Gunma Boarder 14 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I snowboard in the trees, so not wearing a helmet would be stupid (Though I didn't all of last year....). If you stick to the runs on a non icy day and don't hit jumps, you probably don't "need" a helmet Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I personally don't agree with blanket mandatory wearing but this article make you think:- Industry spokesperson Ms Julie Gourd said that the Australian snow sport industry was "excited about leading the world in this measure in a duty of care action for our customer base". When asked if they were expecting much backlash from patrons over this action Ms Gourd replied that she felt "the Australian public is responsible and mature enough to realise that this if for their own good." Ms Gourd also denied that it was the actions of a "nanny state mindset" claiming that it was "no such thing, rather a responsible action by a responsible industry". This is the kind of mentality I really detest. People like this is really dangerous. This kind of attitude leads to benevolent dictatorship . We cannot afford to have these kind of people in government, religion, industry ... I said in the past, I don´t mind a bit of nannying. Nanny is not mommy, and I say mind your own business. What´s it with Australia and NZ, where a small group of people claims they are THE industry I´d like to see them banning alcohol sale and breathalyzing people But then again, who wants to go on-piste in Australia. Bugger them. Link to post Share on other sites
surfarthur 22 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 IIRC helmets are compulsury for all children under 16 in Italy. Link to post Share on other sites
i2s the one 0 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I pretty much always wear one. Even though I might have a relaxed day just staying on the slopes I'll still keep it on. The reason for this is that I was once hit by a board coming down the hill, someone accidentally dropped it while trying to put it on. These things go fast and can kill, so this is also why always wear my backprotector. Don't think it should be manditory tho, anyone can decide for themselves howmuch risk they feel like taking (maybe not kids, but its up to their parents) Also, I have been glad at times wearing it, bashing my head into trees and stuff like that going backcountry. Link to post Share on other sites
samtroy84 0 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 They Shouldn't be compulsory as people can wear whatever they want when up the hill. I always wear mine though, otherwise its to much of a hassle to take off and put back on if im riding the whole mountain. Plus I got my Red Phones connected! Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I would feel far less secure skiing plugged into earphones and some music player than skiing without a helmet. That's like, my opinion, YMMV. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I personally don't agree with blanket mandatory wearing but this article make you think:- Australian snow resorts to introduce mandatory helmets articles: 1-4-2011 After an extensive review of critical injuries in the Australian snowfields the results are in, helmets save lives. It is that simple. The study was headed up by Dr Richard Kopf of the North Oppenheim Brain Society who has 31 years experience in the field of head trauma and recently concluded similar studies in Europe. Dr Kopf concluded "The research shows clearly that the simple act of wearing a helmet, when undertaking snow sport activities, will significantly reduce the instance of head trauma and death resulting from such trauma in an accident where the head strikes an immovable or highly resistive object." Many Australia resorts already make helmets mandatory in junior ski school and were moving towards making helmets compulsory for all resort employees while skiing or boarding. This action, by all resorts, takes it one step further in a world first for the snow sport industry. Industry spokesperson Ms Julie Gourd said that the Australian snow sport industry was "excited about leading the world in this measure in a duty of care action for our customer base". When asked if they were expecting much backlash from patrons over this action Ms Gourd replied that she felt "the Australian public is responsible and mature enough to realise that this if for their own good." Ms Gourd also denied that it was the actions of a "nanny state mindset" claiming that it was "no such thing, rather a responsible action by a responsible industry". An education program will begin during the 2011 season with notices and warnings to all patrons buying tickets and in 2012 the rule would be enforced with cancellation of tickets by those that didn't comply. Yep as I said Australia is a terrible nanny state. One of the many reasons I don't like living here that much. Link to post Share on other sites
