Why the NEED to Lecture Gearless stranger on an EUC?

[Hsiang]

Now I *mostly* wear a helmet, but I do notice that on those occasion that I do not. Random strangers are overcome with the desire to tell me that I should wear a helmet, It isn’t required by law here in NYC and I am an adult and an trusted *mostly* to do some pretty risky things like oh I don’t know.. drinking and voting?

And I get the positive imagery for the sport thing, and there’s whole conversation around that. But the gut reaction against the helmet thing, I don’t get.. If someone is starting, I’d tell them that its a good idea to wear helmet since you’ll likely fall on your head, but if they are an adult and choose to not wear a helmet, I leave them be since well.. they made a decision.

I am genuinely curious.

Edited August 10, 2019 by Hsiang

[Rotciv]

“Riding a bike with no helmet? Seen plenty of crashes and the rider came out unscathed. Motorcycle with no helmet? Pfft! They’re everywhere and never seen someone fall off a motorcycle. That thing you’re riding with one wheel seems very unstable and if you fall off it you will die. So wear your helmet!”

I think that’s what goes through most people’s mind and they probably don’t want to be traumatized seeing you spill your brains out. 

[Patton250]

 I don’t know think of it like this. If you genuinely care about somebody that would be when you tell them they should wear a helmet just like when you tell people they shouldn’t smoke.  If you care about people and you see them doing an incredibly stupid thing you try to point that out.  I would never think of telling a complete stranger they should have a helmet but I most certainly would to somebody I love or care about.  My son for instance knows if I ever see him riding one of the wheels or skateboards without a helmet I will take them away from him. 

 As I’m sure you are well aware it doesn’t take much to do serious damage to your brain.  If these wheels cut out on you then you’re going to face plant and if that happens your head is going to hit the concrete at a very high rate of speed.  In some cases you’d be better off dying because the alternative could be a very family draining/changing experience. I’ve seen this before.  It’s not pretty. 

 Anyway it is pretty bold for a perfect stranger to walk up to you and suggest that.  Although we are living in strange times because today a person will walk up to you and bash you in the face for wearing a particular hat. So there you go. 

 Meanwhile wear a helmet dummy. JK. LOL :-) 

 

 Did you ever get your Z 10 taken care of? 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Patton250

[LanghamP]

2 hours ago, Hsiang said:

Now I *mostly* wear a helmet, but I do notice that on those occasion that I do not. Random strangers are overcome with the desire to tell me that I should wear a helmet, It isn’t required by law here in NYC and I am an adult and an trusted *mostly* to do some pretty risky things like oh I don’t know.. drinking and voting?

And I get the positive imagery for the sport thing, and there’s whole conversation around that. But the gut reaction against the helmet thing, I don’t get.. If someone is starting, I’d tell them that its a good idea to wear helmet since you’ll likely fall on your head, but if they are an adult and choose to not wear a helmet, I leave them be since well.. they made a decision.

I am genuinely curious.

Well, my personal belief is that as a social responsible society it's their right, and perhaps even their Civic duty, to admonish you to wear a helmet, and it's your obligation to at least hear them out. If you cannot provide a reasonable counterargument, then wear the damned helmet, as helmets are trivial to buy and wear.

Now should you wear a helmet? That is, does wearing a helmet make it more likely to suffer an injury or death than not wearing one?

Research seems to indicate that wearing a helmet around drivers increases injuries and fatalities, but that's just with bicycles.

I'd guess EUCs are just slightly safer than eScooters, which means not very safe, and about a hundred times more like to have a single rider crash, as research indicates.

[Patton250]

35 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

Well, my personal belief is that as a social responsible society it's their right, and perhaps even their Civic duty, to admonish you to wear a helmet, and it's your obligation to at least hear them out. If you cannot provide a reasonable counterargument, then wear the damned helmet, as helmets are trivial to buy and wear.

Now should you wear a helmet? That is, does wearing a helmet make it more likely to suffer an injury or death than not wearing one?

Research seems to indicate that wearing a helmet around drivers increases injuries and fatalities, but that's just with bicycles.

I'd guess EUCs are just slightly safer than eScooters, which means not very safe, and about a hundred times more like to have a single rider crash, as research indicates.

What????????????????? Typo right?

[Patton250]

36 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

Well, my personal belief is that as a social responsible society it's their right, and perhaps even their Civic duty, to admonish you to wear a helmet, and it's your obligation to at least hear them out. If you cannot provide a reasonable counterargument, then wear the damned helmet, as helmets are trivial to buy and wear.

Now should you wear a helmet? That is, does wearing a helmet make it more likely to suffer an injury or death than not wearing one?

Research seems to indicate that wearing a helmet around drivers increases injuries and fatalities, but that's just with bicycles.

I'd guess EUCs are just slightly safer than eScooters, which means not very safe, and about a hundred times more like to have a single rider crash, as research indicates.

