As a 2006 bicycle crash survivor, I can tell you all that the bicycle helmet saved my life. Wear a helmet, for if you do have the misfortune of crashing, the helmet gives you a fighting chance to survive without long-term head injuries. I crashed twice in my life, once when I was six, and again when I was 51.
After a difficult recovery, I know that my severe concussion was nothing in comparision to the potential skull fracture and additional brain damage that I might have experienced, if not for wearing my helmet. I can think, speak and I am alive because of a well designed helmet, and my common sense to wear it. Ride smart. Protect your head. Live to ride again, and tell about it. Dave Dave Burch, RLA Tel 262-643-9040 Cell 262-617-3107 [email protected] [http://www.bonestroo.com/emailsig/HLogo-Gray-Email.jpg] ________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Robbie Webber Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 11:12 AM To: Ken Livesey Cc: Jim Pingel; David Bell; [email protected]; J.P. Ericsson; Renee Callaway; Chip Camillo; SVC Subject: Re: [Bikies] [stotonvc] Mod's to Saturday AM Blue Mounds Ride I know this is a touchy issue with some people, so I will try not to preach. These are not necessarily in order of importance. 1. Sponsored rides probably require helmets as a liability issue. IF you crash, a helmet will provide some protection against a certain type, but often quite serious injury. Asking riders to protect themselves also protects the ride organizer. 2. I wish organized rides did more to teach people how to PREVENT a crash in the first place, but that's a bit of a different subject. It also takes more time, and would probably means that many people wouldn't even end up on the ride. 3. As mentioned above, helmets don't prevent crashes. However they do mitigate the consequences of a crash, if you hit your head. In a similar way, seat belts don't prevent car crashes, but they do mitigate the consequences. We require seat belt use in Wisconsin because of the devastating toll that car crashes have on the general public: people permanently disabled and supported by the public, health costs, etc. I am NOT suggesting a mandatory helmet law, simply pointing out that there are other "choices" that we enforce either legally or via peer pressure. 4. I want my friends to wear helmets because I care about them, and it gives me some piece of mind that if they fall or crash, they are less likely to be hurt. Don't want to wear a helmet. That's OK, but I'm not going to ride with you, because I don't want that concern on my mind during the ride. 5. I teach bicycle safety classes. I teach people how to PREVENT and AVOID crashes. However, I require my students to wear helmets when in my class. Liability issues again. 6. I have personally destroyed a helmet on a very boring, slow, urban commute. The fall was totally my fault. However, I can pretty much guarantee that I would have ended up in an ambulance had I not been wearing a helmet. My head bounced on the pavement. All I ended up with was a sore torso from the jolt of falling. I ALWAYS wear my helmet, no matter what. 7. Finally, a pet peeve: parents who require their kids to wear helmets, but then don't wear one themselves. What sort of message does this give your kids? I have kids in my neighborhood. My neighbors know "Robbie goes everywhere by bike." I would like to think I am demonstrating an example of healthy, environmentally-friendly transportation choice. I want the kids to see that big boys and girls wear helmets too. (My neighbors are very good examples to their kids, I rarely see them without helmets when riding.) Robbie Webber Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee www.bikewalkmadison.org<http://www.bikewalkmadison.org> Join our group on Facebook! CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this e-mail communication and any attached documentation may be privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure and is intended only for the use of the designated recipient(s). It is not intended for transmission to, or receipt by, any unauthorized person. The use, distribution, transmittal or re-transmittal by an unintended recipient of this communication is strictly prohibited without our express approval in writing or by e-mail. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please delete it from your system without copying it and notify the above sender so that our e-mail address may be corrected. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any attorney-client or work-product privilege.
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