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Helmets - compulsory from next season?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
johnE wrote:
Quote:

I also don't wear helmets when I'm cooking in the kitchen. Unfortunately, that's where I hit my head the most often, on cupboard that my partner (or myself) left open!

You should wear a helmet while in the kitchen and in fact all the time. The risk is always there of banging your head into something.

Do you?

Or anybody else?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Presumably people where helmets to go the bars in the evening. Very real danger of hitting one's head on the pavement, especially in icy conditions.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I'm planning to try a helmet for the first time this year. Been skiing many years without one but beginning to feel the pressure to wear one when everyone around you does and chalet company literature advises you do. Any tips for getting fit right when hiring one?
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Staff in these places are pretty clueless. My daughter worked in a local Tog24 for a while. They sell a fair bit of ski gear but prior to her starting none of the staff had ever skied Shocked
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@somborneski, any helmet should have an adjustable retention device at the back to adjust the helmet to your head size. In basic terms the helmet should not move significantly once adjusted, and you should be able to shake your head and bend over without it falling off. The chin strap is not there to hold your helmet on, it is there to keep your helmet on in the event of an impact. When done up correctly the chin strap should put pressure on your jaw when you open your mouth fully.

The final test is trying to remove the helmet once it has been done up, without undoing the chin strap. If you can it is not going to offer you that much protection.
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What @PowderAdict says.
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Haven't been around the forum much this season, but nice to see another helmet thread Smile

I'm a shameless helmet wearer and I've yet to be convinced by the anti-helmet brigade's ridiculous arguments against wearing one. The only valid argument against wearing one for me is if you don't want to.

Regarding the compulsory wearing of helmets, it seems to be slowly heading that way. In our resort they made it compulsory for all the ski instructors a couple of years ago, presumably to set an example. Most of them were already wearing helmets anyway as they don't seem to have the same "stigma" in Canada. It's actually quite unusual to see someone skiing without a helmet where we ski. I think it's compulsory for kids too, but not 100% sure on that one.
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snowheads68 wrote:
Presumably people where helmets to go the bars in the evening. Very real danger of hitting one's head on the pavement, especially in icy conditions.


This is one of my personal favourite silly arguments against wearing a helmet. I suppose if you are a complete wee wee-head with a history of Friday night A&E head injury visits, then yes a helmet would probably be a good idea for your stagger home.

Oh and you don't "where" a helmet BTW.
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No comparison. This is slow commuter cycling nearly 6 years ago and there is significant cycle based infrastructure. Anyone cycling for sport will wear one even in The Netherlands. This is closer to recreational cross country skiing than downhill!

I wear a helmet both cycling and skiing but respect your right not to.
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uktrailmonster wrote:
snowheads68 wrote:
Presumably people where helmets to go the bars in the evening. Very real danger of hitting one's head on the pavement, especially in icy conditions.


This is one of my personal favourite silly arguments against wearing a helmet. I suppose if you are a complete wee wee-head with a history of Friday night A&E head injury visits, then yes a helmet would probably be a good idea for your stagger home.

Oh and you don't "where" a helmet BTW.


Its not about "silly arguments against wearing one", its more that lots of us have never worn one and are not persuaded or bullied to do so.

The facts are that more head injuries are admitted to A&E from car crashes in the UK than non-helmet wearing cyclists. Perhaps you are suggesting that all car drivers wear one too?

....and way to go having a pop at someone not using their spellchecker
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Quote:

Perhaps you are suggesting that all car drivers wear one too?


But isn't that what are the airbags for? Just a question no bullying
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I wonder if any of you have seen what can happen to a head from a low speed impact, let alone a high speed one?? I recommend wearing a helmet!! I'd rather have flat, sweaty hair after a days skiing than risk being mentally disabled for the rest of my life, or dead.
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Giffordpikes wrote:
Quote:

Perhaps you are suggesting that all car drivers wear one too?


But isn't that what are the airbags for? Just a question no bullying


Good question and gets to the heart of some of the daftness in this thread.

Helmets and airbags wont save you from a severe impact - that's a fact.

Helmets will help in a relatively low impact collision - I wouldn't deny it.

Bike helmets are rated up to ~12mph (which is about the speed if you fell over sideways and clonked your head on the road). It certainly wont save me if I am rearended by a bus/taxi/car.

However I do wear one if I am mountainbiking.

So its a situational and personal choice thing.

