Stupid helmet question ...
 

.... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an overnight bag
which won't offer it much in the way of protection.

TIA

Stupid helmet question ...
 

On Sun 14 Jan '07 at 20:46 "Le Dieu" wrote:

... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an overnight bag
which won't offer it much in the way of protection.

I've seen a lot of helmets carried as hand luggage, clipped onto a bag.


Though I've packed mine stuffed with clothing in the middle of my checked bag.


A.

Stupid helmet question - Don't Fly BA.
 

"Le Dieu" wrote in message
...
... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an overnight bag
which won't offer it much in the way of protection.


Well if you were flying after mid Feb I would say don't fly BA, not only are
their cabin staff threatening strike action, but the management now want to make
excessive charges if you have more than one bag. Whilst it does say "Skis,
poles and boot bag allowed" you presumably would be charged an extra £60 per leg
were you to have a separate bag with your helmet in it and paid at the airport.

See http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb

and http://www.britishairways.com/travel...t/public/en_gb

I am not sure how "Skis, poles and boot bag allowed" would be interpreted
bearing in mind that if you had skis, you would likely have two additional bags,
one with skis and poles and one with boots.


--

Michael Chare

Stupid helmet question - Don't Fly BA.
 

On Tue 16 Jan '07 at 12:44 "Michael Chare" wrote:

"Le Dieu" wrote in message
...
... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an overnight bag
which won't offer it much in the way of protection.

Well if you were flying after mid Feb I would say don't fly BA, not only are
their cabin staff threatening strike action, but the management now want to make
excessive charges if you have more than one bag. Whilst it does say "Skis,
poles and boot bag allowed" you presumably would be charged an extra £60 per leg
were you to have a separate bag with your helmet in it and paid at the airport.

See http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb

and http://www.britishairways.com/travel...t/public/en_gb

I am not sure how "Skis, poles and boot bag allowed" would be interpreted
bearing in mind that if you had skis, you would likely have two additional bags,
one with skis and poles and one with boots.

What I always love, is the way so many organisations package an announcement
to be a "good thing", when just scanning the terms you realise you are being
shafted.

"New simpler baggage policy"

I seem to recall the email they sent me was quite offensive in this manner
too.


Still, I'll be flying back on the 4th of Feb, so I'm probably in luck...



A.

Stupid helmet question - Don't Fly BA.
 

Alun Evans wrote:

On Tue 16 Jan '07 at 12:44 "Michael Chare" wrote:

"Le Dieu" wrote in message
...

... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an overnight bag
which won't offer it much in the way of protection.


Well if you were flying after mid Feb I would say don't fly BA, not only are
their cabin staff threatening strike action, but the management now want to make
excessive charges if you have more than one bag. Whilst it does say "Skis,
poles and boot bag allowed" you presumably would be charged an extra £60 per leg
were you to have a separate bag with your helmet in it and paid at the airport.

Why have a seperate bag just containing a helmet?


See http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb

and http://www.britishairways.com/travel...t/public/en_gb

I am not sure how "Skis, poles and boot bag allowed" would be interpreted
bearing in mind that if you had skis, you would likely have two additional bags,
one with skis and poles and one with boots.

They do allow you to put your skis in a bag (with the poles).



What I always love, is the way so many organisations package an announcement
to be a "good thing", when just scanning the terms you realise you are being
shafted.

"New simpler baggage policy"

I seem to recall the email they sent me was quite offensive in this manner
too.


Still, I'll be flying back on the 4th of Feb, so I'm probably in luck...



A.

Having just flown to and from Lyon with BA I must say their service was
excellent. They do allow you to take your skis and boots free. They
delivered our skis to our home for us on the next day saving us having
to lug them to the airport car park. The flights both ways arrived ahead
of schedule. At Lyon you can usually leave the airport within 15 minutes
of landing. Though we checked in early both ways, in the past I have
checked in only half an hour before departure on a number of occasions
at Lyon and within an hour at Birmingham with no problems (usefull in
getting that last run in on the Sunday afternoon).

It is all a bit academic anyway, since Flybe have apparently taken over
the BA European operation with effect from March 2007
http://www.flybe.com/next_gen/default.htm. I say apparently, because you
can still make bookings on the BA website for July! No doubt carrying
only 19 people to Lyon on a Friday night at the prices charged by BA is
just not profitable. I await developments!

John

Stupid helmet question ...
 

In message
"Le Dieu" wrote:

... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an
overnight bag which won't offer it much in the way of protection.

TIA


I've noticed that many more skiers are now wearing helmets but wonder
whether this decision is based on real knowledge that they are effective
or simply an assumption that they are and also maybe a desire to follow
a fashion?

Certainly with regard to studies of bicycle helmet use the evidence does
not unambiguously make a case in favour of their use.

Have any resorts collected data on proportions of skiers using helmets
and also the proportions of skiers injured in accidents and whether or
not they were wearing a helmet?

Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

Stupid helmet question ...
 

In message k
Mike Clark wrote:

In message
"Le Dieu" wrote:

... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an
overnight bag which won't offer it much in the way of protection.

