Natasha Richardson

Timeforabeer wrote: And for some people, it makes little sense to protect against an outcome they expect not to befall them.

All the bad stuff happens only to others..... :mrgreen:

Mike :wink:

Are you insane?? Imagine all the hazards I would encounter if I was looking up at the sky!! Risk assessors everywhere would be having apoplexies....

Timeforabeer wrote:Are you insane?? Imagine all the hazards I would encounter if I was looking up at the sky!! Risk assessors everywhere would be having apoplexies....

If you plan to look up take a look at the Heavens Above site first and get the predictions for the space station and shuttle pass overs :!: ... not to mention lots of other space stuff.....
No sense wasting a developing painful neck :mrgreen:

Mike
.... oppps I wondered off piste ... sorry Dave :wink:

For me, it's quite simple. I just add up the pluses and minuses to wearing a helmet, and decide what to do.

Plus - it will decrease whatever minimal risk there is that I will damage my head while wearing my helmet.

Minus -
1. I will have to make the effort and spend the money to buy one, and then expend more effort taking it to the ski resort and back again, and storing it at home - or
2. I could hire one, costs money, and it might be bust already, or no good for some other reason.

3. I might get too hot in it and my head will get all sweaty and I won't be able to take it off and put it in my pocket (like I can with my woolly hat).

4. I might have trouble with my glasses and goggles when I'm wearing a helmet.

5. Where am I going to put it if I'm eating in a cafe?

6. It might be really uncomfortable, and I might not be able to hear properly when I'm wearing it, and I might keep banging my head on things because I'm not used to being taller, and the weight might make my neck ache.

7. I might not be able to see so well wearing it.

8. I will probably have to wash all the inner lining bits because they will get disgustingly sweaty.

9. I might look really stupid wearing one.

Now 9 is quite an interesting one, because if I was the only one wearing a helmet I probably would look really stupid, but if quite a few people are wearing one I won't, and if I'm the only one NOT wearing a helmet I will look stupid. And if it becomes compulsory I won't have to worry about looking stupid in one.

Another interesting factor in all this, is that plenty of people will make their kids wear a helmet, but they won't wear one themselves. Now why is this? Is it because they care more about their kids than themselves, or because they wouldn't be able to stand the guilt if something happened to their kids heads when they weren't wearing a helmet, or is it because there is a higher risk (actual or perceived) of head injury to a child than an adult?

I have always worn a riding hat on a horse, a seat belt when driving a car, and a lifejacket when sailing, so why don't I wear a helmet ski-ing? Possibly because no-one has told me to, and therefore I'm not in the habit of wearing one. I've never really thought about comparing the probabilites of death or serious injury from not wearing a life-jacket sailing, when compared to not wearing a helmet when ski-ing. I have to make a conscious decision to change my habits and start wearing a helmet. Maybe the kids who are now wearing helmets will keep wearing them as adults, and eventually everyone will wear them.

Ally

Ally,

This life is for you too ... don't let worry or concern over what others think of you or how you look steal your life from you :!:

Be safe and play hard but stay humble:mrgreen:

Mike :wink:

Mike,
Strangely enough, while writing out my list of 'fors' and 'againsts' I came to a decision about helmets.

I am going to rent one from the ski hire shop in resort for myself, because I don't care what it looks like, and if I can't stand wearing it I can give it back to the shop, and I'm going to buy one ahead of time for my daughter and carry it with us, because she does care a great deal about what it/she looks like, and it will have to be some trendy make and colour that is acceptable to her.

So, thanks very much, and you can be happy now that I've stopped worrying about this particular thing, and I can go and be anxious now about something else.

I don't think you'd ever get me to be humble though, it just isn't me - I make too much noise/type too much to be humble, but it's a nice idea.

Ally

AllyG wrote:
I don't think you'd ever get me to be humble though, it just isn't me - I make too much noise/type too much to be humble, but it's a nice idea.
Ally

:lol: :lol: :lol: :thumbup:

Mike :wink:

AllyG wrote:
Now 9 is quite an interesting one, because if I was the only one wearing a helmet I probably would look really stupid, but if quite a few people are wearing one I won't, and if I'm the only one NOT wearing a helmet I will look stupid. And if it becomes compulsory I won't have to worry about looking stupid in one.



Ally

It depends who you are woried about. Certainly in the US, the majority of serious skiers and boarders now wear helmets. It's beginners, teenagers, and the casual/one or two weeks a year people who don't. One reason might be that, if you are on the snow a lot, you will see and hear about more accidents. That tends to bring it closer to home.

Trencher