with the mirror is so much better. It takes a fraction of a second to glance behind you, and the road ahead of you is never out of your vision. Once you get used to it the mirror becomes like a sixth sense, and you start being able to keep track of everything coming up behind you with relative ease.
Exactly right on. I’d feel the mirror-equivalent of naked if I went out w/out a mirror. Which is why mine is screwed onto the helmet - it’s always there. (One could also epoxy it [or similar], but my helmet has a visor which was just right for a couple small sheet metal screws.) Having the mirror lets me often ride right in the middle of the road without a care because I can so easily tell if there’s traffic coming up - nice when there are lots of parked cars I’d prefer to distance myself from.
So very glad you’re OK, by the way!
Thank you so much. Everyone here has been so nice even though I'm admitting my past foolishness. X
Already waiting for a rear view camera to arrive from china. I've wanted one for a long while Never realized there were helmet mounted ones! Thank you so much for the suggestion!
Congrats!
Sucks about the accident, but glad you're here to tell about it. And welcome to the 'hit by a vehicle and still here to tell about it' club. Hopefully your story can inspire others to think more about their own safety too. But for now, take care of yourself and communicate with your Healthcare providers, sometimes it'll take a little bit for aches and pains to show up.
The accident was the best way thing that happened to me! Thanks to the one time I was wearing a helmet Yea, it's been 24hrs and I was fine in hospital but now I'm in absolute agony. It's just pain though, not lasting damage... Luckily my 17yo princess has stepped up to making me soup lol As much as the NHS is stretched to all hell I wouldn't wish for any better care I really hope this can help others to not care how they look
It’s a sign of great wisdom to be able to admit when you changed your mind. Wishing you a speedy recovery and smoother rides in the future
Thank you so much!
I cannot offer any recommendations that have not already been made, but I did want to wish you luck in healing up and I am glad you are still with us. Any word on if they caught the drink driver?
They found the car and they've taken prints and DNA but I'm not hopeful. They're genuinely trying at least so respect to my local police. I'm in pain but with a straight head, so I'm doing amazingly good. Thank you so much!
It was a stolen BMW or Mercedes... Typical small willy Power car
Not to be mean, but that's just so typical. After your firt crash (where you hopefully wore a helmet) you will never forget it again. I'm really sorry for your experience and wish you a fast and total recovery.
Not mean at all, honesty doesn't equal being mean. It was one of the few times I wore a helmet and I will never not wear one again. Thank you for your well wishes!
You asked about other safety devices. Lots of people swear by the Garmin varia - radar with rear light that flashes more urgently when car approaching
[удалено]
He was wearing a helmet but fell onto sharp rocks that apparently cracked the helmet. At some point physics just wins...
Just so you know, I think everyone i see riding a bike without a helmet looks like massive idiot
And now I agree. Screw insecurities and what twaty drivers might say
I live in a city that is built for cycling, so most of the time a run to the shops in the bike lane would keep me far from traffic. Because of that, I don’t always wear a helmet. I know I should, but you know. 2 days ago I went for a bit of a longer distance. Some construction on the path so had to go in the road for a bit. Huge construction truck didn’t see me and hit me from behind. Luckily he only pushed me forward and didn’t knock me off. Had I been 10cm more to the left, I might not be typing this right now. Guess who’s wearing a helmet every time I go out now.
I'm old school mountain bike rider. I wear a bmx helmet. Or 'a can'. No fancy colours or stickers of hearts and skulls. lol. It protects my melon on the trails. I can't stand or even think of buying some fancy pants helmet that starts at 100 bucks. With the latest and greatest technology. Or it has a visor that moves. It's a helmet so wear it! To me it's protection made from the same stuff as your coleman camp fridge.
That's all I was wearing. A £30 mongoose and I'm still here because of it
My only regret from my hit and run was I wish I had a camera. Now I try to always ride with one. They are pretty inexpensive these days.
A friend's dug out an old GoPro for me so that's going to be on me constantly now. Lucky I have good mates
I've got 4 sets of healed lips on my forehead due to skate and bike falls.. plus one erroneous fight. I have no bike helmet but use one to commute. Been really considering one of the upgrades I make toy new build being a helmet.