TIA


I've noticed that many more skiers are now wearing helmets but wonder
whether this decision is based on real knowledge that they are effective
or simply an assumption that they are and also maybe a desire to follow
a fashion?

Certainly with regard to studies of bicycle helmet use the evidence does
not unambiguously make a case in favour of their use.

Have any resorts collected data on proportions of skiers using helmets
and also the proportions of skiers injured in accidents and whether or
not they were wearing a helmet?

Mike

In answer to my own question I've tracked down

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/...6/281?SEARCHID

4th January 2005 Hagel et al "Effectiveness of helmets in skiers and
snowboarders:case-control and crossover study"

This seems to show a protective effect for head injuries but a possible
increased risk of neck injuries when wearing a helmet.

However it would also be interesting to look at the overall population
effect rather than only those sampled in hospital. i.e. what proportion
of skiers and snow boarders were wearing helmets, what were their ages,
sex, level of experience etc, and what proportion had accidents.


Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
" || _`\,_ |__\ \ | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

Stupid helmet question ...
 

On Wed 17 Jan '07 at 12:38 Mike Clark wrote:

In message
"Le Dieu" wrote:

... Just bought one and I'm heading out for four days next week. Just
wondering if anyone's got any packing tips. I'm only taking an
overnight bag which won't offer it much in the way of protection.

TIA


I've noticed that many more skiers are now wearing helmets but wonder
whether this decision is based on real knowledge that they are effective
or simply an assumption that they are and also maybe a desire to follow
a fashion?

Well my helmet has got scratches from branches, so I'm fairly happy...

Certainly with regard to studies of bicycle helmet use the evidence does
not unambiguously make a case in favour of their use.

Have any resorts collected data on proportions of skiers using helmets
and also the proportions of skiers injured in accidents and whether or
not they were wearing a helmet?

I personally know two head trauma incidents (one with helmet, fine; other,
unconscious), though they were both snow-boarders, which does seem to lend
itself to head-plants.



A.

Stupid helmet question ...
 

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:12:06 +0000, Alun Evans
wrote:

On Wed 17 Jan '07 at 12:38 Mike Clark wrote:

Have any resorts collected data on proportions of skiers using helmets
and also the proportions of skiers injured in accidents and whether or
not they were wearing a helmet?

I personally know two head trauma incidents (one with helmet, fine; other,
unconscious), though they were both snow-boarders, which does seem to lend
itself to head-plants.

I've never worn a helmet for skiing or cycling, and am sceptical about
their efficacy. I work on the basis that I've fallen loads of time,
including head plants, and never damaged my head, so the sort of
impact I'd like to protect against is much greater than those I've
experienced. Unfortunately, in the case of massive impact, the level
of protection provided by cycle and ski helmets is woefully
inadequate, as far as I can tell, so I'll either wear a proper helmet,
such as I use(d) for motorcycling, or not bother.

Anyhoo, your sample size is clearly too small to draw conclusions from
- I've personally witnessed dozens of ski and board accidents wear the
head has made contact with sme other surface or object and never seen
any major trauma - doesn't mean it doesn't happen, just that in all of
the cases I've witnessed the wearing of a helmet would have provided
no benefit.

I don't want to turn this into a helmet-wars argument, such as used to
come around periodically on the cycling newsgroups (probably still do,
but I've not been active there for years). I would certainly never try
to persuade anyone that they're not a good idea, as long as no-one
tells me that I should wear one;-)

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

Stupid helmet question ...
 

On Wed 17 Jan '07 at 14:25 Ace wrote:

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:12:06 +0000, Alun Evans
wrote:

On Wed 17 Jan '07 at 12:38 Mike Clark wrote:

Have any resorts collected data on proportions of skiers using helmets
and also the proportions of skiers injured in accidents and whether or
not they were wearing a helmet?

I personally know two head trauma incidents (one with helmet, fine; other,
unconscious), though they were both snow-boarders, which does seem to lend
itself to head-plants.

I've never worn a helmet for skiing or cycling, and am sceptical about
their efficacy. I work on the basis that I've fallen loads of time,
including head plants, and never damaged my head, so the sort of
impact I'd like to protect against is much greater than those I've
experienced.

Indeed. I had the same thoughts, though after a couple of close scrapes with
branches, I decided to give it a try, and it's not too bad. Nice and toasty
when it's cold too.

snip

Anyhoo, your sample size is clearly too small to draw conclusions from

Indeed, which is why I didn't...

- I've personally witnessed dozens of ski and board accidents wear the
head has made contact with sme other surface or object and never seen
any major trauma - doesn't mean it doesn't happen, just that in all of
the cases I've witnessed the wearing of a helmet would have provided
no benefit.

I don't want to turn this into a helmet-wars argument, such as used to
come around periodically on the cycling newsgroups (probably still do,
but I've not been active there for years). I would certainly never try
to persuade anyone that they're not a good idea, as long as no-one
tells me that I should wear one;-)

Well, it's more the legal aspects that should worry you, i.e. when a resort
tells you to wear one, or your insurers do. (Particularly in the US).

I think it's also the case that FIS Slalom racers *must* wear one now?


Personally, when it's sunny and not too cold, it is nicer with just a pair of
sunglasses.


A.