Ski Helmets?

Well said. Bit of common is all that is required, as with most things in life.

I think it's rather like the bone Doctor who proclaimed that "as many people are low on vitamin D, everyone should get more exposure to the sun". The skin and cancer Doctors were a little upset that he thought the risk of being a little low on vitamin D was worth the increased risk of skin cancer.

There is of course that small number of car drivers who are alive today because they were not wearing a seat belt in some unusual accident. For decades such anomalies have been providing people with an excuse not to buckle up.

The NRA here in the States produces all kinds of statistics and studies to show how easy access to guns makes us all safer

I took my daughter to hospital with a concussion after she fell and someone ran into her on the bunny hill. If she had not been wearing a helmet the impact might have killed her. The guy who ran into her was a beginner who had momentarily lost control. This type of minor, but potentially serious accident happens every day and no degree of ski school supervision will prevent it.

Someone I know suffered a serious brain injury last season. He was free skiing on an uncrowded day and collided with another skier. He slid into a lift tower head first. Without a helmet he would be dead.

The reticence to wear protective gear in many sports is cultural. The more individual and casual the sport, the less protective gear is worn. In line skating is typical of this behavior. In suburban USA there are adult inline skates hanging in many garages, hardly used. The owner thought it would be a fun way to get fit, went out on the skates, grazed up knees and arms in a fall and never used them again. No way would this person ever consider wearing protective gear. What would the neighbours think ? … some kind of dweeb or sissy. Ice skating is similar. No one wants to be thought a sissy. Besides which helmets are inconvenient, but then so were seat belts in cars.


I do think people should have the choice of whether or not to wear a helmet. There are situations where a helmet would so detract from the experience that increased risk is acceptable. To suggest though, that helmets might not reduce overall serious accident rates defies logic (with respect).

Trencher

skidaddle wrote:What a brilliantly entertaining read!

I love Ise's idea about a really thick woolly hat. With a bobble on it.

Note to self - get one and Tony_H can stop his "dog with no ears" rubbish

)

You.

In a helmet.

Only one thing springs to mind...............















............potty time :D

Letting off small explosive devices in the board park!!

If my skis are on, so is the helmet (as well as my knee brace and will in my back pocket next to my " If I'm a dead call this number" card). The one and only time I didn't; my butt was extremely lucky after a concussion and neck strain. If I bought/rented out one I probably would have shrugged it off.

Safety is the hardest sell! Be it through appropriate helmets or fire protection.

I've mentioned a time or two that I skate sometimes with the "lucky to be retired" people. Every now and then any one of the better skaters has fallen resulting in nasty head wounds or broken wrists, arms or shoulders. After such an event the number of helmets being worn increases a bit.

Knowing full well how bad such a fall can be on the ice, I haven't adopted the use of helmets here; but to me it makes more sense to wear a helmet while ice skating than while skiing. I guess the warmth the helmet provides when skiing is of more value to me than the safety aspect.

In time helmets will be required in the rinks and on the ski hills.

Another example where safety gear should be required in the rinks, is during the free-for-alls where you see the 3 or 5 years olds spending more time on the ice and the hot-shot wannabe hockey playing children charging through the pack. Gloves should be a requirement as well. I shutter at what could happen to the little ones' fingers at such times.

Yes - safety is a hard sell. (I do wear helmet, wrist guards, gloves and knee pads when on the roller blades - hmmm ... must pick up some elbow pads!)

Mike

Here come the restrictions....

Just seen a BUPA Travel Policy requiring snowboarders to use a leash and use "protective headgear" in the small print. my italics

So, the $64,000 question.... Would they disallow a claim if their snowboarding claimant chose not to wear a helmet. Plenty of other insurers to choose from currently, but it could start a trend, and others may follow this.

BUPA are selling insurance to UK residents in this instance.

Hi all,

I posted another thread here as I want to but a helmet this year. My problem is that I have no idea what type of helmet to buy.
My criteria are:
1) Comfortable
2) Air vents
3) Covers my ears
4) Does not make my look like Rubric

Any help ?