On the efficacy of my helmet

As a newbie to this newsgroup I've noticed there is an ongoing controversy
regarding helmets. I thought I'd relate my experience for what it's
worth.... even if it's not worth very much I have a couple of helmets
and I use them most of the time but not always, preferring, sometimes, to
simply wear a baseball cap. I usually do that on short jaunts to the
supermarket, which has a nice paved bike path nearly all the way. Around
high school graduation time (June in my area) I rode my bike to the
ceremonies, as my nephew was one of the graduates. I left a bit early as
the celebration party was going to be at my house. I was boogying pretty
fast down a section of sidewalk, that I was unfamiliar with, when I came to
a large tree with a low hanging thick branch. I tried to duck under it but
didn't make it, causing my forehead to slam into that broad limb. It nearly
knocked me off my bike and I was definitely seeing stars. For a moment, I
thought I was going to pass out) Well, it turns out I was "OK," but I'm
sure glad I was wearing my helmet that day, because I'm certain things could
have been a lot worse. Peace.

Glenn

Glenn Civello wrote:
As a newbie to this newsgroup I've noticed there is an ongoing
controversy regarding helmets. I thought I'd relate my experience
for what it's worth.... {snip}

Move along, folks. Nothing to see. Go on home now. That's the way.

Bill "always wear mine, but to each one's own" S.

On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 21:24:03 -0400, "Glenn Civello"
wrote:

As a newbie to this newsgroup I've noticed there is an ongoing controversy
regarding helmets. I thought I'd relate my experience for what it's
worth.... even if it's not worth very much

[...]

I was boogying pretty
fast down a section of sidewalk, that I was unfamiliar with, when I came to
a large tree with a low hanging thick branch.

Classic.

"Chris B." wrote in message
...
On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 21:24:03 -0400, "Glenn Civello"
wrote:

As a newbie to this newsgroup I've noticed there is an ongoing
controversy
regarding helmets. I thought I'd relate my experience for what it's
worth.... even if it's not worth very much

[...]

I was boogying pretty
fast down a section of sidewalk, that I was unfamiliar with, when I came
to
a large tree with a low hanging thick branch.

Classic.

Lobbing softballs like that shouldn't be allowed.

Pete

the celebration party was going to be at my house. I was boogying pretty
fast down a section of sidewalk, that I was unfamiliar with, when I came
to
a large tree with a low hanging thick branch.
Glenn

Glenn, get off the sidewalk. You don't belong there.

Pat in TX

Glenn Civello Wrote:
As a newbie to this newsgroup I've noticed there is an ongoing
controversy
regarding helmets. I thought I'd relate my experience for what it's
worth.... even if it's not worth very much I have a couple of
helmets
and I use them most of the time but not always, preferring, sometimes,
to
simply wear a baseball cap. I usually do that on short jaunts to the
supermarket, which has a nice paved bike path nearly all the way.
Around
high school graduation time (June in my area) I rode my bike to the
ceremonies, as my nephew was one of the graduates. I left a bit early
as
the celebration party was going to be at my house. I was boogying
pretty
fast down a section of sidewalk, that I was unfamiliar with, when I
came to
a large tree with a low hanging thick branch. I tried to duck under it
but
didn't make it, causing my forehead to slam into that broad limb. It
nearly
knocked me off my bike and I was definitely seeing stars. For a
moment, I
thought I was going to pass out) Well, it turns out I was "OK," but
I'm
sure glad I was wearing my helmet that day, because I'm certain things
could
have been a lot worse. Peace.

Glenn

Glenn
I venture to suggest that you might be confusing "the [actual] efficacy
of your helmet" with your beliefs about the real efficacy which can be
supported with evidental support of the standard that a rigourous
scientific approach would afford.

That, my my newbie friend, is what and why anecdotal stories are in
general not acceptable as evidence of any substantial worth - they are,
or most often are infected by errors and ommissions that ensue from 'the
reporter's underlying beliefs (pernicious prejudices - perhaps) and also
by the reporter's focus on which particular situational aspects are
attended to and which situational aspects are disregarded or or not
able to be discerned and recognised by the actor in the situation.

