Those damn scooters

[oldryder]

Brother-in-law and nephew went for a ride on recently purchased scooters. BIL told nephew to wear a helmet but he didn't want to and left it in the seat.

For unknown reason nephew (who was in trail) on a straight section of 2 lane crashed at about 35 mph.

4 days in a coma and lots and lots of road rash. now he's going thru physical and speech therapy due to brain injury. Brother in law is terribly guilt ridden about not forcing the helmet issue.

won't know for a few months if brain injury will result in "permanent loss of cognitive function".

this was an accident that most likely:

1. wouldn't have happened with proper rider training.

2. would've resulted in no injury at all with proper gear.

the general feeling in the family is that "those dams motorcycles are just too dangerous." it wasn't the right time for me to be critical of the lack of training and protective equipment.

 

[Duff]

I realize this is a tough one, but don't back down and make sure you give your audience the appropriate feedback when you have a chance.

I HATE society in general not taking responsibility for their actions and laying blame elsewhere. This was NOT the fault of those damned motorcycles or scooters or roller skates or skate boards or bicycles or anything else that can propell you to a speed/height that will hurt you if you fall. It's the fault of the rider not taking precautions needed to mitigate the possible dangers encoured while doing something with less protection built-in than a nice comfy car. If he had suffered the same injuries while driving a car due to the lack of seat belt, would it be the fault of those damned automobiles?

Sorry to hear about the situation... from all aspects.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Wow...sorry to hear the bad news about your nephew.

Hope he is able to recover from his brain injury...

Helmet and gear always.

 

[Patriot]

thanx for sharing OR...prayers lifted for all involved...hurts the whole family

Wish you well,

Mike

in Nawlins'

 

[bramfrank]

The right time for you to have confronted them was when they were feeling biiter about bikes . . . best impact.

What makes this all the sadder is that they knew about helmets, had helmets and the father did not insist his son wear it. He's feeling guilty? He IS guilty. Kids have no common sense and depend on adults to provide guidance. I wear a helmet even for a quick check putt around the block. The pavement on my street is no softer than what they have on the open road.

It is a poor workman who blames the tools - in this case the bike was not responsible for the crash, as Duff said - poor (or no) training and a pushover for a father whose action (or rather lack of action) may result in his kid being condemned to go though life with a severe handicap.

 

[HotRodZilla]

The right time for you to have confronted them was when they were feeling biiter about bikes . . . best impact.
What makes this all the sadder is that they knew about helmets, had helmets and the father did not insist his son wear it. He's feeling guilty? He IS guilty. Kids have no common sense and depend on adults to provide guidance. I wear a helmet even for a quick check putt around the block. The pavement on my street is no softer than what they have on the open road.

It is a poor workman who blames the tools - in this case the bike was not responsible for the crash, as Duff said - poor (or no) training and a pushover for a father whose action (or rather lack of action) may result in his kid being condemned to go though life with a severe handicap.

THAT was well said and should be posted at every motorcycle dealership in the country.

I was totally impressed yesterday when a couple, without gear, on a cruiser passed my daughter and me and the 7 year-old asked, "Dad, why do people ride without helmets?" I wanted to answer, "Because they are stupid," but instead I told her how people are allowed to make their own choices no matter how ridiculos they may be. Her response was, "Well, that's not very smart." She's a smart kid.

 

[fjrchooser]

Have to agree with Bramfrank, good time for the 'talk' . Who knows who will hop on one next and peer pressure will kick in ? Seeing this now, I've decided to get off the smaller bikes if those with me won't wear the minimum equipment -by my estimate, not theirs. I don't need the guilt trip.

I've got a motorized bicycle that'll do 36 mph. I've been waiting for it to bite me thinking I can dive for the grass shoulder and roll while wearing shorts,t-shirt, sandals and no helmet in the event of a mechanical failure - my most likely scenerio. I'm meticulous about maintanence but never rule out a spoke, bearing or frame failure.

No more even though I travel more typically at 18 mph. I owe it to my wife and family not to put them in that position.

