Should I or should I not wear a Helmet While Bicycling? – By Jenn K.

Rating: *****

I chose to read this article as we are just starting our cycling unit in ODE. Hearing your parents or teachers tell you to wear a helmet is different than someone you don’t know or someone who has had a first hand experience. I always here the exact same thing from my parents about why you should wear a helmet so I was interested in hearing explanations from someone I don’t know.

She emphasized her main topic by giving statistics, information on how to properly pick and fit a helmet, when helmets should be replaced, and an interview with a man who got in a bicycle accident without a helmet on. Since his accident, he has not been able to drive, work, hear out of his right ear, feel things in his hand, or have an intimate relationship. He still has problems with concentrating, spelling, balancing, and is short tempered, dizzy when he wakes up, and has to take 9- 11 pills a day.

I’ve always heard statistics and the reasons on why you should wear a helmet but reading about his story has had a bigger impact on me. He makes a very good point that stuck with me when he said “I wasn’t wearing a helmet because I didn’t think … I would look cool. But, let me ask you something: How cool do you look with your head bleeding and having permanent injuries? Or, how cool do you feel with your entire family worried that you might not live … choosing not to makes you selfish because when you get hurt the people who love you suffer too”. After reading this article I will defiantly be cautious, smart and wear my helmet every time I go for a bike ride. It may not be the most fashionable or comfortable thing but it can defiantly save your life and lessen the extent of your injuries if you do get in an accident.

4alloutdoors.org. "Should I or Should I Not Wear a Helmet While Bicycling? ." 2010. Web. 7 Jun 2013. <http://4alloutdoors.org/outdoor-articles/should-i-or-should-i-not-wear-a-helmet-while-bicycling/>.