Hope that's helpful.

Roger


--
RogerDodger

"RogerDodger" wrote in
message ...

Glenn Civello Wrote:
As a newbie to this newsgroup I've noticed there is an ongoing
controversy
regarding helmets. I thought I'd relate my experience for what it's
worth.... even if it's not worth very much I have a couple of
helmets
and I use them most of the time but not always, preferring, sometimes,
to
simply wear a baseball cap. I usually do that on short jaunts to the
supermarket, which has a nice paved bike path nearly all the way.
Around
high school graduation time (June in my area) I rode my bike to the
ceremonies, as my nephew was one of the graduates. I left a bit early
as
the celebration party was going to be at my house. I was boogying
pretty
fast down a section of sidewalk, that I was unfamiliar with, when I
came to
a large tree with a low hanging thick branch. I tried to duck under it
but
didn't make it, causing my forehead to slam into that broad limb. It
nearly
knocked me off my bike and I was definitely seeing stars. For a
moment, I
thought I was going to pass out) Well, it turns out I was "OK," but
I'm
sure glad I was wearing my helmet that day, because I'm certain things
could
have been a lot worse. Peace.

Glenn

Glenn
I venture to suggest that you might be confusing "the [actual] efficacy
of your helmet" with your beliefs about the real efficacy which can be
supported with evidental support of the standard that a rigourous
scientific approach would afford.

That, my my newbie friend, is what and why anecdotal stories are in
general not acceptable as evidence of any substantial worth - they are,
or most often are infected by errors and ommissions that ensue from 'the
reporter's underlying beliefs (pernicious prejudices - perhaps) and also
by the reporter's focus on which particular situational aspects are
attended to and which situational aspects are disregarded or or not
able to be discerned and recognised by the actor in the situation.

Hope that's helpful.

Perhaps all your ten dollar words are right, scientificly speaking, Roger,
but in the real world, no one ever walked away saying "I'm glad I didn't
wear my helmet today!"

Peter G

Roger


--
RogerDodger

Glenn Civello wrote:

I was boogying pretty
fast down a section of sidewalk, that I was unfamiliar with, when I came to
a large tree with a low hanging thick branch. I tried to duck under it but
didn't make it, causing my forehead to slam into that broad limb.

:-) Talk about "nothing to protect!" :-)



--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

petergny Wrote:

Perhaps all your ten dollar words are right, scientificly speaking
Roger,
but in the real world, no one ever walked away saying "I'm glad
didn't
wear my helmet today!"

Peter G

Yes Peter, I sorry if my ten dollar words don't meet to yo
satisfaction they are used for the purpose of starkly contrasting th
simple folks talk (appealing to some - obviously) and yet some migh
want to sneer at my use of language suggesting deeper consideration
why is there a disdain for that and a liking for simpleminde
offerings, do you think?

Also the exclamation "I'm glad I didn'twear my helmet today!" - doesn'
that just beg the question- if you can follow my drift?

Roge

--
RogerDodger

petergny Wrote: (clip) in the real world, no one ever walked away saying
"I'm glad I didn't wear my helmet today!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That suggests an "objective" statistical way of evaluating the value of
helmet use. Someone should compile the numbers on those who finish a ride
with the statement: "I'm glad I wore my helmet today." vs. those who say
"I'm glad I did not wear my helmet today." TIC
(clip) some might want to sneer at my use of language suggesting deeper
consideration - (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Rodger Dodger wrote: (clip) my use of language suggesting deeper
consideration(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Your use of stilted language in an attempt to impress reminds me of what
Edgar Allen Poe wrote: "What is complex is mistaken, a not unusual error,
for what is profound." My advice to you is, "Eschew obfuscatory
polysyllabification." Rodger, I am struck by the stark difference in the
post which begins,"I venture to suggest..." and your subsequent post, which
says, in part, "I sorry if my ten dollar words do not meet to you
satisfaction." Which one did you write, and who wrote the other one for
you?