Latest posts for the topic "On the subject of helmets......"

On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 13:24:45 GMT

Peer group pressure and a guy called Kevin Pearce (and mainly his brother) are responsible for my change in attitude.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 13:28:55 GMT

Blimey.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 13:40:33 GMT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/25542340 ..... Even more reason

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 14:10:52 GMT

Love your Brain!!

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 14:19:56 GMT

Great choice, very nice base layer -)

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 14:33:44 GMT

Definitely helmets all the way. Kevin Pearce wouldn't even be alive if he hadn't been wearing one. And you don't get that horrible hat fluff on your goggles.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 15:26:27 GMT

Welcome to the club.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 15:58:34 GMT

I never thought I'd see the day.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 16:47:37 GMT

He's probably got a bobble on underneath!! :lol:

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 20:57:37 GMT

Baaaaah!

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 21:19:55 GMT

Good choice. Helmet every time. Have a great trip.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Mon, 30 Dec 2013 19:03:32 GMT

Friends found me at the foot of some rocks with blood pouring out of a head wound. Went straight out and bought a helmet. Following year crashed again with serious dent in helmet - bought another but so glad I was wearing one for the second incident! Better to be safe than sorry folks!

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Mon, 30 Dec 2013 20:16:26 GMT

Robin, thought about not skiing into rocks?

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Mon, 30 Dec 2013 20:20:49 GMT

Robin,Agree with Tony, have you considered lessons?

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Mon, 30 Dec 2013 20:29:33 GMT

Robin, at your age the only thing you want your head (with or without a helmet) colliding with is a pillow.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/subdural-haematoma/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 09:51:13 GMT

:thumbup:

Nice one Tony... but do the strap up... you can never be too careful in ski shops... :wink:

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 10:38:01 GMT

You can avoid what you can see, it's the things you can't which tend to catch you out. Over the last decade or so I've hit a few unseen rocks and roots. One friend hit an abandoned ski. Another managed to hook his ski under the top wire of a fence! (We probably shouldn't have been there!)
Once you're falling there is little you can do about what or how you hit. I've seen enough smashed up helmets.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 13:15:09 GMT

I should think that the latest news on poor Michael Schumachers accident would persuade a lot of people to consider wearing a helmet - he is a very experienced skier and it was suggested by the doctors attending him that without a helmet he would not have had any chance of surviving the accident at all. Food for thought folks!

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 13:32:15 GMT

Thanks for the wry comments Tony, Brucie and Swingbeep but my age has nothing to do with my enthusiasm for skiing and skydiving and my ability little to do with wearing a helmet (compulsory for skydiving but which, IMO, is less dangerous than skiing. In fact the only dangerous part of skydiving, IMO, is driving to the airfield!) Anyway, as I have noted on a later post, Michael Schumacher is a very experienced skier but would definitely not have survived his latest skiing accident without a helmet, so I'm pleased to see Tony wearing one now - and he'll find it better than a bobble hat too. Recover quickly Michael, our thoughts are with you. I'm off to Andorra on the 8th for a week, then a week in Spain before returning to Andorra for another weeks skiing - that's where my age has caught up with me, can't do 2 weeks consecutively any more!

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 16:07:47 GMT

Glad you took the comments in the manner intended Robin! I am in Soldeu for the season if you make it here I would be glad to ski with you(helmet or no helmet!!)

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 16:20:48 GMT

Doubt my skiing ability is anywhere near as good as yours Brucie - however, we could always meet up for a drink somewhere. My wife has stopped skiing now so I go alone and would welcome the chance to chat to someone over a beer one evening. Where are you staying?

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 16:35:41 GMT

Robin in Spain wrote: In fact the only dangerous part of skydiving, IMO, is driving to the airfield!)

Until you whack your head on exit, collide during RW or wrap yourself around a tree following a really bad spot - A helmet would be really useful there.

I agree that skydiving carries 'less' risk than Skiing but having had friends 'go in' i can tell you that the risk is very real and one that put an end to my jumping.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 17:36:48 GMT

Statistically more people 'go in' as you call it Snapzzz, when skiing than skydiving - which was the main point of my comment - so why hasn't that stopped you skiing? I have banged my head twice in over 30 years of skiing but never once in over 30 years of skydiving - that tells me something and if it tells you something different then so be it. I won't give up either until I have some physical (or mental) inability to do either. Enjoy your skiing whilst you can and I'll continue enjoying mine along with my skydiving. Oh, BTW, I have a reserve parachute fitted with an AAD (automatic activation device) in the event of being rendered incapable of activating the reserve myself. As for wrapping oneself around a tree in the extremely unlikely event of a bad spot (aircraft are fitted with GPS to avoid that nowadays), then I assume you ski where there are no trees and that you assume that I skydive into forests? I don't think so matey. On current highly maneuverable elliptical parachutes avoiding trees is easier than missing the first ski lift of the day!
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Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 17:44:31 GMT

