Another (nother) Helmet Story
A gentleman came in the store this week with a bent wheel. As we looked at the bike, he began to tell us the story of what had happened to cause the bent wheel.
He left the house. As he started to ride off on his bike, he felt like something was wrong. He realized he had forgotten his helmet. He went right back in and put it on.
Along he went riding toward downtown. He turned by the police headquarters.
POW!
Sccrrrrrr….
Stop.
He looks up. And there is a woman in her car. She had opened the door just in time for catastrophe. The cyclist actually ducked his head and went through the glass of the woman’s car door. (It was a convertible style door, luckily). His helmet saved his life. And destroyed her car. He was okay except for an adrenaline rush from head to toe and some soreness.
Not the actual helmet
Unfortunately, his bike did not fair so well. To give you an idea of how much force was involved, his top tube and down tube were both crushed. The frame is totaled.
Even the best riders can get screwed.
And along those same ideas…
Your service manager, Brian, is walking. living, breathing proof that HELMETS SAVE LIVES! Don’t leave home without one!
His scar from that crash gave me chills several times over.
if he hadn’t taken the time to go get his helmet… he would’ve ridden past the car BEFORE the driver opened the door. If i had been on time to work tuesday, the large man in the large black pickup with south carolina plates wouldn’t have been able to threaten to run me over and kill me. Timing is everything, and coincidence only means some things happen at the same time.
not to say one shouldn’t wear helmets… i know mine has saved my life… and when i forget to put it on i go back upstairs and get it. but i can’t help thinking about that guy going through the window. I hope the driver’s insurance buys him a new bike. And helmet!
He was so filled with adrenaline that he left the scene without checking his bike. Upon examination, the bike was totally destroyed. Had he waited for the police, it would have been a gamble whether the officer understood the bicycle laws. We hear stories all the time about officers that are unsure of what the cyclist’s responsibilities are. We also hear stories of cyclists breaking the law and the officer’s not knowing…
I cringe when I see folks without helmets. It only takes a few weeks to get used to putting it on consistently.
In my experience, Denver Police are clueless when it comes to traffic laws. Seeing, as how cops are persistent in not using signals, not passing by 3 feet, speeding, running red lights, aggressive driving, talking on cell phones, etc. Then again, this is typical behavior of all vehicle users (cyclist included). Education begets common sense. “And now you know; and, knowing is half the battle.”
Speaking of bicycling laws, did the new cycling laws make it through the state congress?