> Don't forget that helmets absorb shock by the foam liner compressing
> .. and it doesn't de-compress afterwards. If your helmet gets enough
> impact to compress the liner, the helmet has lost some of its
> protective ability. If in doubt, have a reliable dealer check the
> helmet, or replace it.
>
> --
>
> Joe Long
> jlong@hiwaay.net
>
Joe makes a valid point. The industry usually recommends getting it xrayed
when you go to the hospital after a bad fall. Heck, it's more cost efficent
to buy a new one. The point being overlooked in the discussion isn't
really the shock absorbtion standard. IT'S THE CRUSHABILTY STANDARD. The
national spokesperson for the industry 3 years ago was a woman from Ok.
who'd been a PRCA rodeo barrel racer. She was well known on the circuit.
I'm not really that familar with the sport so I can't remember her name
right off the bat. Her quarterbanger crashed on the way to the first
barrel, rolled over and in it's panic to regain his feet stepped on her
head. She's now a quad. The neurologlists think had she worn a helmet. Well
we all know that rodeo folks don't.
How many times in my 40+ years on horses can I think of the times a horse
has crashed (I've spent a lot of that time training and riding combined
training) and almost stepped on my head. Two years ago Flossie crashed
into a solid wall and we dumped. She scrambled and stepped on my hand in
her greenie panic. Messed up the tendons in a moderately big way. It just as
easily could have been my head. I was wearing my helmet.
See Bonnie you're sinking in. :)
t
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Tommy Crockett~Los Osos, California USA~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~tomydore@goblin.punk.net~~DAMS028%CALPOLY.BITNET@cmsa.berkeley.edu~
www HOMEPAGE http://www.slonet.org/~tcrocket