Ridecamp: [RC] helmets:

Lif
 We need to be asking the lawyers about this one.
 Stop and think about many other sports and their rules
pertaining to safety gear.
Baseball requires the hitter to wear a helmet.
The hitter is not going at speed but that darn ball is.
Football requires every team member to wear a helmet. Head and neck
injuries being
 life threatening(not serious like knees or shoulders wich we can live
with)
Car racing of any kind requires that drivers wear a helmet as well as a
seatbelt.
In the top competition they are also required to wear nomax fire
retardant suits
as well as a 5 point harness system . What does a helmet do to cramp your
style?
Nothing compared to the very hot nomax and a belt coming across each
shoulder
and across both sides of your lap and from your crotch. Does anybody that
is really
serious about competition in car racing whine about these regs? No! They
know that
they can walk away from most accidents if they are going by the regs
-plus design a car
that has good body cages.
When we send our kids out to ride bikes or skateboards do we protect them
to the best of
our ability? I know I did. I figure life is a risk. We were born into
it.(that was a risk to both mom
and baby for survival) We could get hit walking across the street, or die
of a heart attack.
No matter what we do we have risks. How we accept or deny them depends on
the individual.
I grew up on a very busy road. I was taught to look both ways before
crossing it to get  that
darn softball that someone hit out of the yard. Yes for the last 12 years
I have worn a helmet
while riding especially in competition. Why? I am not at home. There are
more horses to ad
to my risk as well as terrain, speed, and the proverbeal boogy man.
I am thinking a rule on safety needs to be looked at hard (what is
required).
I know of 2 ride managers in my region that require helmets. They
experienced the loss
of one of our own endurance riders. She was not wearing a helmet while
trying out a new saddle. Death of rider as well as a capable ride manager
and mother.
I know this tends to be an emotional subject but it really should be one
of common sense
and courtesy to others.

Pat and Casper in Kansas

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