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Wearing helmets

bobasnotty

15-Nov-2005
1:35:29 PM

I remember reading a report that said that over 80% of all injuries in car accidents were some kind of head trauma. It stands to reason, then, that we should be wearing crash helmets when we drive the car. Should we set up a poll on how many of us do that?

mikepatt

15-Nov-2005
1:37:31 PM

Just for the record I'm aware of two non helmet grounders resulting in head stitches required and non by helmet wearers.

I reckon the wierd thing is a lot of non helmet wearers won't go bouldering without their crash mats...

dalai

15-Nov-2005
1:42:56 PM

On 15/11/2005 mikepatt wrote:
>Just for the record I'm aware of two non helmet grounders resulting in
>head stitches required and non by helmet wearers.
>
>I reckon the wierd thing is a lot of non helmet wearers won't go bouldering
>without their crash mats...
>
Perhaps knowing that every fall is a ground fall bouldering and that on a rope you generally step off the ground using the rope and gear to avoid doing just that!!??

JamieF

15-Nov-2005
1:43:24 PM

pomyrocks

15-Nov-2005
1:54:27 PM

thanks megan for all your help!!

mockmockmock

15-Nov-2005
2:09:00 PM

On 15/11/2005 dalai wrote:
>On 15/11/2005 mikepatt wrote:
>>Just for the record I'm aware of two non helmet grounders resulting in
>>head stitches required and non by helmet wearers.
>>
>>I reckon the wierd thing is a lot of non helmet wearers won't go bouldering
>>without their crash mats...
>>
>Perhaps knowing that every fall is a ground fall bouldering and that on
>a rope you generally step off the ground using the rope and gear to avoid
>doing just that!!??

playing devils advocate:

Interesting thought. Taking that thought further how many boulderers wear helmets. So Bouldering is safer than climbing and there is a dramatically reduced to NO chance of a head injury while bouldering anything up to 5m off the ground or rock base.

I have never fallen off a bike so I shouldn't need a helmet, or only when I ride on really busy roads.

just my $0.05 worth.(rounded up with GST)


Sabu

15-Nov-2005
2:40:31 PM

On 15/11/2005 JamieF wrote:
>It has certainly been suggested before (in the UK at least) that wearing
>bike helmets in cars was worth consideration for this exact reason. I wore
>mine once when my wife was driving but she took it personally and refused
>to drive any further (or relinquish the drivers seat) until I removed it.

ahahahaha, that's awesome!!
i wonder if i dare do that !!!
hmmm na i think i'd get into too much trouble!!


AlanD

15-Nov-2005
8:47:33 PM

On 15/11/2005 bobasnotty wrote:
>I remember reading a report that said that over 80% of all injuries in
>car accidents were some kind of head trauma. It stands to reason, then,
>that we should be wearing crash helmets when we drive the car. Should we
>set up a poll on how many of us do that?

I'd like to see this report and where it came from, 80% in the US, where seat belt aren't compulsory would be very believable. Seat belts road registered cars aren't a good idea and in fact it's illegal, the body just isn't well enough restrained with the ordinary 3 point seat belt. When combined with the general weakness in peoples necks when they don't do specific neck strengthening, helmets may prevent head trauma injuries, but they'd be a huge increase in spinal injuries. We're better off with out pathetic 3 point harnesses (although I firmly believe in a minimum of a 4 point harness) and airbags if they are fitted.

As for climbing and helmets, if most people started to wear helmets, the rest through peer pressure would probably do the same, it's happened on bikes and it's going that way with skiing (check out the Canadian slopes more than the Australian which is starting to convert). Part of the reason for the shift with skiing is associated with parents feeling like hypocrites when they make their kids wear a helmet. It's interesting that the indoor climbing gym in England where I was climbing 10 years ago insisted that all kids under the age of 14 had to wear helmet.


JamesMc

15-Nov-2005
9:28:13 PM

I wear a helmet only when I think there is a real risk of rock fall, or a wierd swing. The fact that I do most of my climbing on obscure cliffs in the Gramps means that I wear a helmet most of the time. So far I have only been hit on the head by rockfall once, and that time I was wearing a helmet, so I've got it right so far.

Let's be honest. Even the lightest climbing helmets are hot and not particularly comfortable. They significantly reduce the enjoyment of climbing in hot weather. Just like bike helmets.

As for wearing helmets when driving, thats what the racers do, so why not? If your helmet gets too hot when your'e driving, just turn the A/C up. Try doing that on a cliff.

James Mc

Goodvibes

16-Nov-2005
12:00:31 PM

Have to agree with Dalia from the previous page. It seems that at times helmets can give a false sense of security so that a climber may go ahead and climb that pile of choss because they have a bucket on. Your best protection is always going to be your brain. Stay away from loose rock or choss, manage your rope properly so you don't get flipped, watch where you are going, be very carefull at the top of a crag so as not to trundle rocks down on those below, don't stand underneath other climbers etc.

Helmets are best in protecting your head from small falling objects, they do very little should you be hit by a 5kg rock or swing in and hit the rock at speed, even less if get hit on the side of the head.

I am yet to don a helmet when climbing, there really isn't that much loose rock in The Glen.


nmonteith

16-Nov-2005
12:03:30 PM

A bit like my philosophy with big cams. if I actually owned any then I might want to attempt some Buffalo
offwidths. Luckily I think they are over-priced so I get to stay on the hand/fist cracks instead.


steph

16-Nov-2005
12:05:35 PM

I try to make a habit of wearing my helmet even if its not the most 'hardcore climber' promoting thing. funny incident: a friend of mine climbing / belaying and was either hit or almost hit by a falling waterbottle. (not quite sure of all the details) As a rule I wear it when I'm completely unsure of the surroundings or if i know the area has loose rock above. If I'm sport climbing well-worn cliffs, I usually don't bother.