Never under-estimate the damage potential from a low speed crash, the height comes into play as much as the speed, terrain and surface you're taking a header into.

I won't be wearing the stitch but I will be wearing a bike helmet, elbow guards, shorty gloves, long pants, and tenny's on all future runs. All stuff I currently own..

Hope your nephew makes a full recovery.

 

[bramfrank]

Your comment about protection while bicycling hit home for me.

3 years ago a friend/riding buddy was killed when she did something foolish on her Harley - a mid-course correction at speed when she was headed to the wrong side of a split in the road; She hit the divider and her bike was launched vertically and came down square on her chest. Nothing would have saved her.

Last August, her son was riding his bicycle along a city street and HE was launched when his front wheel hit a pothole - he cracked his head on the pavement he passed away from his injuries. He was estimated to have been travelling at 10 mph.

If it moves faster than a walk, wear a helmet.

 

[wfooshee]

The way I convinced my kid was by asking him to jump head first from the roof into the driveway, not quite 10 feet.

Of course he looked at me like I was absolutly stupid!

I told him he'd be doing less than 20 when he hit, so what's the problem?

 

[Patriot]

Your comment about protection while bicycling hit home for me.
3 years ago a friend/riding buddy was killed when she did something foolish on her Harley - a mid-course correction at speed when she was headed to the wrong side of a split in the road; She hit the divider and her bike was launched vertically and came down square on her chest. Nothing would have saved her.

Last August, her son was riding his bicycle along a city street and HE was launched when his front wheel hit a pothole - he cracked his head on the pavement he passed away from his injuries. He was esitmated to have been travelling at 10 mph.

If it moves faster than a walk, wear a helmet.

one of my many "guardian angel" moments was when 16 and riding my 10 speed bike down a levee toward the bike path along Lake Ponchartrain.

skinny trail with broken up pieces of concrete from the "old" seawall like really big rocks on both sides of the trail.

somebody turned off the path and was gonna go up the trail as I was already committed coming down.

I hit the front brake too hard, went over the handlebars to one side, and the top of my head landed on one of those rock/pieces of concrete.

I saw stars for a moment and felt this achee head. Reached up to feel the top of my head and my finger went in about 1/2 inch and came up bloody.

I think it was 10 stitches at the emergency room and quite a headache till the next day.

Guess we've come a ways since 1974 cause nobody wore helmets on bicycles then and no CAT scan of the head at the hospital for me.

And then there was the day the car hit me...well only impacted the bike itself thank goodness...

 

[ctfjr]

This is particularly sad as it sounds so preventible. . . I just picked up my fjr today from the fjr hospital after my misadventure a couple of weeks ago. I am absolutely convinced the Arai saved my ass - err my head. According to my Dr I have a concussion (still have headaches) but don't even try to think what would have been without it :angry:

On the way home I stopped for gas next to a young kid on a sportbike who had just finished gassing up. I couldn't help myself - I just had to tell him my story to impress on him the importance of a helmet. I have always been a disciple, now I'm a missionary.

 

[Harvey]

I won't be wearing the stitch but I will be wearing a bike helmet, elbow guards, shorty gloves, long pants, and tenny's on all future runs. All stuff I currently own..

I also have a motorized bicycle with a four-stroke Honda engine.

Here in Massachusetts a DOT approved helmet is required for scooters, mopeds, and motorized bicycles.

My neighbor wears a full-face dirt bike helmet when he rides his pedal-powered bicycle.

 

[RadioHowie]

1965....13 years old....standing straddled across my bike in the driveway when the neighborhood bully rides up in the driveway, bitching about how "we" (my group of buddies) wouldn't let his tard of a brother play sandlot football with us.

I make some 13 year old wise-ass remark about his and his brother's ancestry. He walks up and punches me HARD in the chest. (Think "Heart Punch" from Ox Baker in the old wrestling days).

I pass out cold from my heart having been stopped by the punch, and fall over, cracking my skull on the driveway.

18 months in a coma. From a ZERO mph collision with pavement. Blind in my right eye since that day.

Ask me if I wear a helmet when I ride....