ridecamp@endurance.net: Helmets of NO

Helmets of NO

Bruce Overton (boverton@tpgi.com.au)
Tue, 12 Aug 1997 11:03:56 +1000

I refer to the many arguments that were aired on the net in recent times
regarding the wearing of protective helmets. Yesterday I had an experience
that may convince some that a helmet is a worthwhile investment providing
that it is worn.
Before telling the tale let me say that I always wear a helmet while
riding in Competition but do not when training. Yes, an unlikely incident
when on a local ride training two horses.
Two of us left on a 30K ride at 7.30am yesterday and the ride was
uneventual until we were 40 metres from my front gate. The girl who was
with me is a novice rider and I was making sure that she was not pushed
above her capabilities.
I jumped up a small bank from the road way on to the nature strip which was
all lawn except for a macedamia tree with plenty of room to avoid it.
Here is what then happened:- I looked over my shoulder to see that my
friend had successfuly got up the bank when at that moment KPOW WHAMMY I
was on the turf without much recollection of what had happened. A
reconstruction of events is that as I was looking over my shoulder, my
horse went past the tree wit his own clearance assured but there was an
overhanging dead branch about 5 inches in diameter that struck me on the
back of the unprotected head. I do not remember hitting the ground so the
impact of the branch must have knocked me out for a short period.
Apparently my friends horse reacted violently to the dead branch crashing
down and she was also unseated but was wearing a helmet and came to no
harm. When I came to there were two riderless horses on the road in
traffic which fortuneately stopped and helped to catch the horses and
assist the riders.
I had a 3 inch laceration on the back of my head and was transported by
Ambulance to a local Doctor who had some sewing practise.
CONCLUSION:- Pretty self evident as far as Protective Helmets are
concerned.
PS In 1957 my brother fell from a motor cycle in the days before helmets
and struck the back of his head at the bony point (Just a few inches below
where I was hit). He did not even break the skin but never got another
chance.
Bruce from Downunder
Queenslander
boverton@tpgi.com.au

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