Should never be about people badgering other adults to do one thing or the other.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
its your head.

Maybe if treatment was only offered for helmet users in hospital, or the Carte Neige was more expensive for non helmet use people would think about it.

Me , some days I used mine others I did not.
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Just back from skiing in Gerlos and we were really struck by the lack of people skiing/ boarding without helmets. We actually had a game of trying to find people on the pistes without them. I would say that the % wearing helmets was over 98%. It was very surprising, we wondered if it could be because of raised awareness by Schumacher's accident, despite his wearing of one (though I heard it was his GoPro that caused most of the problem) .

Womble
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@nelly0168, Agree with you on all points. Personally I wear a helmet because it keeps my head cool. I could never wear a hat and goggles as I was always roasting and could only wear the ear warmers and felt like a bad 80's throwback. Wearing a helmet with lots of vents helped keep my head cooler, and the improved ventilation for goggles meant I could wear those aswell - much better for low sun days and white out for me. Now I just look like a human bowling ball instead rolling eyes
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blahblahblah wrote:
its your head.

Maybe if treatment was only offered for helmet users in hospital, or the Carte Neige was more expensive for non helmet use people would think about it.

Me , some days I used mine others I did not.


You mean a bit like the NHS should leave smokers and fat people in the corridor to die?

Seems to me that helmet wearing is reaching saturation point yet the incidence of serious head injury remains the same as it ever was. Go figure.
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Not a helmet wearer (when skiing) myself and don't envisage that changing subject to legislation. However I do believe that compulsory use (implied or otherwise will be here within a decade). I do wear one when I'm out on my road bike but not when I nip 3 or 4 miles down the road to town on my hack bike.

Already judgements in court case are being reduced because of lack of helmet use and that will mean that insurance companies will start including it as a pre-requisite for cover in my view. It's only a matter of time. Bike wear is compulsory in Aus IIRC and it's starting to be compulsory for children in certain countries in Europe. It's compulsory for skiers under 14 in at least Italy and Austria; I do believe that will extend across Europe soon. Then I can only see adults starting to fall into scope too.

Make the most of it !
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Pruman wrote:
blahblahblah wrote:
its your head.

Maybe if treatment was only offered for helmet users in hospital, or the Carte Neige was more expensive for non helmet use people would think about it.

Me , some days I used mine others I did not.


You mean a bit like the NHS should leave smokers and fat people in the corridor to die?

Seems to me that helmet wearing is reaching saturation point yet the incidence of serious head injury remains the same as it ever was. Go figure.


Discounted was the clue, smokers contribute masses of tax ( unless its the illegal imports) fat people have consumed food and thus spent causing employment and tax etc.

You buying your helmet would not have contributed to the hospital where you are skiing, but you getting a discount/penalised ( cost of insurance) for helmet wearing might make you wear one.

Maybe the helmets are making us brave/stupid?

I only ever bang my head with my helmet on.
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I have never worn one, but I suppose I am now considering it.

I do enjoy my massive collection of daft ski hats and when I do adopt a helmet I will probably miss them.

I know this is not an argument against and I'm not really against helmets I just have not got round to it yet.

A poor excuse, I know.
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nelly0168 wrote:

Its not about "silly arguments against wearing one", its more that lots of us have never worn one and are not persuaded or bullied to do so.


It is about "silly arguments" when people insist on using them! Who has actually bullied you into wearing one? I never wore a helmet for maybe the first 20 years I went skiing and in that time I did have a couple of nasty head knocks, but fortunately nothing too serious. I don't recall anybody ever putting pressure on me to wear a ski helmet. I just decided it was a good idea at some point and went with it. You are free to do what you like, presuming the "compulsory" thing was rubbish.
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blahblahblah wrote:
Pruman wrote:
blahblahblah wrote:
its your head.

Maybe if treatment was only offered for helmet users in hospital, or the Carte Neige was more expensive for non helmet use people would think about it.

Me , some days I used mine others I did not.


You mean a bit like the NHS should leave smokers and fat people in the corridor to die?

Seems to me that helmet wearing is reaching saturation point yet the incidence of serious head injury remains the same as it ever was. Go figure.


Discounted was the clue, smokers contribute masses of tax ( unless its the illegal imports) fat people have consumed food and thus spent causing employment and tax etc.

