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The Ski Helmet Debate

The Ski Helmet Debate

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Started by Admin in Ski Hardware - 491 Replies

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Tino_11
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

ir12daveor wrote:
tino_11 wrote:
ir12daveor wrote:
tino_11 wrote:Does that happen to you as well, I thought it was just me :D

Seriously though, I do see your point and maybe I did not explain well enough, but I do feel strongly that protection has the ability to make certain people behave irresponibly in the first place. Not only in skiing but in a diverse range of activities from motoring to sex.


Certainly, but even riding within your limits does not mean you can't have an accident. After all that's what an accident is!


So everyone should live in bungalows then to prevent injury or death due to stair use?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/790609.stm

Great argument... comparing apples and oranges again. :?



The post was a little facitious, but it's turned into a converstion on risk management as much as wearing a helmet. There are a plethora of ways we can get into accidents that we don't protect ourselves against. I have nothing against helmets but do maintain some people may be lured into a sitation they are not equipped for by the use of protective equipment, therefore simply putting on a helmet may not be the most effective way of reducing risk of an accident.
www  The Only Way is Down http://towid.blogspot.com/

Ir12daveor
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

tino_11 wrote:I have nothing against helmets but do maintain some people may be lured into a sitation they are not equipped for by the use of protective equipment, therefore simply putting on a helmet may not be the most effective way of reducing risk of an accident.
I don't think anyone would argue that a helmet reduces the risk of an accident. What it may do though is reduce the severity of certain injuries should an accident occur. Its the same thing as someone saying I have bought an avalanche transceiver so I can now go into dangerous areas. The transciever does not magically reduce the risk of you getting caught in an avalanche.

Regardless of helmet (or any other safety equipment)use or not people still need to act responsibly. All a helmet does is provide a way of spreading the load of an impact around your head should an impact occur. I'd rather the helmet broke then have had the fracture in my skull that you had.
www  Skiing in Switzerland

Ise
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

tino_11 wrote:
So everyone should live in bungalows then to prevent injury or death due to stair use?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/790609.stm


That's a perfect example of those instincts from the Serengeti misleading you ) The classic newspaper trick of providing an extreme example of something without any context.

This is tuned to tweak your availability heuristic, the mechanism your gut has to look at a situation and judge the risk by finding an example, the gut's all emotion and doesn't analyze how good the example is though. That worked pretty well on the plains of Africa, when Ug heard a lion roar his gut searched for an example and found that when he'd heard one before the lion came and ate Ugi his mate, so the gut says run.

Most people reading that story see it's so extreme and know it's safe to use the stairs, if there's 70 million people in the UK and 1000 accidents then it sounds good odds to me :)

Gooseh
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

ise wrote:

That's a perfect example of those instincts from the Serengeti misleading you ) The classic newspaper trick of providing an extreme example of something without any context.

This is tuned to tweak your availability heuristic, the mechanism your gut has to look at a situation and judge the risk by finding an example, the gut's all emotion and doesn't analyze how good the example is though. That worked pretty well on the plains of Africa, when Ug heard a lion roar his gut searched for an example and found that when he'd heard one before the lion came and ate Ugi his mate, so the gut says run.

Most people reading that story see it's so extreme and know it's safe to use the stairs, if there's 70 million people in the UK and 1000 accidents then it sounds good odds to me :)


It's a good point, actually. Our brains really aren't naturally good at analysing risk in today's society, thanks mostly to the ease of transfer of information. Masses of data is very good news for people doing statistical analysis, but when we are exposed to only the examples of extreme situations in our day to day lives it does lead to a natural bias. The availability heuristic is pretty good when it works with your own experiences, but add in the tendency for 1% of situations to receive 99% of media coverage and it can go lead to quite misguided judgments.

Ian Wickham
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

Vincentus wrote:" Allo, allo."
I see my usual forum stalwarts are at it again. :D
Hello from sunny and warm Melbourne 28c today and just peachy.
We had a hot November then a cooler and wet December. Christmas Day was just 20c. Perfect for the
traditional dishes. :lol:
I went skiing in August and September in OZ, for about 10 days and we had a late blast of snow in early
September. Mt.Buller and Falls Creek were great.
I purchased a helmet, getting back on theme, and used it the second day after a side foot shuffle
to avoid a Boarder, bang straight onto my noggin and slid for 10 metres on my right cheek.
Not fun at all and only slowing into a carve at the time. Unexpected bumps and not giving right of way
is a hazard every day. I did buy the right size beforehand and it was snug fit. Yes, i advise getting
a hair cut if you do suffer from helmet hair.
Going to Canada in February for two weeks, "yipee ki yay"
As the world congregates on Whistler, i will try out Big White and Silverstar in peace and quiet.
Oh yeah, the helmet is a coming along, less jocks if need be but that baby has a melon to protect.
It is 8.45pm here and i suspect most of you are on holidays or at work.
Bye for now.

Vince


Hi Vince good to hear from you again ....... happy new year and Bon ski 8)
www  http://www.caveholidaysandalucia.co.uk

Vincentus
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

Ah,Wickers, nice to of you to address my post and
thanks for the greeting. :D
Interesting, that this helmet debate is now more noticeable in this forum.
I touched on it last year about my hesitant daughters concerns about snow
sports. The Richardson accident, at the time.
We went up with a snowboard for her, lasted one day. Amelia, is now a bona fide
skier after a few lessons.
The helmets bought for her and her Boarder sister were not used though, although
they saw the bruise on my face.
I suspect the helmets will become compulsory at some resorts, because of the runs
they may have with potential black spots underfoot, depending on snow cover.
I hope some of the writers to this debate, do not put themselves at risk, just to prove
a point in this helmet issue.
Survive to ski another day, would be my motto. )

Vince
Let it snow.

AllyG
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

Well,
I think it's very impressive that so far everyone has managed to discuss this issue in a pleasant, constructive manner, whilst still respecting the views of others - so that Admin hasn't had to lock this thread :D.

My congratulations to all contributors so far :thumbup:

Ally

Ise
reply to 'The Ski Helmet Debate' posted Jan-2010

Gooseh wrote:but add in the tendency for 1% of situations to receive 99% of media coverage and it can go lead to quite misguided judgments.


quite, I saw a headline in a UK newspaper recently screaming "14 people die each year from errors in medication", I fancy those odd's ,14 out of some 70 odd million sounds ok to me )

Topic last updated on 02-November-2011 at 17:45