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Tue, 21 May 2002 20:23:36 +0100

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I am with you Alan,
As someone who has 'destroyed' two cycling helmets when mountain biking, =
I am convinced that my list ramblings would have been even worse or =
non-existent without such protection.
Interestingly the helmets were both replaced by the manufacturer free of =
charge, who requests that all damaged helmets are returned to further =
their development work.....if only car manufacturers did the same!!

In the UK helmet wearing is not compulsory, but has been considered.  We =
are about to cover all of the cycling events for the forthcoming =
Commonwealth Games and I am concerned that as in most cycle racing =
helmets are either not compulsory or so long as you have something on =
your head that can be counted as a helmet it will allow entry to the =
event.

As pointed out on the list, many children do now wear helmets (because =
many look good and are considered a 'must have' accessory) but many fit =
poorly and are often left unfastened. We should all strive to address =
this problem with our children.

Regards
mark F
UK
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Alan Barnett=20
  To: trauma-list@trauma.org=20
  Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 4:48 AM
  Subject: Re: Bike helmets?...

  I don't know about any studies to prove or disprove the efficacy of =
wearing bike helmets.

  However, anecdotally . . .=20

  Some years ago, my son, aged 6, was riding his bike down a hill in =
front of me.

  He managed to lose control, forgot to use his brakes, and accelerated =
away (due to gravity) with me pedalling furiously behind shouting "slow =
down!, Use your brakes!"

  He went into a spin and landed on his chest, slamming his head into =
the asphalt.=20

  The left side of the plastic cover was completely abraded away, and =
the hard foam shell was cracked.

  He only had abrasions to his hands and knees.

  I am absolutely certain that he was saved from serious injury by =
wearing the helmet.

  If nothing else, the skin on the side of his head / face was saved.

  So I, for one, am a believer!

  Alan

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -=20
  Dr. Alan Barnett
  Consultant Anaesthetist
  Lecturer in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care
  University Hospital of the West Indies
  Jamaica
  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am with you Alan,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As someone who has 'destroyed' two =
cycling helmets=20
when mountain biking, I am convinced that my list ramblings would have =
been even=20
worse or non-existent without such protection.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Interestingly the helmets were both =
replaced by the=20
manufacturer free of charge,&nbsp;who requests that all damaged helmets =
are=20
returned to further their development work.....if only car manufacturers =
did the=20
same!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In the UK helmet wearing is not =
compulsory, but has=20
been considered.&nbsp; We are about to cover all of the cycling events =
for the=20
forthcoming Commonwealth Games and I am concerned that as in most cycle =
racing=20
helmets are either not compulsory or so long as you have something on =
your=20
head&nbsp;that can&nbsp;be counted as a helmet&nbsp;it will&nbsp;allow =
entry to=20
the event.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As pointed out on the list, many =
children do now=20
wear helmets (because many look good and are considered a 'must have' =
accessory)=20
but many fit poorly and are often left unfastened. We should all strive =
to=20
address this problem with our children.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Regards</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>mark F</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>UK</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dab@mail.infochan.com =
href=3D"mailto:ab@mail.infochan.com">Alan=20
  Barnett</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dtrauma-list@trauma.org=20
  href=3D"mailto:trauma-list@trauma.org">trauma-list@trauma.org</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 21, 2002 =
4:48 AM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Bike =
helmets?...</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I don't know about any studies to prove or =
disprove the=20
  efficacy of wearing bike helmets.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>However, anecdotally . . . </FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Some years ago, my son, aged 6, was riding his =
bike down=20
  a hill in front of me.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>He managed to lose control, forgot to use his =
brakes,=20
  and accelerated away (due to gravity) with me pedalling furiously =
behind=20
  shouting "slow down!, Use your brakes!"</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>He went into a spin and landed on his chest, =
slamming=20
  his head into the asphalt. </FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>The left side of the&nbsp;plastic =
cover&nbsp;was=20
  completely abraded away, and the hard foam shell was =
cracked.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>He only had abrasions to his hands and=20
  knees.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I am absolutely certain that he was saved from =
serious=20
  injury by wearing the helmet.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>If nothing else, the skin on the side of his =
head / face=20
  was saved.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>So I, for one, am a believer!</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Alan</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =
- - - - -=20
  - - - - <BR>Dr. Alan Barnett<BR>Consultant Anaesthetist<BR>Lecturer in =

  Anaesthesia &amp; Intensive Care<BR>University Hospital of the West=20
  Indies<BR>Jamaica<BR>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =
- - - -=20
  - - - -</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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