You buying your helmet would not have contributed to the hospital where you are skiing, but you getting a discount/penalised ( cost of insurance) for helmet wearing might make you wear one.

Maybe the helmets are making us brave/stupid?

I only ever bang my head with my helmet on.


Thing is, a helmet can increase rotational forces (especially if there's a Telly Tubby Go Pro on it) and cause far greater damage. Fortunately doctors sign up to a Hippocratic oath. And you are right, only time I hit my head is with a helmet on - things like getting bike out of garage or going caving.
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uktrailmonster wrote:
nelly0168 wrote:

Its not about "silly arguments against wearing one", its more that lots of us have never worn one and are not persuaded or bullied to do so.


It is about "silly arguments" when people insist on using them! Who has actually bullied you into wearing one? I never wore a helmet for maybe the first 20 years I went skiing and in that time I did have a couple of nasty head knocks, but fortunately nothing too serious. I don't recall anybody ever putting pressure on me to wear a ski helmet. I just decided it was a good idea at some point and went with it. You are free to do what you like, presuming the "compulsory" thing was rubbish.


Your actual words were "I've yet to be convinced by the anti-helmet brigade's ridiculous arguments against wearing one"

I never (in both cycling and skiing) ever voluntarily bring up the subject of helmets, or offer any guidance to my friends, most of whom do wear one.

I am drawn into debates/arguments, however - usually (I am afraid) because someone who I don't know and who is wearing a helmet says something along the lines of "you must be crazy/mad/stupid not to wear a helmet" "don't you know the risks" etc etc etc

What I will happily do is make a counter argument when these numpties cite opinion as fact (which happens a lot) about the effectiveness or otherwise of a helmet / reasons to wear them or not.

As noted above, I own helmets and wear them on odd occasions.

I know what they are for, I know how useful they are, but I never badger people to stop wearing them.

I just wish some people (and I don't mean you ) would treat me with the same level of respect.

As for compulsion ? Cant see it without some proper studies and measured outcomes.
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Quote:
As for compulsion ? Cant see it without some proper studies and measured outcomes.

Totally agree. Serious head injuries are rare, each accident has different factors involved and the evidence scattered all over the globe so getting reliable data would be the issue.

On my last trip I was the only one in a group of 9 one day who wasn't helmeted (mind you I've not been helmeted since 1972). One guy took it upon himself to say "I need to have a serious word with you about not wearing a helmet" meanwhile sporting the whole gaper Telly Tubby look. Anyway, he won't suggest that again. Live and let live (or die).
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Quote:

I do enjoy my massive collection of daft ski hats and when I do adopt a helmet I will probably miss them.


Dont worry @Ouch!, you will still need to wear a hat for coffee breaks etc so the silly hat collection is safe Smile

Were you one of the guys wearing a giant roast chicken on your head in Ischgl a couple of years ago? wink If so kudos for the silliest of silly hats
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nelly0168 wrote:
uktrailmonster wrote:
nelly0168 wrote:

Its not about "silly arguments against wearing one", its more that lots of us have never worn one and are not persuaded or bullied to do so.


It is about "silly arguments" when people insist on using them! Who has actually bullied you into wearing one? I never wore a helmet for maybe the first 20 years I went skiing and in that time I did have a couple of nasty head knocks, but fortunately nothing too serious. I don't recall anybody ever putting pressure on me to wear a ski helmet. I just decided it was a good idea at some point and went with it. You are free to do what you like, presuming the "compulsory" thing was rubbish.


Your actual words were "I've yet to be convinced by the anti-helmet brigade's ridiculous arguments against wearing one"

I never (in both cycling and skiing) ever voluntarily bring up the subject of helmets, or offer any guidance to my friends, most of whom do wear one.

I am drawn into debates/arguments, however - usually (I am afraid) because someone who I don't know and who is wearing a helmet says something along the lines of "you must be crazy/mad/stupid not to wear a helmet" "don't you know the risks" etc etc etc

What I will happily do is make a counter argument when these numpties cite opinion as fact (which happens a lot) about the effectiveness or otherwise of a helmet / reasons to wear them or not.

As noted above, I own helmets and wear them on odd occasions.

I know what they are for, I know how useful they are, but I never badger people to stop wearing them.

I just wish some people (and I don't mean you ) would treat me with the same level of respect.

As for compulsion ? Cant see it without some proper studies and measured outcomes.