Goodvibes

16-Nov-2005
12:10:16 PM

Ha ha, any excuse will do to avoid those mate.

On 16/11/2005 nmonteith wrote:
>A bit like my philosophy with big cams. if I actually owned any then I
>might want to attempt some Buffalo
>offwidths. Luckily I think they are over-priced so I get to stay on the
>hand/fist cracks instead.


Juffs

16-Nov-2005
12:15:18 PM

I want to wear a workman's helmet as it looks way cool ... then I will go jogging in my denim jeans ... that would be even more cool!

I mainly wear a helmet if I think there is a real chance of rock fall when belaying. I throw one on when leading if I am a bit unsure about the climb or if there is activity above me .... ie public viewing. I am sure I will change my policy once I injure my boof head.


DaCrux

16-Nov-2005
1:17:24 PM

I always wear a helmet. Why? Because I’ve worked on orthopaedic and neurosurgical wards. Maybe I should describe some facts about brain injuries for those who do not wear helmets. Imagine spending the rest of your life having no control over your bodily functions. Yeah wearing nappies is sooooo cool! You can even get prana once (not!). Sitting in a chair and being restrained so that you do not hurt yourself or other people. If you have a frontal lobe injury all your disinhibitions come out and you become aggressive and your actions may be inappropriate (to use a medical term). Your friends will come and visit you for the first couple of weeks and will be really concerned about you – but you may not be able to recognise them, and after trying to grope some of them they’re unlikely to be back. In fact after about a month only your family members will come and see you. It’s soooo cool watching your mother and your father totally traumatised by seeing their son or daughter in a vegetative state. Oh and nursing homes or long term brain injury units are really cool too. You get woken up at a ridiculously early time and shoved in the shower. Then you get fed – often disgusting minced stuff as you may not be able to swallow properly. Or even better you get fed through a tube in your stomach. Then you spend the rest of your day sitting in your chair or wandering around aimlessly. If you’re lucky your family members (who are still experiencing guilt or denial) may come and see you once a week. Oh and they do not have internet access in nursing homes so you cannot even go on chockstone when you’re bored. Great existence indeed.
(Sorry if I’ve offended any people who have loved ones with brain injuries but I’m just trying to emphasise a point).


Sabu

16-Nov-2005
1:57:41 PM

Thanks for that Dacrux, a very good point made.


rodw

16-Nov-2005
2:17:12 PM

Ive got a helmet so i just whack it on, you dont notice it when ya climbing anyway, and Ive already paid for it so I may as well use it. Each to there own I say, your call, but for something that really only downside, is that it might not look that cool or peer pressure of friends means you dont...just seems a bit lame to me, especially if ya already own one.

mockmockmock

16-Nov-2005
2:20:53 PM

On 16/11/2005 DaCrux wrote:
If you have a frontal lobe injury all your disinhibitions come out and you become aggressive and your actions may be inappropriate (to use a medical term).

I don't see how this is too much different from most people now.. lol

As for the rest of it, there are some good points BUT, I've known a lot of people who have died in their sleep.. imagine waking up to be dead and not even knowing it because you didn't wake up.

The huge rant won't change anyones thoughts, there are lots of ways to be maimed or rendered in a vegetative state. If this form of warning works for you Da Crux, that's great and I suggest never going to sleep ever again, excercising, walking across the road being rescusitated (?), being intribated (??), travellingt to Bali or going climbing at all.

We all accept there are risks and likely injuries but we choose to do these thing inspite of it. As I ride a motorbike as well I often want to punch people in the nose who feel the need to tell me how dangerous it is and how they knew such n such that was killed, is in a wheel chair or crashed. Your rant today make me want to add you to that list too. I won't of course because I realise you just don't know better and it would acheive nothing.

Many years ago I used to do a lot of circuit motor racing. We also did some small club stuff where jeans and longsleeved shirts were ok to wear. I was asked " which person looks more stupid, the person in 3 piece nomex that doesn't have an accident or the one who does but his nomex is in his race bag next to the trailer?" That worked for me, so I'll pass that on.. Who looks more silly, the person climbing wearing a helmet or the one was injured while his helmet was hanging on his pack?? atleast the pack was safe!!!

Off now to J walk across the road, buy some chicken from the vietnamese shop, climb the ladder to the mezzanine lunch room and have a coffee.

WISH ME LUCK

Ralph


Eduardo Slabofvic

16-Nov-2005
2:23:57 PM

On 16/11/2005 DaCrux wrote:
Maybe I should describe some facts about brain injuries for those
>who do not wear helmets.

thanks for that. I'm now going to wear my helmet 24/7.


Sabu

16-Nov-2005
2:35:41 PM

On 16/11/2005 mockmockmock wrote:
>We all accept there are risks and likely injuries but we choose to do
>these thing inspite of it. As I ride a motorbike as well I often want
>to punch people in the nose who feel the need to tell me how dangerous
>it is and how they knew such n such that was killed, is in a wheel chair
>or crashed. Your rant today make me want to add you to that list too.
> I won't of course because I realise you just don't know better and it
>would acheive nothing.

i think the aim was to inform some people who didn't know the consequenses of brain injury, wat they are. i would assume that this would achieve something for people who didn't know.
i can see your point though about constantly being told!
We're risking our lives by living, but wat can u do? u can't eliminate the risk but u can reduce it.

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