“But I was WEARING A HELMET!” — cyclist in ER
Awakening in Miami, @ 1990, summer. I watched a local news story sparked by a concerned ER doctor, explaining how a bicycle helmet can do no good to the wearer. Jaw dropping. Images of narrow escapes you can get from a helmet worn mid forehead instead of worn high up past your hairline. Glaringly obvious and memorable once it has been pointed out to you. What a difference an inch makes. I was so moved I thought sure in a month or two I would see a Brain Bucket on wrong never again. Such a big difference! So simple, so impressive. Free and priceless.
The notion of protecting your brain from impact leaves a lot out: your face and your neck. Eyes, teeth, nose, chin, skin….. a helmet positioned in middle of your forehead can save face on impact is the good news. Here is the other — worn too high on forehead a helmet can’t help your facial features AND high in front means low in back so an impact can harm your neck instead of fend off. Try it on!
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Who knew? A walk in a park in the early 90’s yielded 7–8 out of every 10 of any bicyclist any age had their helmet positioned to do more harm than good in impact. After decades of a small army of conscientious observers responding to ads and stories from schools, sports equipment, insurance companies, fitness programs and more contributing to the misconception that a helmet on any which way is good enough, now a walk in the park gives the results of 7–8 helmets out of 10 are on effectively! Progress.
Adult helmets now by design are made to fit on better, harder to wear wrong. Children’s helmets? Not so much. Awareness? Just before Christmas in the toy section of a major store 9 out of 10 images of a kid in a helmet had it on wrong. Cute, happy, but not healthy. Sigh.
For you, your kids, your parents, and to lower national health care costs, save face AND neck, get it on right. A helmet is more than a Brain Bucket. Pass it on.