telemarkhideki 0 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I wear helmets on bicycles and the habit carried over to skis. The peripheral vision is restricted by the goggle, not helmet, so I don't buy the idea that it restricts the awareness. (I guess wearing one that is not snug will be a problem...) The reason that I started wearing helmet on bicycle is that there is still possibility you get run over by careless rider or drivers, and this also applies on slopes. I have spent more than 20 million yen on my brain. I sure don't mind sparing less than one-thousandth of this amount to add more protection to my head. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Is it actually 'compulsory' anywhere? Would be interesting to hear how it were enforced if so.. the only way I reckon it could be enforced would be by making it compulsory for anyone using the lifts.......so you'd need your pass and your lid Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Generally Im in favour of adults being able to make their own informed decisions on things like this, but on the other hand, in most countries it is a legal requirement that people wear a helmet when riding a motorbike or wear a seatbelt in a car yet nobody really calls these things symptoms of a nanny state. So, whats the difference between making wearing a helmet on a motorbike a legal requirement and wearing a helmet while skiing a legal requirement if most of the scientific evidence suggests it saves lives? Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Ok in a place like Australia how many people die each year whilst skiing and how many of those deaths would have been prevented if they were wearing a helmet? I'd be willing to bet it wouldn't be more than a few people. Worldwide I doubt we'd be talking many more than 150 people a year. You're more likely to slip over in your bath and receive a fatal injury. Shall we make it compulsory for anyone getting in a bath to wear a helmet as well? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Wearing a helmet on a motorbike and a seatbelt in a car has come about as a result of a lot of avoidable fatalities in motor accidents, as GN says, it would be interesting to see how many snow accidents could have been avoided (or effect lessened) had the person been wearing a helmet. Why don't we make everyone using the beach, wear life jackets? there are countless number of drownings around the world but there is no call for compulsory wearing of flotation devices. We recognise that each person has a care of duty to themselves to evaluate the relative risk compared to their ability. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I'm with GN on this one. The numbers are ridiculously insignificant. I would love to see the "data". From that article....Ms. Gourd needs to put a helmet on her "gourd" so I can beat some common sense into her with a stick. Not really but....come on..."The research"?? That is THE dumbest thing I've heard so far this year.. Link to post Share on other sites
Inseok Shim 0 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I always wear one because I had a accident 6 years ago. Helmet is for your safety. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Sometimes. Should be a personal choice, though I agree about the kids comments. Link to post Share on other sites
bikertom 0 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Another motorcycle guy here. I love riding, hate adult helmet laws (I support helmet laws for minors). I bought a helmet this year and from this point on I will wear always wear it, but I do not support any helmet laws for non-motorized sports. My basic view is that people should be able to choose if they want protection or not... I would support helmet laws for minors doing non-motorized sports if there were some rational way of controlling it, but there isn't (snowboarding/skiing/skateboarding/bicycling/rollerblading). It comes down to 2 simple questions: Who would be responsible in the event of an accident? Who is responsible for enforcing it? I do think it is a good idea to increase the awareness of the risk, a few posters at the ticket counter/restaurants wouldn't hurt. Link to post Share on other sites
gareth_oau 2 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 if someone is forced by a resort to wear a helmet, and subseqently suffers serious head injury anyway, then is the resort opening themselves up for a duty of care claim? Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 When considering safety legislation for sports, its not so much the numbers that is important so much as the rates - 150 deaths from head injuries might not seem so much, but if you multiply the number of snow-sports hours to match the number of driving hours (eg considering seat-belt laws) then those 150 deaths probably become hundreds of thousands. Snow-sports are changing - people use parks a lot more and so on, the technology is changing and as more people use helmets and their design improves our knowledge about their protective effect increases so I think its not a bad thing if the subject of safety legislation is looked at once in a while. For what its worth, my personal feeling is that people should be recommended to use helmets but it probably is not necessary to make it mandatory. As our knowledge improves, then things might change - certain activities might be found to be statistically much more dangerous and the protective effect of a helmet particularly high - for example people hitting big jumps in parks - in such a case, it might be a good idea to make helmets mandatory for jumps of a certain size or whatever. Link to post Share on other sites
