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From: darryl@ism780c.UUCP (Darryl Richman)
Newsgroups: net.cycle,net.auto
Subject: Re: re Seat belts, Helmets and Freedom of Choice
Message-ID: <3016@ism780c.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 29-Jul-86 19:11:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: ism780c.3016
Posted: Tue Jul 29 19:11:29 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Aug-86 19:29:39 EDT
References: <472@water.UUCP>
Reply-To: darryl@ism780c.UUCP (Darryl Richman)
Organization: Interactive Systems Corp., Santa Monica, CA
Lines: 35
Xref: watmath net.cycle:1879 net.auto:11992

In article <472@water.UUCP> kgdykes@watbun.UUCP writes:
> To many people helmets "obviously" help in the treatment side of
>accidents, there are studies that show how helmets actually
>cause more complicated injuries.

Oh, horsefeathers.  Of course, there are *extremely unusual* situations where
this is true, but the same can be said for seatbelts, or most any other safety
device.  Read the Hurt report to find out, statistically, how helmets save
lives.  (I believe he reports that, in the hundreds of accidents he
investigated, none had injuries that were attributable to the helmet).

The only common situation where helmets add to injuries is when a
helpful bystander attmepts to remove one incorrectly.

>                                 Also, the worst part of head injuries
>is the SUDDEN DECELERATION of the brain against the skull,
>no helment can help that.

Yes, certainly.  Just like the fellow a few months back who wrote to "Cycle"
(I think) saying that it would take more than 6 inches of foam just to begin
to absorb an impact.  If helmets are nearly useless, why do all the racers
wear them (and don't answer that the AMA requires it -- the racers instituted
mandatory helmets themselves).

>EDUCATE, DON'T LEGISLATE!

NOW we agree.

>    - Ken Dykes
>      Biker's Rights of Ontario, Canada.
>      {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,utzoo}!watmath!watbun!kgdykes

	    --Darryl Richman, INTERACTIVE Systems Corp.
	    ...!cca!ima!ism780!darryl
	    The views expressed above are my opinions only.