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Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!hplabs!tektronix!reed!ellen
From: ellen@reed.UUCP (Ellen Eades)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: USCF Helmet rule
Message-ID: <2619@reed.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Feb-86 00:50:13 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.2619
Posted: Wed Feb 26 00:50:13 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Feb-86 02:31:03 EST
References: <2639@sdcrdcf.UUCP> <2076@bbnccv.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 25

I wear a hard shell helmet because of what did not happen to a
helmeted friend of mine (namely death).  This friend was bicycling 
in Humboldt County, California, a beautiful heavily forested area
crisscrossed with clearcuts.  A logging truck passed him and a
chip fell off the truck, tangled in his front wheel, and landed
him in the hospital with a concussion and major lacerations
along one forearm.  He got to see what was left of his helmet --
apparently he had landed directly on a fist-sized rock which had
embedded itself in the shell to a depth of over an inch.

I bike almost exclusively in metropolitan areas (Los Angeles and
Portland, OR) and I prefer to safeguard myself against coming in
contact with concrete curbs whenever possible (As an emergency
medical technician, I don't want to become one of the gory
details).  Granted, Portland is usually a "temperate" climate,
but accidents happen most easily when heat, fatigue, or other
factors combine -- more reason to keep the helmet on in hot
weather.

Ellen
-- 
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	"Who's been repeating all that hard stuff to you?"
	"I read it in a book," said Alice.
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