You are kidding right? I didn’t catch an “lol” or something similar. 

[gr8ps]

1 hour ago, Patton250 said:

You are kidding right? I didn’t catch an “lol” or something similar. 

I'm in agreement with LanghamP. If one can fill out a form and waive society's duty to care for you and just let you die if you ever take a bad spill and end up in a coma/life threatening position, then okay. Reality is if this ever happens he will use up societal resources caring for a preventable injury. Insured or not, they won't just let him die on the streets. Costs will be incurred and if not insured, born by society in the form of raised medical costs for everyone else. Even if he is insured, he may not have the resources to fully discharge his debt, with medical bills being the single largest source of bankruptcies even among the insured. 

That said - I don't care about strangers enough to lecture them about wearing helmets. At least we can get some good organs out of them. 

Edited August 11, 2019 by gr8ps

[Hatchet]

I'm one who never rides without 7 the piece gear loadout, and I think people are nuts to ride w/o a helmet. However, i'd think that, not say it to a stranger. 

Also, it's never my obligation to listen to a stranger about anything, a big fat NOPE to that.

 

[scotchtape]

For the bicycle study it is because most people don't wear their helmet correctly and driver's tend to be less careful around helmeted users.  If the helmets were actually worn correctly they would probably do their job.

 

As for mandating helmet use, if someone gets a TBI the costs of providing health care are insane and you end up stressing the already over taxed healthcare system that everyone shares even more, so... Maybe just wear the helmet in our shared society.

 

If we had the option to not provide care to non helmeted users suffering brain injuries then fine, otherwise it affects everyone. Unless you are riding <20 kmh

Edited August 11, 2019 by scotchtape

[Rywokast]

that's weird, never worn a helmet on anything in my life and never once had someone tell that to me lol.. probably tell them to eff off and mind their own business haha

[Darrell Wesh]

47 minutes ago, scotchtape said:

For the bicycle study it is because most people don't wear their helmet correctly and driver's tend to be less careful around helmeted users.  If the helmets were actually worn correctly they would probably do their job.

 

As for mandating helmet use, if someone gets a TBI the costs of providing health care are insane and you end up stressing the already over taxed healthcare system that everyone shares even more, so... Maybe just wear the helmet in our shared society.

 

If we had the option to not provide care to non helmeted users suffering brain injuries then fine, otherwise it affects everyone. Unless you are riding <20 kmh

That’s incorrect. The people in the study were absolutely wearing their helmet correctly, how do you not wear a helmet correctly? 

Cars drive more reckless and give less passing room to people with helmets on because they somehow believe a helmet will protect a rider from getting killed by a two ton car. The opposite is true; riders without a helmet were seen as fragile and cars drove more carefully around them. 

[Genghis]

Hsiang, fist of all, I hope you get your Z10 fixed and I enjoy your videos.

My opinion regarding why people tell strangers to use helmets is that some people feel like it's their duty to instill their belief system onto others.  It may be true that some people care that others don't get hurt, or they don't want that hurt person to be an extra burden to society, but I believe that underneath all of that, it's just that they think other people should believe the same things that they do.  I don't know. I could be wrong.   A more compelling reason would be that they don't want to see a person on a Personal Electric Vehicle get hurt, which could fast track any legislation that would affect our ability to use said PEV's.

When I learned to ride a motorcycle, the first thing I did was buy all the protective gear.  And I did the same thing when I got my first electric skateboard.  I've ordered my first EUC, and decided to get a full face helmet, rather than just my half shell.  These were my choices and I can't see myself telling a stranger that they should do the same. 

I've been curious how others would feel if I did a similar thing.  If I saw something that I thought would be harmful to society or create a future burden (based on my belief system), would they be appreciative of my unwanted suggestions.  For example, would that same person who told me I should wear a helmet be OK, if I in turn told them how they should raise their children, because I thought what they were doing was wrong?  Would they thank me or flip me the bird and walk away?  Just food for thought.

[chrisjunlee]

6 hours ago, Hsiang said:

Now I *mostly* wear a helmet, but I do notice that on those occasion that I do not. Random strangers are overcome with the desire to tell me that I should wear a helmet, It isn’t required by law here in NYC and I am an adult and an trusted *mostly* to do some pretty risky things like oh I don’t know.. drinking and voting?

And I get the positive imagery for the sport thing, and there’s whole conversation around that. But the gut reaction against the helmet thing, I don’t get.. If someone is starting, I’d tell them that its a good idea to wear helmet since you’ll likely fall on your head, but if they are an adult and choose to not wear a helmet, I leave them be since well.. they made a decision.

I am genuinely curious.

There is something more subtle going on here, but I forget what it's called:

• if you're not wearing a helmet: people notice, and a small percentage will tell you to wear a helmet
• if you're wearing a helmet: noone notices nor cares, certainly not enough to tell you anything

 

[Darrell Wesh]

I find it absurd that people go around telling others to wear a helmet like it’ll magically grant you immortality and immunity from any and all damage.

