Everyone should read this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brad B on April 22, 2010 at 17:52

whoah,
saw picture,
got the message.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Johnny Psaltis on April 22, 2010 at 17:59

im never going skating without a helmet again

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nick Threapleton on April 22, 2010 at 18:13

The physical damage was nothing compared to the emotional damage, read the article

• ▶ Reply

Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Lance and Josh on April 22, 2010 at 18:27

I felt a bit guilty for going a bit overboard about not wearing helmets at some shortboard skaters who were "co-habitating" OUR beloved Wickham st central car park garage in central Brissy a few weeks ago . now I wish I had given them a bit more
thanks for putting that up Nick , I dont care if I look like a dick wearing a helmet around the city on a friday night ; as long as I am around to see my boy maybe become world champ one day and to tell my wife how much I love her ....sorry for going soft but I know how lucky I am to be alive and fully functional
lance

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by speedy canuck on April 22, 2010 at 18:33

I hate reading stories like that, but i hate that we still need to encourage others to wear helmets more. On the lighter side i hate the idea of eating all my meals thru a straw and therefore love wearing my lid.

• ▶ Reply

ASRA AdminPermalink Reply by Bugs on April 22, 2010 at 18:58

So everybody, including the guy in the article, just assumes that a helmet would have prevented the injury. I'm a little more skeptical. Helmets are great for protecting against road rash, offer some protection against slow-speed 90 degree impacts, and may worsen the effect of impacts at angles other than 90 degrees, which is most of them.

I think it's telling that helmet advocates typically resort to the the sort of emotional scare tactics you see in this article.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Carl Manoff on April 22, 2010 at 20:07

Sorry mate. Just can't agree with you on this one.

At the very least a good fitting helmet would have disipated the force of the impact over a greater area.

I guess it's sort of lying on a bed of nails. 75kg dispersed over 1,000 nails is doable. 75kg on one nail is body piercing.

Bugs said:

So everybody, including the guy in the article, just assumes that a helmet would have prevented the injury. I'm a little more skeptical. Helmets are great for protecting against road rash, offer some protection against slow-speed 90 degree impacts, and may worsen the effect of impacts at angles other than 90 degrees, which is most of them.

I think it's telling that helmet advocates typically resort to the the sort of emotional scare tactics you see in this article.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Hank's Place Australia on April 23, 2010 at 0:05

The negative side of this is knee-jerk!! At some strange part of my life someone stood infront of a smokers lung, lung detatched, and before they started slicing it up stated, "most of you who smoke will, in the next 30 minutes quit; for about 2 days"
just seeing the result of smoking wont make you quit forever, not smoking wont mean you wont get cancer.
Seeing the result of a head injury without a helmet wont stop you skating without one; wearing one wont mean you wont get your head caved in.....HOWEVER wearing one does mean you may be injured less, depending on the angle of the fall and speed and solidity and moveability of object hit etc etc etc. YES there are specifics you can pull that says particular falls at particular speeds hitting particular objects mean even if you are wearing a helmet you will still be at the very least badly injured.
The question is, are YOU prepared to take the risk? and will you remeber that in 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months time?
I believe in responsibility, no matter what your age if you skate without a helmet, even to the shops, make sure you have good healthcare and funeral insurance.......to make it easier on those that love you, and those you may leave behind.
Don't knee jerk, "wear a helmet; don't be one"

• ▶ Reply

Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Dani on April 23, 2010 at 19:10

This fella is involved with the organisation ''Helmets in hands''. The organisation works on putting a helmet in every skaters hand with no cost.

Bugs, I have seen some pretty nasty falls with helmets and I am positive that without the helmet they would have been a trip to the hospital. The most recent was in Vancouver skating with Yates. He was high sided doing a stand up slide and smashed his head incredibly hard. That was him out for the rest of the day with a mild concussion and a bangin' head ache. I am positive that without the helmet he would have been in a lot more trouble than he was.

• ▶ Reply

Premium MemberPermalink Reply by Tom Chirnside on April 25, 2010 at 22:16

yea the exact same thing happened to my uncle when we were skate out on the street with my cousins.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Guff on April 26, 2010 at 9:55

Unfortunately kids are like sheep and tend to follow the herd. When they see guys riding pretty serious hills in skid lid and gloves they figure for just ridin around their local hills they don't need to wear anything. If downhill skateboarding is to be an accepted sport capable of attracting big sponsors i can't see how this mentality will help and see it hindering any progress made. Or is downhill skateboarding happy where it is....

• ▶ Reply

Premium MemberPermalink Reply by bernie on April 27, 2010 at 20:19

Bugs is right to be sceptical in relation to the article's assertion that a helmet would have prevented the injury......
The only thing that I can see that would have prevented the injury would have been to stay off the skateboard in the first place.

What I did not get from the article was the state of the ground that he fell on. he might have landed on a protruding rock, or a raised edge on the pavement, making a very light impact, like falling on a coconut splitter.
Personally, I am of the opinion that a helmet would have helped lesssen the extent of the injury significantly in that instance.

In relation to the worth of helmets in lessening the extent of an injury to your head......
As one who has crashed(a lot) on smooth and rough ground, from motorbikes and skateboards, oblique angles and 90degrees, high speed, and walking pace, I can confirm, from my experience, that having a helmet on during activities where you are at a greater level of risk of head injury, is the only way to go.

In relation to use of emotional scare tactics, you really have to hand it to the guy, to think that anyone would take on an acquired brain injury just to prove a point about wearing helmets!

Bugs said:

So everybody, including the guy in the article, just assumes that a helmet would have prevented the injury. I'm a little more skeptical. Helmets are great for protecting against road rash, offer some protection against slow-speed 90 degree impacts, and may worsen the effect of impacts at angles other than 90 degrees, which is most of them.

I think it's telling that helmet advocates typically resort to the the sort of emotional scare tactics you see in this article.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page