Shortly after my recent article on wearing bike helmets (Bike helmets: to wear or not to wear, May 30 issue) I learned that a cyclist in Clearwater had been involved in a crash. She is an avid cyclist, riding both mountain and road bikes on a regular basis. The crash did not involve another bike or car – it happened in a parking lot at a relatively slow speed.
How many have said, “I don’t need a helmet, I’m a good rider. I don’t go fast and I’m not on the road.”
She did not anticipate the crash, it just happened.
She came out of the crash relatively unscathed. Why? Because she had a helmet on. She went face first into the pavement. She says the helmet saved injury to her nose and teeth. She also believes she was knocked out for a very brief period of time.
Had she not worn a helmet the outcome would not have been so good. Missing teeth, a broken nose, head injury? Who knows? The good news is she was back riding in a very short period of time. Are you wearing a helmet every time you ride?
– Submitted by Chris Newel