I guess they turn a blind eye to the guy with the motorcycle helmet but no other gear just a t shirt and shorts. As if abrasion and impact injuries don’t exist.

And let me tell you, abrasion on the joints are a nightmare to deal with because they take forever to heal and give you so much pain. 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Darrell Wesh

[Mike Sacristan]

In Sweden people ask in different ways:

"You're not wearing a helmet?"
"Shouldn't you have a helmet?"
"Don't you need a helmet?"

I usually disarm the question by showing them my bell.
Me: "Nope, I do have several helmets at home and sometimes I wear them and sometimes I don't. I do have this bell though and that is the only legal requirement. Then I ring the bell and they laugh."

Sometimes children will ask as well. Depending on their age I will answer differently. If they are very young I will say that I forgot my helmet at home and that it was very silly of me to forget my helmet and ride without it.

I wonder what would happen if I started asking people about their lifestyle as soon as I see that their waist to height ratio is higher than 0.5.

You guys should see the electric skateboard subreddit. Helmet police everywhere lecturing left and right! And we tend to do the same here.
Sure I will armor and show how dangerous this sport is. But who will protect you from me?

 

[atdlzpae]

7 hours ago, Patton250 said:

If these wheels cut out on you then you’re going to face plant and if that happens your head is going to hit the concrete at a very high rate of speed.

I've faceplanted several times and my helmet never got a scratch. The hierarchy for me is:

1. Wrist guards
2. Knee pads
3. Helmet
4. Elbow pads

And so, I only wear wrist protection when grocery shopping. Everything else only if I'm going far/fast/pushing limits.

[atdlzpae]

9 hours ago, Hsiang said:

Random strangers are overcome with the desire to tell me that I should wear a helmet

Headphones. If you have nothing to listen to: Brandon Sanderson and James S. A. Corey.

And no, I don't agree that riding with headphones decreases safety.

[LucasD]

I gave up on headphones, because it is hard to put with a full face helmet

Yet I would say wrist guard is number one priority. And in hard riding conditions I was many times heat on my shins.  So not sure if shinny's guards are not a better choice over knee guards

P.S> I had abrasion on half my face (that is hard to heal) and dislocated shoulder, but it was a bike jump crash with normal helmet.

Edited August 11, 2019 by LucasD

[atdlzpae]

Are shin guards helpful at all? I think it's impossible to hurt shins on EUC unless you're really unlucky and fall on a curb/rock/giant pothole or smth...

Edited August 11, 2019 by atdlzpae

[Gasmantle]

44 minutes ago, atdlzpae said:

And no, I don't agree that riding with headphones decreases safety.

Anything that reduces awareness of your surroundings without otherwise offering protection reduces safety.

[Demargon]

42 minutes ago, LucasD said:

I would say wrist guard is number one priority

The wrist guard makes you confiden using the hands in a unexpected fall, but may cause worsen injuries in the rest of the arm due the bad use of them stopping your fall i.e. extending them to the ground when you hit it.

My must to have is a minimum fall braking knowledge and a good body condition, stretching and warm up always help for avoid falls or injuries

Edited August 11, 2019 by Demargon

[atdlzpae]

11 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

Anything that reduces awareness of your surroundings without otherwise offering protection reduces safety.

The way I worded it includes people who listen to hard-rock at 100dbi. My error.
I obviously agree with you. But you can wear headphones without any decrease in awareness.

Edited August 11, 2019 by atdlzpae

[atdlzpae]

7 minutes ago, Demargon said:

The wrist guard makes you confiden using the hands in a unexpected fall, but may cause worsen injuries in the rest of the arm due the bad use of them stopping your fall i.e. extending them to the ground when you hit it.

My must to have is a minimum fall braking knowledge

Knowledge isn't helpful at all - falls happen too quickly for conscious thought. This needs to be muscle memory.

And since it's muscle memory, my wrists try to stop the fall exactly the same way, protected or not.

How to train falling without damaging myself?
I'd love to train running off the wheel and falling safely. But how to do that without risking myself and the expensive wheel... ???

Edited August 11, 2019 by atdlzpae

[Biped Phil]

It's because they don't want to pay for it.  The traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, and sustenance for the rest of your life (and your spouse's too if you have a good lawyer), will be costs borne by "insurance" and "subsidized rent" and "welfare", which (especially in a big city) are not impersonal things but rather gifts resentfully showered on the irresponsible by the correct. 

But this is not the solution.  The solution is to light up and smoke, egregiously; not a USB stick, but real flaming tobacco; while you sail around on the unicycle.  You will be amused to see your helpful advisors frozen with indecision.

[Biped Phil]

P.S. and **only** while sailing around.  I don't want to pay for any pulmonary disability later.  So watch out!