There’s a grim joke among bicyclists that goes something like this: “What do you call a bicyclist who does not wear a helmet? An organ donor.”
Like I said, grim. But it underscores the importance of that single piece of cycling headgear that in a crash can make the difference between getting back up, battered and sore, or not getting up at all.
And as more cyclists discover the great rides in Maine, making the the state destination for more and more riders advocacy for safe riding — helmets included — is more important than ever.
According to Randy Swart, director of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute in Arlington, Virginia, looking at the most recent statistics from 2015, “almost three-quarters of fatal crashes involve a head injury,” he said. “Nearly all bicyclists who died — 97 percent — were not wearing a helmet.”
Clearly, helmets save lives, and the more heads that wear them the better.
In Maine all bicyclists under the age of 16 are required to wear a helmet, and advocacy groups such as the Bicycle Coalition of Maine want that to become a lifelong riding habit.
“A helmet provides the cheapest insurance against serious head injury available,” according to the coalition’s website. “It also provides a measure of legal protection by demonstrating that you’ve done the basic things to be safe when riding.”
On the national level, the group Heads in Helmets is a charity on mission to prevent traumatic brain injuries among children by spreading awareness and promoting bike safety.
The foundation will actually team up with community business leaders to host events and give away helmets.
Founded by Howard Spiva, a personal injury attorney and child safety advocate, Heads in Helmets wants riders — especially the younger riders — to know not only are helmets protective, they are pretty darn cool, too.
OK, so I’ll be the first to admit few things look goofier than a hardcore road cyclist heading out on a ride.
But dammit, it’s hard to deny a certain cool factor when your spandex shorts, bright spandex jersey, socks, gloves, sunglasses and helmet not only coordinate but match your bike.
It’s the reason I have to separate sets of bike “kits” as we cyclists call our ensembles.
I have one that matches my snazzy red, white and black road bike and another that just pops with my blue and orange mountain bike.
There is some practicality behind it — the brighter we are, the better to be seen by drivers as we all strive to safely share the roads in Maine.
And speaking of helmets, they have gotten undeniably cooler looking and better fitting over the years. Which is important.
You want a helmet that fits square on your head and that does not wobble around because it’s too loose or cut off the flow of blood to your brain if it’s too tight.
Having it tilt to one side may look jaunty, but it’s not going to do you much good if your head meets the ground in a crash.
Trust me, I’ve put more than one helmet through crash tests.
Years ago I wanted to get in an early morning ride before my late husband and I were set to take off on a 1,800 mile driving trip.
It was early spring so the dirt road was rutted up but still frozen. At one point going down a hill I managed to get my front tire in one rut and the back tire in a different rut.
I figured I could just pedal faster and ride out of it.
Nope.
All I did was ensure I was going faster when the inevitable crash happened.
Given my noggin was the first thing to hit the frozen dirt, it was the helmet, not my skull that came out with a large crack in it.
Some years later — same bike — I was zooming along when for some reason still unknown the front tire locked up.
Within seconds I went from rider to projectile as the bike came to a sudden stop and I went sailing over the handlebars and landing on my helmet-encased head with my bike on top of me.
It was not a pretty sight, but it was one I walked — well, actually, limped — away from.
Just the other week I was riding along on my snazzy mountain bike when I decided to stop and grab some water. I’m not sure what distracted me but as I slowed I completely forgot to disengage my shoes which “clip” into the pedals.
By not doing so, I could not stick my leg out when the bike started to lean and down I went, my head, safely tucked into its helmet, making an impressed sound as it hit the ground.
I’ve witnessed other crashes far more serious than my own in which the riders could have been killed if not for their helmets.
Given the variety of colors, styles, designs and how comfortable they have become, there is really no good argument for not making a cycling helmet a regular part of your safety kit.
And if being stylish is not enough? Just remember, we call them “brain buckets” for a reason
