Norwegian Study on Ski Helmets

["Followup-To:" header set to rec.skiing.alpine.moderated.]
On 2006-02-23, Ted Waldron penned:
http://tinyurl.com/zlg9x

CHICAGO - Helmets greatly reduce the risk of head injuries among skiers
and snowboarders, a Norwegian study found.

*shock*

Researchers hope their study, along with helmet-clad Olympic athletes
like Shaun "The Flying Tomato" White, will lead to greater use of
protective headgear on the slopes.

Well, maybe, but did anyone else notice that all the snowboarders had
their chinstraps extremely loose? A loose chinstrap may not keep that
helmet in place very well.

With about 39 fatalities a year, skiing and snowboarding are safer than
bicycling or swimming, which have higher death rates, according to the
National Ski Areas Association, a trade group.

What about rate of crippling injuries? Surely death isn't the only
thing that affects safety ratings?


I wear a helmet ... not so much because I'm worried about what I will
hit; more like I'm worried about who will hit me.

Do people really take more risks when wearing protective gear? I just
can't imagine thinking "I'm wearing a helmet, so even though those
trees are too tight for my ability level, I'm going to ski 'em
anyway." Actually, now that I've been wearing a helmet for a while, I
don't even remember that it's a helmet. It's just an extremely warm
hat-type-thing.

--
monique
Longmont, CO

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

["Followup-To:" header set to rec.skiing.alpine.moderated.]


Do people really take more risks when wearing protective gear? I just
can't imagine thinking "I'm wearing a helmet, so even though those
trees are too tight for my ability level, I'm going to ski 'em
anyway." Actually, now that I've been wearing a helmet for a while, I
don't even remember that it's a helmet. It's just an extremely warm
hat-type-thing.

The Wisconsin Skier would not enter the glades but he may keep tighter to
the fall line on the runs he runs with a helmet. Also, The Wisconsin Skier
would probably be more encouraged to go down more challenging runs as well.

The Wisconsin Skier notes this is a common human response to safety gear. An
acquaintance after being put on Zocor took this as license to not only to
continue eating as normal but to increase their bad eating habits.

Oh well.

--
Before Heading to the Hills Head to The Wisconsin Skier:
http://www.wi-ski.com/

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
I just
can't imagine thinking "I'm wearing a helmet, so even though those
trees are too tight for my ability level, I'm going to ski 'em
anyway."

I actually do find myself skiing in denser brush, etc, where I can now
take whacks on the top of my helmet that would before have cut me up a
bit, and so were avoided. Does that count?

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

On 2006-02-23, Ted Waldron penned:
http://tinyurl.com/zlg9x

CHICAGO - Helmets greatly reduce the risk of head injuries among skiers
and snowboarders, a Norwegian study found.

*shock*

Researchers hope their study, along with helmet-clad Olympic athletes
like Shaun "The Flying Tomato" White, will lead to greater use of
protective headgear on the slopes.

Well, maybe, but did anyone else notice that all the snowboarders had
their chinstraps extremely loose? A loose chinstrap may not keep that
helmet in place very well.

Probably to demonstrate studliness -- "Hey, I know I've got to wear a helmet,
but I don't have to do it RIGHT!" When was the last time you saw a helmeted
motorcycle rider in a movie actually fasten it?

With about 39 fatalities a year, skiing and snowboarding are safer than
bicycling or swimming, which have higher death rates, according to the
National Ski Areas Association, a trade group.

People put bicycle helmets on their kids way too loose -- maybe so they don't
have to keep fastening and unfastening them, but maybe just because they don't
know any better. I once saw a woman bicyclist wearing her helmet backwards.

--
Cheers, Bev
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoo
"There are only two reasons to sit in the back row of an airplane:
Either you have diarrhoea, or you're anxious to meet people who do."
-- Rich Jeni

On 2006-02-23, lal_truckee penned:

I actually do find myself skiing in denser brush, etc, where I can
now take whacks on the top of my helmet that would before have cut
me up a bit, and so were avoided. Does that count?

I don't think it's the same thing, but might have the same effect if
denser brush tends to mean more surprise roots and such ...

--
monique
Longmont, CO

On 2006-02-23, The Real Bev penned:
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

Well, maybe, but did anyone else notice that all the snowboarders
had their chinstraps extremely loose? A loose chinstrap may not
keep that helmet in place very well.

