Please wear bike helmets!

[SA mom]

This is a public service announcement to wear bike helmets even if you are an adult peddling around your own neighborhood. After Kathy's experience, I was reminded of my fall from a bike at the ripe old age of 32.

I fell off my bike and hit my head really hard on the ground. I had a helmet on and it was cracked and the shatterproof sunglasses were scraped so badly that I couldn't see out of that lens. I was just taking an easy ride around the neighborhood and not going fast. I don't even know how I fell off.

My only injuries were a very bruised cheek bone (where the sunglasses jammed into my face), a scraped up knee, and a broken pinkie finger. Without a helmet and sunglasses I may have had a brain injury and lost an eye.

Wear helmets all the time! They aren't just for "serious" riders.

 

[wiigirl]

Always wear helmets......head injuries aren't worth it.

 

[Quicklabs]

My DH fell off his bike the other day--pavement was wet, he skidded and hit the concrete HARD. He hit his head and his side--has some bruised ribs, but none the worse for wear. I hate to think what would have happened without the helmet. He's terrifically coordinated, but you just never know. Do it!

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Yes! Always wear a helmet! We were just at Panama City Beach last week and we saw so many people on bikes and motor cycles without their helmets on. I was so shocked! Its an accident waiting to happen.

 

[SamSam]

I add my voice to this...'wear your helmet'. It doesn't really matter how slow you're going, I fell once from almost a standstill and hit my head really hard. Thank goodness I was wearing a helmet!

 

[lilmrsellis]

I read a fascinating article a few years back about bike helmets. It said that the more equipped you are (no helmet v. helmet v. full biking suit thingy) you are more likely to be in an accident! The reason was that drivers are less careful around someone who looks like they know what they're doing. It didn't advocate not wearing a helmet, but said these were the facts. It was a fascinating article!

 

[Yellosno]

Also wear shoes, I got some pretty bad road rash when my brakes gave out and I had to make a sharp turn on my bike as a kid.