To be clear my comments weren't aimed at you. Not all of the anti-helmet arguments are ridiculous, but many of them are - like the train of thought about wearing a helmet out at a bar for example. Of the more credible arguments I've heard, they don't convince me not to wear a helmet either, but that's my personal choice having heard both sides of the argument. It's also just as bad to ridicule someone wearing a helmet because they happen to think it's somehow uncool.
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I used to be agin wearing a helmet but then I realised I wouldn't ride a horse without 1, started wearing 1 on my push-bike, always wear 1 on a bike and it sort of made sense to start wearing 1 skiing. I wouldn't dream of preaching one way or the other. What made up my mind was seeing people running into each other on crowded slopes. I would be more likely to take it off when off-piste as I think the likelihood of hitting your head is reduced with fewer people to run into but I suspect I would feel a complete d1ck if I got concussed and my helmet was tied to/inside my rucksack! As I own 1, I also wear a gumshield but I don't think I would buy 1 specifically for skiing - I just happened to have 1 sitting in a cupboard minding its own business so I take it with me.
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Quote:

a gumshield


Shocked Hardcore health and safety
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

I also wear a gumshield

Sorry, but that's ridiculous.
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Apart from being blinkered, skiing to fast and causing more piste accidents than ever before Skullie Skullie

How safe is your Ski Helmet?


http://youtube.com/v/QcqLqrfg16E
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@stanton,
Quote:

Apart from being blinkered


Surely most goggles are worse for reducing peripheral vision??
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Quote:

Sorry, but that's ridiculous.

@Pruman, I am currently walking around with the mouthful of chipped teeth I gave myself when catching an edge and banging my chin on my knee in about 1976 - no helmets in those days unless race officials considered conditions dangerous. Gumshields help prevent concussion so it seemed to make sense to get it out of the cupboard and wear it if I was worried enough to start wearing helmet.


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 20-01-16 13:47; edited 1 time in total
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@Gordyjh, a chin guard on the helmet might be more comfy if that's a worry. Plus, in a big pile up, you won't swallow your chin guard.
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Giffordpikes wrote:
@stanton,
Quote:

Apart from being blinkered


Surely most goggles are worse for reducing peripheral vision??


Just been sat here at my desk lile a complete wally wearing helmet and googles (Safety at work you understand!). The helmet does not reduce my peripheral vision at all - The goggles have a major impact. I suspect that factor causes more accidents than almost anything else. Maybe we should argue for a return to the days before goggles became de rigeur?
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@foxtrotzulu, yep, what's wrong with sunnies and the wind in your hair?

This is what I don't understand:
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@Pruman,
Quote:

a chin guard on the helmet

Wouldn't have helped as the chin came down directly onto the knee vertically - painful and bloody as I remember and no-one wore a helmet unless forced to by race officials! I believe there is evidence to suggest a gumshield guards against concussion. I don't want to suggest anyone else wears 1 but it was sat in the cupboard, so I brought it out of retirement.


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 20-01-16 13:49; edited 1 time in total
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Maybe it's just f****** cold there? I used to wear a face mask out in Alberta when it was severely cold. A full face helmet would have been a good option on those days. But yeah I agree it's overkill for your average ski day. I presume those face guards are probably removable in which case it could be quite a good option for the really savage days.

I'd like to see you skiing with sunnies and wind in your hair in Lake Louise at -30C Smile
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Quote:

This is what I don't understand:

@Pruman, The one one right does look a bit like a stormtrooper

@foxtrotzulu,

Quote:

Just been sat here at my desk lile a complete wally wearing helmet and googles (Safety at work you understand!). The helmet does not reduce my peripheral vision at all - The goggles have a major impact.


Glad to see scientific discovery is alive and well (or is it killing time till the next skiing Toofy Grin )
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uktrailmonster wrote:
Maybe it's just f****** cold there? I used to wear a face mask out in Alberta when it was severely cold. A full face helmet would have been a good option on those days. But yeah I agree it's overkill for your average ski day. I presume those face guards are probably removable in which case it could be quite a good option for the really savage days.

I'd like to see you skiing with sunnies and wind in your hair in Lake Louise at -30C Smile

I would say helmet is a good option for keeping one's head warm but overkill on "average ski day" for many competent skiers!
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Quote:

I'd like to see you skiing with sunnies and wind in your hair in Lake Louise at -30C

I have done so there and in other places like Vermont and Finland but wear a hat with hood over the top.
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