Respect Tony, It had to take something as mega as this to get me posting again. It looks cool as well matey 8)

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 18:02:21 GMT

Robin in Spain wrote:Statistically more people 'go in' as you call it Snapzzz, when skiing than skydiving - which was the main point of my comment - so why hasn't that stopped you skiing? I have banged my head twice in over 30 years of skiing but never in over 30 years of skydiving - that tells me something and if it tells you something different then so be it. I won't give up either until I have some physical (or mental) inability to do either. Enjoy your skiing whilst you can and I'll continue enjoying mine along with my skydiving. Oh, BTW, I have a reserve parachute fitted with an AAD (automatic activation device) in the event of being rendered incapable of activating the reserve myself. As for wrapping oneself around a tree in the very unlikely event of a bad spot, then I assume you ski where there are no trees and that you assume that I skydive into forests? I don't think so matey. On current highly maneuverable elliptical parachutes avoiding trees is easier than missing the first ski lift of the day!
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I don't skydive anymore as watching a tandem hit the deck seriously sobers you up, even more so given the fact the instructor was a family friend that you enjoyed dinner with a few days before.
I tried getting back on the horse but within a few jumps i had my first cut away following a line over and i thought to myself that there was just too much risk. I do take your point on modern kit though.

The thing with skiing is the risk can be managed in many ways, mainly being able to control your speed and slope difficulty. With skydiving, once you jump, your life is in the hands of your kit, you have very little say in it beyond lateral direction.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 18:11:12 GMT

Robin, I can usually be found or contacted at The Harp in Soldeu. A gang of us 'locals' meet at the map at the top of the gondola at 10am. All standards, so you would be welcome to join us.
Happy New Year!

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 18:45:53 GMT

Sorry to hear of your bad and sad experience with your friend and his tandem accident Snapzzz. I can't defend that. What I will defend though is the amount of risk involved in both sports. Your kit/rig etc. is as important in skiing as in skydiving as well as your trust in your fellow participants and unfortunately the risk of collision with inexperienced skiers is greater simply because the progression system in skydiving is more rigid and controlled and therefore you are virtually free from being involved with inexperienced skydivers (you do have that choice). However, I know people who have started skiing with no experience or training whatsoever and there is nothing worse than seeing a novice hurtling down a slope full of confidence in his ability to ski in a straight line but unable to execute a solid turn or an emergency stop. And that, unfortunately, is where a great number of accidents occur on the slopes, so your own ability becomes secondary in those circumstances. I was taken out by a novice Italian who turned directly into my path at too short a notice to avoid a collision but ironically managed to save myself serious injury (I assume) by executing a perfect plf (parachute landing fall for the unintiated). I will concur with you that skydiving is potentially more lethal than skiing but it's generally only the last inch that is likely to prove fatal. LOL! Happy skiing friend.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 21:57:23 GMT

Robin, i still miss it.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Wed, 1 Jan 2014 00:28:29 GMT

Answer for Brucie - might take you up on that one morning Brucie. I usually stay in El Tartar but could get to the top of Soldeu gondola by 10am sometime. I'll make sure my hip flask is full! Happy new year to you too.

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Wed, 1 Jan 2014 10:36:06 GMT

I subscribe to the Daily Mail On-line (I know it's sad but I'm a pensioner that can't afford to ski AND buy newspapers!) Anyway the following article may be of interest - stay safe all! Oh, and a happy new year too.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/holidays/article-2531916/No-insurance-skiers-tipple-hit-slopes.html?ito=email-homenewsletter-20140101

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Wed, 1 Jan 2014 11:34:48 GMT

AlistairS wrote:Respect Tony, It had to take something as mega as this to get me posting again. It looks cool as well matey 8)

Big love Alistair 8)

Re:On the subject of helmets......

Thu, 2 Jan 2014 12:49:18 GMT

Welcome to the club Tony. I converted after suffering a mild concussion following a very simple and gentle fall :shock:. In poor light conditions, I was barely moving and turned around to make sure the rest of the group were still following. I caught an edge and fell over banging my head. I was able to ski down the mountain but later had no recollection of doing so :shock:. Anyway, its been helmets all the way ever since :wink:

I cycle at home but had gotten very lax about wearing a helmet. However, a nasty fall before Christmas has driven home the point. I didn't hit my head on this occasion but did manage to fracture two ribs and puncture my lung (slightly) but it was a reminder of how easily accidents can happen :x Worst of all, I have had to cancel my January ski trip :( :( :(