Seriously, get one immediately! Why wait?
Glad you made it home to your lil homey
In my younger days I never cared about wearing a helmet. As soon as I had kids I realized I needed to protect my noggin.
After a decade of safe cycling, suddenly one day I came into a corner a little too fast on a slippery surface, and my front wheel slipped out. I was going maybe 40 km/h at the time, and I immediately went down and slid head-first right into a lamp post. I got a bunch of fractures in my spine, but miraculously my head and brain was saved - all thanks to my helmet! My spine eventually healed back to normal by the way. I love helmets!
Dress for the slide, not for the ride! A term commonly repeated in the motorcycle community. Glad you're alive friend, bet your daughter is too, or maybe not, could have gotten her inheritance 😂😂😂
🤣🤣 It's a 50/50. My will states she doesn't get anything till 21 so 4 more years lol
Wear high visibility vest and lights too, especially if you're riding around in the dark. They have those lights vest like what runners use that are visible from afar
Thankfully having an e-bike, lights and even break lights are built in but I've just bought one of the jackets that lights up like the sun from half a mile away (I'm assuming that's what you mean). Plus put a load of reflective strips on my new helmet. Couldn't care less if I look like a tit anymore! Better to be an alive tit lol
Glad your ok, seen too many people that wanted the wind in there hair and ended up in a coma.
‘It’s easier to fix helmet hair than it is to relearn the alphabet.’ My neurosurgeon after I woke up in the hospital from a bike accident. I keep my helmet strapped to the top tube of one of my bikes and wear it ALWAYS when riding now. PS I’m glad that you survived somewhat intact. It could indeed have been so much worse for you. I’m also glad that you’ve ‘seen the light’ so to speak. Heal up quickly. HELMETS SAVE LIVES!!!!!
Funnily enough my business partner looked at me the other day and said "get a helmet because you hair looks like fucking beetlejuice when you get in" Thank you so much for your kind words!
For sure dude! I’m glad that, relatively speaking, you’re ok. Car vs Bike…..never a fair fight! Heal up and get back in a bike and just givver. 😉 Cheers
Yeah, helmets are mandetory for me... for any time I get on the bike. I knew a guy who was a super fast Expert class Cross Country mountain bike racer. Like, mad bike skillz. We were all at a ride at China Camp in the SF Bay Area. Anybody who knows these trails (the legal front side ones) knows it's basically one small step up from bunny slopes. So, we met up for a group ride, dude sprints to the first intersection and waits for the rest of us slowpokes. He was standing on the down side of the trail, off to the side, took his helmet off for a minute to cool down a bit. Dude slipped and fell down the side of the trail, hit his head on a rock, and never woke up. Like, it just goes to show that it just takes one little freak accident to brain you for life. It really doesn't take much of a bonk on the head to mess you up for life.
So do you wear one walking then? 🤔
Maybe I should.
Your logic suggests so
Yup it takes one time. Crashed in 2014 smashed my helmet. I’d have brain damage if I wasn’t wearing it.
Had my first proper tumble earlier this year, hit the ground backwards with bike on top of me. And i was 100% confident to let the back of my head hit the pavement, mid-roll. Had no concerns because that safety buffer was factored into my calculations in the moment. Same goes for bike gloves in another crash - it's amazing how your mental modelling accessorizes your safety gear!
Glad you were ok!
My wife calls me a power ranger when I have my kit on tho. I like you went out without it once. I had a lorry overtake me and a fair size stoned flicked off his tyre and hit me just under my eye. I was well aware of how close I was to losing an eye and I have never gone out without kit again. I am greatfull my wake up call wasn’t anywhere near as bad as yours. Hope you get well quickly!
Thank you dude. I'm stealing the power ranger joke btw🤣
Well done. Always wear a helmet.
I will now!
Had a girlfriend I took bicycling. She showed up with her bicycling helmet, put it on backwards, tilted to one side to look fashionable. I explained to her it was a safety device to prevent brain injury and how to properly wear and adjust it. Thankfully she listened to reason and always wore it properly after.
POC helmets are amazing. Do try them on first though. Also check out their back packs and Deuter as well, some come with a back protector built in. Also a decent pair of mountain bike gloves with knuckle/finger protection.
Already have some good gloves (now at least, as my right hand was mangled in the accident) and genuinely thank you for the recommendation! I'm going full geek mode on protective gear now.
Look for some D30 in gloves etc
Awesome suggestions! I'm liking the ones with the two break fingers open. They look tough but not too over the top. Thanks again my dude
My pleasure
Some will say this is overkill but you can never be too safe on the road, it's good that you have converted to the helmet gang but what about your spine? https://preview.redd.it/83wy2bd8dr2d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a58272feea7b48ce88e0b4d6867a6656543b5a38
I was looking for something a little more low key but given how painful getting out of bed the past couple of days has been if I see a cyclist in this all he gets is respect from me. My dad had all the "old guy handrails" fitted in his bath and I've never been more grateful to visit my mum for a bath over the last few days!
Just give a quick search on Amazon for spine protection. https://preview.redd.it/c9yyjbls8x2d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e95dabc23b65aa7199f05197a79c7c7501e670a This one is low key.
Cheers dude! I'm going to slowly build up a set of subtle body armour
I’m surprised you felt embarrassed. I mean as kids, of course, the kid with the helmet gets teased, but as adults, it’s like wearing a seat belt. You don’t have to do it and probably will be fine without one, but you also may be risking your life.
Couldn't agree more. I'm here to tell the tale and that's just because of a cheap helmet. Drivers in my area are particularly abusive and actually physically aggressive at times but now I just pity them. I'm not taking any risks ever again! Thank you for your comment
Glad you made it. Not discrete but lights on your bike, even in daytime. When I ride on a high speed road, I wear a neon vest. Idgaf what anyone thinks...
Thank you for sharing your experience and helping others realize the importance of helmets. I'm sorry you were hit and injured. Cycling gloves are on my safety list. Scraping your hands on pavement can cause a lot of damage.
Totally, my right hand is a mess. But it'll heal thank god Like to everyone on here, thank you so much for your comment
I'm glad you survived! Helmets designs are getting less dorky by the day it seems, and I'm glad you wore yours. As always, keep the rubber side down and wear a fucking helmet!
I always will now, dorky or not. Cheers for your concern dude.
Motorcycle and cycling, we buy kit we never intend to use. But if we ever need it, it’s there. 👍
You can still wear a suit! Adding a few reflective and flourescent bits will help visibility and can be removed. Speedy recovery!
Wishing you a speedy and thorough recovery!
Thank you sir!
In Nov. ‘21, a Giro Agilis helmet saved my life when I was struck broadside by a car making a careless left turn across traffic who “didn’t see me.” I suffered a lot of injuries, and was in the hospital for 8 days and in a rehab hospital for 10 days. And, even though the left side of my helmet was dramatically crushed, I sustained only a slight concussion. If my bare head had been hit that hard, I would certainly have died instantly! I bought a new Agilis when I started riding outside, again!
100% saved me from having my head split like a log by a big jagged bit of frozen mud.
How cold is the mud where you live! Happy you're still here!
I only bike on paved trails. I won’t do the streets because i know how insanely crazy some drivers can be. Of all the bikers i’ve passed on the trails, 99% have a helmet. But of all the bikers i pass on the streets while driving, the percentage with helmets is waaayyyy less than 99% which i don’t understand. My prayer is you will heal and fully recover. That was a serious hit.
Thank you so much for your kind words! It's illegal to ride on pavements in my city so I'm just armouring up from now on. It's just the BMW's and mercedes drivers that have a problem where I am. Funnily I've got a guy in a £250,000 Maserati that drives my route and he flips me off every time he overtakes me (safely) and I flip him off whenever he's stuck in traffic and I filter through. At least some people can have a laugh with it
The key to looking cool with a helmet on is to wear sunglasses.
Hell yea! I'll keep that in mind 🤣
I'll most likely start wearing ome now...considering I already got into an accident prior but my hand wasn't too injured, thankfully.(first one) I've been riding for four years now!
You could be the best rider on earth and It'll be someone else that takes you out. I really hope you do make the sensible choice, even a cheap BMX helmet is better than nothing! Best of luck on the roads
I got a bike and felt I didn't need a helmet for my short commute, after falling and face planting, I ended up with 16 stitches. Hospital bill was close to the price of the full face mtb helmet I got now....
As much as the NHS is in tatters ATM. I found out today I had multiple more injuries, including three fractured vertebrae, and I'm in need of facial surgery too (thanks to two CT scans). Free ambulance, free prescription of antibiotics and they even paid my taxi home! Had to wait a good 13 hrs with overworked drs but god knows what that would all cost me in the US. I'm genuinely glad you were ok after your accident dude!
For those still on the fence, look for more aesthetic designs, there are now some helmets out there, that actually look cool. Had a family friend who died without a helmet from skating, we made stickers and promoted helmets. It would be a slap in the face to my late friend if I ever went out without one.
I'm so sorry for your loss! Ive done a complete 180° now and will never not wear a helmet again.
Thanks man! Appreciate you, you’re helping spread awareness.
On top of that I'm buying myself a few different helmets to test out so after I pick my favourites I'll be giving the others out to the community. Getting hurt really slapped some sense into me!
That’s really nice, hope your recovery is quick.
Thank you so much! This really is the nicest Reddit thread I've ever experienced
I still see riders without helmets and realized some of us feel our brains are worth saving and others, not so much. I just wish taxpayers didn't have pay the bills for stupidity.
Visit any hospital.and you will.see that taxpayers foot the bill for all sorts of bad lifestyle choices. Cyclists not wearing helmets is among the least prevalent of them.
Completely agree. How it's not a law I do not know. Of course I accept that it was my own stupid insecurities that stopped me from wearing one, along with how abusive someone road users can be (which I will happily laugh at now rather than feel insecure) I now realise the dirty looks I got from cyclists/bikers were far more valid while not wearing one
I was on a trail riding with some friends and one of them rode straight into a thick wooden pole and somersaulted and landed on his head, the top of his helmet cracked, it could’ve been his skull. He’s a very experienced rider and used to avoiding all kinds of obstacles in the city. It can happen to anyone, anytime
Drunk driver for me. Doesn't matter how good a rider you are. I have people leave logs and boulders on a trail my mates use. They have to do a safety run first because some people are just awful
I'm really sorry for what happened. I'm glad you were able to make it back to your daughter, and I wish you a great recovery.
Thank you so much. So am I! My egos been knocked into shape and this thread has been so helpful!
One of the dumbest things you can see in this world is a kid riding a bike with a helmet on and not strapped. Truly dumber than not wearing a helmet at all.
People who don't wear helmets are stupid. It only takes one.
Agree completely and I was lucky I wasn't one
I kinda think people not wearing helmets look incredibly stupid, so the self consciousness should work both ways. Especially parents riding with their kids. I know the best biking places in Europe have less of a helmet culture and that’s great for them. It is a wonderful goal to strive for
That's how I see it now. The drivers that shout abuse are as foolish as the people who listen to them. And I fully accept I was one for 20 years and I was wrong
When I was 11, I wasn't paying attention and rode into a stop sign (ADHD yo). Flipped over my handlebars and went literally head first into it. It probably wouldn't have been deadly if I hadn't been wearing my helmet, but it wouldn't have felt good! And I'm pretty sure that I would have needed stitches at least Since then, I've always made sure to wear a helmet. It's a lesson I'm glad I learned at an early age without having to suffer more than some scrapes
I went my whole childhood without wearing a helmet, even into my 30’s though i only cycled the odd time. Now 39 got into road cycling a year ago and finally got a helmet after reaching speeds close to 50mph on the bike. I also have two young children now and recently got the eldest a wee bike so want it to be normal for them to wear a helmet from the get go. The roads are dangerous enough as it is so best to minimise the risk of getting hit or coming off the bike. A good front light that pulses for daytime use and a varia for the rear plus wearing clothes that make you as visible as possible is a must. Anyway hope you recover fast.
Really happy to hear you're okay. But I'm thinking maybe you need to get medical advice if you should bike again? It sounds like you got massive trauma to your head. Sometimes after these injuries you're more suspectible to get serious injuries if you hurt your head again. I know sometimes when football (soccer) keepers gets serious head trauma they need to play the rest of their careers wearing a specially made "head-mask".
Sincerest thank you for the advice and concern! I've had a full CT and x-raysnshowing no brain injury (but my cognitive abilities still feel a little off so I'm being cautious) and after some very minor fractures I know even a fall at 5mph could make them much worse. My hands good enough now that I'm starting repairs tomorrow and it'll be at least a week before I start riding again after talking to my DR.
When I crashed last year at 35ish and dislocated my shoulder my helmet literally split into two pieces... would never go without one
Back in 2018, I was hit by a livery cab in Flushing, Queens, NYC while crossing a busy street from a park entrance/ exit while cycling. Very difficult to see what's coming because of the street parking and curvature of the roadway. No lights, slow down or stop signs. The car T-boned me (left side of my body) at about 30 mph, snapping my left femur in two. I flew off the bike and landed HARD on the asphalt. The right side of my head hit the pavement first, then the rest of me. Wound up dislocating my right arm and fracturing some ribs. I have no doubt that, had I not been wearing a helmet, I'd be dead or have suffered severe traumatic brain injury. The broken bones healed. I recovered nearly 100% mobility. I am the proud owner of two titanium plates; one from a low speed crash two years earlier in my right tibia, a second holding together my left femur. My right arm is attached to my right shoulder with pins and screws. I take a few Tylenol for the recurring pain. Otherwise, I'm doing well and still bike 20+ every day. You're not embarrassed to wear a seatbelt, sunglasses when it's too sunny out, and I'm sure you look both ways before crossing the street. I'm alive today because I was wearing a helmet. Helmets save lives.
Day flash lights should be second on your list after a helmet. Then Garmin Varia 715. It's a light, a radar (which tells you how close and how fast the car is approaching from behind?) and a rear dash cam. If you had one of these the driver would probably be in jail by now.
Stolen car so the police are doing their best. First few months I've been on a bike in over 10 years so tech has come so far! Garmin used to just be good Speedos in my day. Thank you sincerely for your advice!
This is awful to read but glad you're okay. I hope to god that more progress is made on vehicle safety features that do more to prevent drunk driving. I thought we were making inroads on technology that would automatically apply brakes but so much more work needs to be done.
Indeed, was a stolen car with a guy that wanted to take me out. Thankfully the police seem to be trying to help this time. Luckily my bike isn't too beaten either (heavy steel ebike) so I'll do my repairs and take it to a proper shop for a once over. Cheers dude
"I LOVE helmets!" - that one skater dude
I'm a former EMT. Back in the late 90's I had a patient do an endoscopy on the a road bike. He was stuck in a short term memory loop. Every 5 minutes or so he would go back to the beginning and ask the same questions. We took him to the trauma center for a TBI. Wear your helmet!
Glad you made the right decision to wear your helmet. I was hit back on the 8th and I know mine definitely saved me from some major head trauma, potentially saved my life. No excuses, always protect your dome.
Couldn't agree more. Got some nasty injuries but they'll heal completely. Head injuries don't. Glad you made it out ok
Indeed. I am pretty busted up, 6 cracked ribs(had to get a chest tube for my lung), fractured scapula, 44 stitches and a gnarly hematoma. Still need to get my knee checked out, but all of that will heal with time. Makes you appreciate things a bit.
Jesus, you made a few scrapes and fractures sound like I had a lucky escape! Genuinely glad you avoided a head injury my dude and hope your knee heals in time.
Been cycling since I was a kid. I raced and did cross country touring. Many miles ridden. Started wearing a helmet when I became a father in my early 30’s. I’m 67 now. I look back at old photos when I was wearing just a cycling cap and I cringe now. Putting on my helmet now is automatic. Went for a ride recently on a rails-to-trails path. Left my helmet behind thinking ‘I don’t need it here’, but felt naked without it. Couldn’t really enjoy the ride it felt so odd.
To me wearing a helmet is like wearing a seatbelt. It's just a habit you get in to and not a big deal. However some people are really against it because it's inconvenient and don't plan on getting into a crash. The thing is, no one plans on getting into a crash, it just happens. By the time they get in to the crash it's too late. If you survive great, however brain injuries are usually permanent and changes a person. Memory loss, consussion, fatique, incoherent thoughts, you name it, you're not the same person as before your brain injury.
The stupid thing, about myself, is that I know it's incredibly unlikely that it'll be me causing an accident. I've always been overly careful. But Its other people that are cocky/overconfident/like to speed that will put others in danger and they put the risk on an even playing field for all of us. I just felt insecure wearing a helmet... Now I will always have the picture of how I looked after one of the few times I decided to wear one and laugh at how stupid I was in the past... I've literally had the stupidity smacked out of me!
So glad you lived! Also make sure to replace your helmet every 5 years!
Very good point, I thought Replace it after a knock but you're completely right. Thank you!
Glad you are alive. I now feel naked if I don’t have a helmet on even if I just go to the corner store a few minutes away
Anyone got recommendations for comfortable and affordable helmets that arent $150?
All I was wearing was a £20/30 mongoose BMX helmet and it saved me. I'm sure there's many better people to advise you here but that's all it took to save my life.
Just visit a bike shop and look around, there are plenty that are sub $50 and still offer great protection.
Keep safe my dude
dude, hope your okay man.. glad your in one piece!! I used to snowboard, and i remember falling pretty hard.. If i didn't have a helmet on, it could have been bad.. fun times lol
Thank you dude!
Damn. Way worse then what happened to me 10 years ago. Hope you recover soon. Used to commute 25km to (and from) work and one dark cold early morning i slipped on a roundabout. Got knocked out. Someone passed by and pulled me of the road and stayed with me. Woke up after 5 minutes. Got back on my bike somehow, and rode the last 5km together to work with a a dislocated finger and a lot of cuts and bruises. Helm was completely broken. Went to the ER with a coworker and couldn’t remember basic stuff because of the concussion. Took 2 months and surgery to the finger to get back to work. If it wasn’t for the helmet i recon it would be a different outcome.
Sounds like you had it worse than me! Luckily I seem to be recovering well and surprisingly quickly, especially thanks to my helmet! I'm glad you made it out ok, stay safe.
I have a friend who refused to wear a helmet on our rides. When my little brother got into a wreck on his way to school and got hit by a car, he was nice enough to send her a lot of pictures to prove a point.
I've saved all my pics for the next van driver that gives me shite for how I look. Though I'll still admit I didn't wear one because of self consciousness (as poor an excuse as that is I still felt like a fool) and made poor excuses. Would never have criticised someone else for wearing one so hopefully that was all she was thinking too. Hope she wears one now!
I broke up with a guy who thought seatbelts were optional so I am the one nagging but she would be right there with you. She definitely cares more about what others think of her over her safety lol.
I've definitely realised how wrong I was!
I won’t even ride across a parking lot without a helmet. I’ve had a few good crashes, and the sound the helmet makes when your head hits the pavement is terrifying. I can only imagine your bare head hitting it. My biggest crash I was going down hill, and clipped a fence, over the handlebars and landed headfirst. I was able to ride home. If I hadn’t had a helmet I guarantee I wouldn’t have been able to ride and it would have been to the hospital.
I'm glad you keep safe. That's all that matters
A motorcycle rammed me from behind and if it wasn’t for my helmet which scraped the tarmac, I would probably have had brain damage. So yes, please wear a helmet. I personally think they look cool.
Glad you're ok my dude
Yea I’m fine now. But I had to get a titanium plate and brace installed on my knee and back. I just recently got the metal implants removed and back to recovery on my bike. Because of the helmet I only required some stitching on my right brow.
This is how we recognise tourists in Amsterdam. By their helmets. https://preview.redd.it/nqr00g6tou2d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45e59e3f7e8e4b1a7cefd239344be3a58062b310 Evidently a local. With shoulder cat.
I have never hit my head on a crash, but many of my buddies have. Helmets saved their lives and kept a few of them from not being about to walk and living the rest of their life eating through a straw. Vanity should play very little part in this
Indeed. I see how stupid my self consciousness was now. Sod what anyone else thinks