Ok, as a follow up to Burgie's thread about the Mountain bikes. Thanks everyone for the great answers, I am also planning a bike purchase in the spring.
Anyway, I'd like to know if you wear a bike helmet when you ride? At my size, if I crash, it could be pretty bad, so I think I'd have to wear a helmet. Wondering what you do???
Congrats on your decision to get a bike! You won't regret it.
I never used to wear a helmet until I came here and hubby made me! It felt really strange at first, but now it's second nature to pop it on before I go out riding. They come in all shapes and sizes, and I tried loads of different ones at the local bike store until I found one that felt comfortable. I'd definitely advise you to get one. Safety first and all that jazz.
**ESPECIALLY** if you're going to be riding near any sort of motor vehicle traffic...
I've been hit twice by a car when a driver simply wasn't paying attention (like, they stop at a stop sign of before pulling out of a driveway, but it's only out of habit, and then they hit me when I'm in the --middle- of the intersection!)
Maybe if you're just cruising a little in the park you could skip it... but really why bother?
Honestly, wear one. (All the cool kids are doing it.)
Also: If you really are Mommy to a Jacob, you'd probably want him to see you wearing one so that he does, too, right? Behaviors of the parents pass on to the children.
Yep I wear a helmet because although I live out in the country, we do have a somewhat busy (well busy for a country road since it's paved) road with no shoulder. If I ride down the road beside the house it is graveled and I would hate to hit my head on one of those boulders (okay maybe I'm exaggerating on their size a bit)
I would do if I rode my bike ever. That's one of my things for next summer, to get it fixed and start riding it again - maybe even to and from work. I once fell off my bike (a pedestrian walked straight out in front of me on a cycle path) and even that was scary enough, let alone if it had been a car hitting me.
I *always* wear a helmet. And boy am I glad I do. A number of years ago I was in a bike accident -- with a tree! I was zooming down a hill on a sidewalk, trying to get out to the street at a big driveway, but a car was parked in such a way that I would hit the car if I tried to go to the street, so I swerved, and hit the tree instead.
I fell on the ground and was knocked unconscious. My body and the bike were both beat up, but my head was fine!
Just a note. I was told that if you DO have an accident in a helmet, you should probably get a new helmet -- there can be damage to it that you don't see that prevents it from doing its job! That info might not be fully accurate, but it is safe!
I do. I used to work as a US Cycling race official and also with the Olympic & National teams. I've seen some pretty horrendous accidents, taken WAY more people to the hospital than I should, and have definitely seen people that LIVED (with their brains unscrambled) because they had a helmet on.
Despite all that, I think my sister put it best many years ago when she said "Basically, I wear a helmet because I don't want Mom to have to take care of a vegetable."
And Wyllen's right--replace a helmet after a crash even with no visible damage (some manufacturers like Giro used to replace helmets for free if you mailed them back). AND wear your helmet correctly!! I can't count the number of people (and more than half of all kids with helmets) I see with a helmet pushed back on their head. When you fall, that will NOT protect you so if you wear one, might as well wear it right (buckled up tight, helmet squarely on your noggin--have it fitted and adjusted at a bike shop where they know what they're doing (hint: stores like walmart would be useless in this area! )
Hey slimmingsi--I wonder...how old is that hot helmet you've got? Helmets have changed a lot in the last couple years--MUCH lighter materials and a whole lot more ventilation. I remember my older helmets and you are SO right--they were brain broilers!
Do you wear a bike helmet?
Safety first and all that jazz.
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