Probably to demonstrate studliness -- "Hey, I know I've got to wear
a helmet, but I don't have to do it RIGHT!"

That's what I figure. They were wearing all Burton paraphanalia, so I
assume the helmets are also a matter of contract (or are they a
competitive requirement?). But I guess contract can't specify a snug
chinstrap. (Or maybe could, but didn't.)

People put bicycle helmets on their kids way too loose -- maybe so
they don't have to keep fastening and unfastening them, but maybe
just because they don't know any better. I once saw a woman
bicyclist wearing her helmet backwards.

I see a lot of kids with helmets that are way too big, sliding around on
their heads. Bike helmets, that is. Actually, hockey helmets, too. I
can only guess the intention is to save money, as kids grow so quickly
-- but what a way to save =/


--
monique
Longmont, CO

On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 11:37:24 -0500, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

["Followup-To:" header set to rec.skiing.alpine.moderated.]
On 2006-02-23, Ted Waldron penned:
http://tinyurl.com/zlg9x

CHICAGO - Helmets greatly reduce the risk of head injuries among skiers
and snowboarders, a Norwegian study found.

*shock*

Researchers hope their study, along with helmet-clad Olympic athletes
like Shaun "The Flying Tomato" White, will lead to greater use of
protective headgear on the slopes.

Well, maybe, but did anyone else notice that all the snowboarders had
their chinstraps extremely loose? A loose chinstrap may not keep that
helmet in place very well.

With about 39 fatalities a year, skiing and snowboarding are safer than
bicycling or swimming, which have higher death rates, according to the
National Ski Areas Association, a trade group.

What about rate of crippling injuries? Surely death isn't the only
thing that affects safety ratings?


I wear a helmet ... not so much because I'm worried about what I will
hit; more like I'm worried about who will hit me.

Do people really take more risks when wearing protective gear? I just
can't imagine thinking "I'm wearing a helmet, so even though those
trees are too tight for my ability level, I'm going to ski 'em
anyway." Actually, now that I've been wearing a helmet for a while, I
don't even remember that it's a helmet. It's just an extremely warm
hat-type-thing.

The only downside that I can think of is that it is a lot harder to
stuff in my pocket when I am sitting in the bar after skiing so I have
to remember to take it with me when I go.

DaveM

The Real Bev wrote:

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:

On 2006-02-23, Ted Waldron penned:

http://tinyurl.com/zlg9x

CHICAGO - Helmets greatly reduce the risk of head injuries among
skiers and snowboarders, a Norwegian study found.


*shock*

Researchers hope their study, along with helmet-clad Olympic athletes
like Shaun "The Flying Tomato" White, will lead to greater use of
protective headgear on the slopes.


Well, maybe, but did anyone else notice that all the snowboarders had
their chinstraps extremely loose? A loose chinstrap may not keep that
helmet in place very well.


Probably to demonstrate studliness -- "Hey, I know I've got to wear a
helmet, but I don't have to do it RIGHT!"

Maybe it's time for you (and others) to throw some of your stereotypes
out the window. I just got done watching the parallel GS -- gold
medalist is a 30-year-old woman.

Helmet use is increasing, the group said, with one-third of skiers and
snowboarders surveyed last season wearing helmets, compared with 28
percent the year before.
Over the past five years, almost 40 percent of skiers and snowboarders
who died in ski accidents wore helmets...

If one third of the population, or less, is using a helmet, and 40
percent of deaths were wearing helmets, doesn't that mean....oh my
God...
Be safe out there, get rid of that brain bucket.

On 2006-02-24, Mary Malmros penned:
The Real Bev wrote:

Probably to demonstrate studliness -- "Hey, I know I've got to wear
a helmet, but I don't have to do it RIGHT!"

Maybe it's time for you (and others) to throw some of your
stereotypes out the window. I just got done watching the parallel
GS -- gold medalist is a 30-year-old woman.

Unless she's a snowboarder and wears her helmet's chin strap so loose
it can't possibly hold helmet to head in a crash, I don't see the
relevance ... we were talking (typing) specifically about those
individuals who wore a helmet, but left the strap as loose as it could
get.

--
monique
Longmont, CO