torihada 2 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I've had this discussion on many occasions (mainly on the mtb forums I use). Whatever your stance (I always wear a helmet, boarding and mtbing -DH & XC), if you're putting forward an argument for not wearing a helmet, are you prepared to accept the consequences of someone accepting the merits of your argument and then cabbaging their head? I think publishing certain arguments in public forums should carry a certain amount of responsibility. I only started wearing a helmet (for cycling) after I got hit by a car and realised just how hard a car is when it hits you at 30 mph. When I was younger a friend's brain damage from not wearing a helmet didn't even convince me, which makes me think that sometimes people need protecting from themselves. Then again all you people pursing active speed sports helmet-less are useful providers of organs for those of us who survive to old age. I'll have first dibs on that skiers kidneys please. Link to post Share on other sites
gozaimaas 61 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Lets not forget some people should wear a helmet whilst making a cup of coffee. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I've had this discussion on many occasions (mainly on the mtb forums I use). Whatever your stance (I always wear a helmet, boarding and mtbing -DH & XC), if you're putting forward an argument for not wearing a helmet, are you prepared to accept the consequences of someone accepting the merits of your argument and then cabbaging their head? I think publishing certain arguments in public forums should carry a certain amount of responsibility. I only started wearing a helmet (for cycling) after I got hit by a car and realised just how hard a car is when it hits you at 30 mph. When I was younger a friend's brain damage from not wearing a helmet didn't even convince me, which makes me think that sometimes people need protecting from themselves. Then again all you people pursing active speed sports helmet-less are useful providers of organs for those of us who survive to old age. I'll have first dibs on that skiers kidneys please. the point being that everyone is responsible for THEIR OWN choice as to whether to wear or not. No one is saying that everyone shouldn't wear a helmet, just that the choice to wear one should be individually decided as opposed to a blanket mandatory rule. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 When considering safety legislation for sports, its not so much the numbers that is important so much as the rates - 150 deaths from head injuries might not seem so much, but if you multiply the number of snow-sports hours to match the number of driving hours (eg considering seat-belt laws) then those 150 deaths probably become hundreds of thousands. Snow-sports are changing - people use parks a lot more and so on, the technology is changing and as more people use helmets and their design improves our knowledge about their protective effect increases so I think its not a bad thing if the subject of safety legislation is looked at once in a while. For what its worth, my personal feeling is that people should be recommended to use helmets but it probably is not necessary to make it mandatory. As our knowledge improves, then things might change - certain activities might be found to be statistically much more dangerous and the protective effect of a helmet particularly high - for example people hitting big jumps in parks - in such a case, it might be a good idea to make helmets mandatory for jumps of a certain size or whatever. This is for the US. Seems pretty damned safe to me! That's a very small rate. In the winter of 2009-2010, out of the nearly 60 million snowsports participants, 25 skiers and 13 snowboarders died, according to the National Ski Areas Association. Of the 38 people who died skiing or snowboarding at a resort last season, 30 were males. A majority of them were under the age of 40. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I cant believe thats true! Is that it? Including avi deaths? Including impact trauma from out of bounds tree riding? Or are we talking within the designated boundaries of specific resorts? I could see that being a stat from within resort bounds. But off piste as well that seems teensy tiny. If thats the case im ducking every rope i see on nozawa. This sport has ZERO (statistically significant) RISK!!! YAY!!! Link to post Share on other sites
2ndstringqb 0 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I wear one only for the reason that the thought of missing a few days on the snow with a head injury/ concussion would make me cry. Although it's impossible to tell what would've happened without it, I think it's paid for itself several times over by now. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Statistically, snowsports dont seem particularly dangerous with respect to deaths of participants - I think its something like 0.5 deaths per million visits, but I think that doesnt mean poeple should completely not worry about it - people are doing many different things on the snow and at different levels. If it turns out for example, that almost all of the head injury deaths occured with people taking big air jumps, and then you consider that perhaps only 0.1% of people engaging in snow sports actually do such a thing then things start to look a bit different. It is worth considering these things from time to time, especially as the sport and technology changes. I think the overall injury rates dont justify mandatory wearing of helmets for all participants, but with some careful monitoring, it might be possible to identify some particular high risk groups or groups which would particulary benefit from wearing helmets. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts