How do you deal with folk not wearing a helmet?

I was out with a friend at the weekend at a Scottish trail centre and we came across a guy riding on his own without a lid on. He seemed a nice bloke and was quite chatty at junctions/tops of steep climbs etc and for sections of the trail rode along behind my friend. He seemed pretty keen to join us, which normally would be fine by me.

Thing is, although we both wanted to be friendly and made the effort to chat with him, I think we both felt a bit uncomfortable riding with him. I was wondering if anybody else had any views on this or had any ideas on how to let folk know that wearing a lid whilst biking is a good idea, without coming across as the MTB police.

Judging by the first few comments I guess people think this is a troll – it isn’t and I don’t want to get into a debate about whether helmets work etc. I’m interested in hearing from people who might also feel uncomfortable with this, and to hear what you did/would do.

Any of you had experience of this type of thing and how did you deal with it?

Oh noes!

Seriously tho…he’s safer not alone, even with those that know better than him?

I’d tell them how it is, wear a helmet don’t be a numpty

Just tell them that you don’t want to ride with somebody who isn’t wearing a helmet. As he went out for a ride on his own anyway I don’t imagine he’ll care much either way.

You never know you might both leave with a similar impression of each other.

he’s a big boy, probably able to make his own decisions…you wear one cos you want to, he doesnt. why bother inflicting your views on safety to a grown adult..he knows the pros cons of wearing one and has decided not to..if he falls off and spills his brains on a rock then it’ll be more satisfying when you say “told you so”

I was shown round Puddletown Woods by a kind chap with no helmet – he normally rode DH and it was too hot for his fullface and it was his first outing on a XC bike cobbled together with parts from his trials bike. Was quite interesting when he went over the bars down a steep rocky chute in front of me – I did wonder if he was pushing harder than he would have otherwise done because I was on his tail. Fortunately his head didn’t take the impact but it was inches away from the chalk…

Think the point is if you’re out with someone not wearing a lid and they spill their brains it’s quite hard to phone them an ambulance, say all the best then shred off.

Awkward, either he’s a burden with you or you leave him to it and he does himself a mischief on his own.

Don’t know what I would have done, but I probably would have commented on his carefree bonce.

A mate’s brother lives opposite me and is a no-helmet kinda guy. I just refuse to go riding with him unless it’s mild until he sorts it out. He likes to go out with no tools, spares, water and having just downed a pint of coffee. Bless ‘im 😆

When you came off your bike last, did your head hit the ground?

I would probably have just asked him about it to see what the score was – you can have a chinwag without making a federal case of it.
More likely that he forgot it than he’s some sort of rugged individualist who thinks helmets are for arseholes.
Let’s face it if you drove to Glentress and forgot your helmet you’d still do your ride wouldn’t you?

Live and let live.

Let’s face it if you drove to Glentress and forgot your helmet you’d still do your ride wouldn’t you?

I did that and actually bought one in the shop there. dunno wht I would have done if the shop wasn’t open – ridden blues not red probably

Was he wearing any sort of body armour / elbow pads / knee pads?

Were you?

Spinal protection? Any additional protection in the vicinity of the major arteries?

I throw my own poo at them

Now that might actually work. If I thought there was a chance of having poo thrown at me i might be more inclined to wear a helmet.

Think the point is if you’re out with someone not wearing a lid and they spill their brains it’s quite hard to phone them an ambulance, say all the best then shred off

Yep, couldn’t do that personally and have been involved in that scenario before. I personally don’t care if folk choose not to wear a helmet, but doing so when they’re with you means you’d have to help them and I would of course. I’m definitely an each to their own type of guy and would never say anything in passing…nowt to do with me…but I don’t buy in to it and don’t want the responsibility to be honest. Just a hard thing to say to somebody who otherwise seems alright.

Herman Shake – Member
He likes to go out with no tools, spares, water and having just downed a pint of coffee. Bless ‘im

Posted 2 minutes ago #Report-Post

I know people like this as well! They also try to scrounge a lift out there – shits . And never have any money at the cafe stop.

It’s riding a bike, not a head-butting contest. Unless he was falling off every 5 minutes then I wouldn’t make a big deal of it.

If someone didn’t want to ride with me because I wasn’t wearing a lid, I would hope they would tell me soon as possible so I would not have to wait until later to discover they were arseholes. (and I’m pro lid wearing.)

Was he wearing any sort of body armour / elbow pads / knee pads?

Were you?

No and yes.

Let’s face it if you drove to Glentress and forgot your helmet you’d still do your ride wouldn’t you?

No. Already had a serious head injury about a year and a half ago, fail to see the point in putting myself in the position of getting another one.

I did forget my helmet a few weeks back. Alpine Bikes gave me a loan of one. Top fellas.

It is his head, and it’s not likely to hit the ground anyway. I don’t often ride with strangers anyway as I’m antisocial but it wouldn’t even be a consideration for me.

I cant deal with it!

I cant believe people dont wear helmets in this day and age when there’s such a focus on health and safety.

Mountain biking is a dangerous sport/hobby.

What if you’re not wearing a helmet and you fall off and hurt your head, then you sue the FC/Landowners and then the spot gets shut down. Ruins it for everyone.

Let’s face it if you drove to Glentress and forgot your helmet you’d still do your ride wouldn’t you?

I drove to Glentress and saw a couple of people not wearing helmets. I couldnt believe it, it wound me up so much I finished the ride before it had even started, then I drove home.

Just ask him how he found out he had a super tough reinforced skull!!I know we all dont have the same opinions but if anyone wants to ride with our group its wear a helmet or dont ride with us.Had 3 badly damaged helmets over the last few years that defo saved some head damage, why should we be the ones flaping like mad in the middle of nowhere trying to stop somebodys split head bleeding because they chose not to wear a lid.Lets face it if you get the correct one you dont even know youre wearing it.

Mountain biking is a dangerous sport/hobby.

No it is not. Very few serious iunjuries especially hed injuries

What if you’re not wearing a helmet and you fall off and hurt your head, then you sue the FC/Landowners and then the spot gets shut down. Ruins it for everyone.

On what basis could you – don’t be ridiculous and hyterical.

TandemJeremy – Member

On what basis could you – don’t be ridiculous and hyterical.

Err TJ – remember in that “other” thread you sort of made a joke but no one got it?

Was that a joke? if so woooooooooooooooooosh 🙂

Hook line & sinker

Hi all,

Personally I would choose not ride with a no helmet wearer – its just not clever considering what modern bikes allow us to ride and at speed…

Based on my personal experience – my mrs had a relatively minor non biking head injury – it cost us 7 mths – BOTH our lives were seriously adversely affected – no physical sport / she was off work / she had mad emotional outbursts / massive stress / crap memory / plus no weekends away together for ages re tiredness / confusion / fear of another bang to the head etc

To those heroes who dont wear a helmet out of choice when biking ( but happily wear leg / arm pads etc ) – spare a thought for your family / friends / society who are left to support you IF you have a head knock.
I know statistically its not very likely but any protection to your vulnerable brain is worth taking.

Trust me its truely not pleasant being the one left picking up the pieces. We received good support from nhs and head injury charities – I saw a lot of poorly people in waiting rooms etc – made me think….

paul

Lets face it if you get the correct one you dont even know youre wearing it.

Unless you’re deaf you bloody well know about it. Come on a ride with me, I’ll let you know about it. My favourite jibes include:

“elf n safety geek”

“mushroom head”

“soft lad”

“nob head”

“dick head”

“idiot”

😳

After seeing a mate hit a tree and split his helmet (ooh err) a few years ago I can only side with the “wear a f&*(ing lid” brigade. End of.

EDIT: TBH I felt the same before that particular incident. Maybe that’s cos of my roadie roots? Who knows? I really don’t understand why any biker chooses not to wear one.

After seeing a mate hit a tree and split his helmet (ooh err) a few years ago I can only side with the “wear a f&*(ing lid” brigade. End of.

Or side with my brigade which is:

“save your money, save your credibility, dont look like a nobber, but only ride on beaches”

I’ve just remembered meeting a bloke wearing full on armour a while back. This was in the Surrey Hills. Yes, the veritably rad and gnarly slopes of the south-east’s finest. We asked why he was fully clobbered up and he explained how he’d had a particularly nasty ‘off’ that led to some rather nasty recuperation. OTT some might say. But if you’ve come that close to paralysis then maybe you’d feel better giving yourself an extra layer of protection.

Those of yo that insist on wearing a helmet at all times and that everyone else must do so

Do you wear a neck brace always? spine protector? full face helmet? if not why not?

TJ – new job tomorrow.

Time for bed I think.

Yes dad.

I ain’t going to get into all that again honest 🙂

Do you wear a neck brace always? spine protector? full face helmet? if not why not?

Comfort I would imagine

I choose to wear a helmet whenever I ride (road or offroad)
As My opinion is that it think it protects me, with no real negative side.

But I don’t see why I should care if anyone else does.

What the chuff has it got to do with me what some stranger chooses to do.

With humour like that mr taylforth I can only guess youve damaged your head already, can only hope one day that you or if you arent in a fit state to realise, your family don`t have to wish you had a helmet on.Be safe!

Yes wear one. Probably wouldn’t ride with someone without. If they tried to ride with us I would explain I didn’t want to be responsible for anything that happened to them.

Can cope with bones and blood but no idea what to do when the grey matter leaks out.

Understand that it doesn’t prevent everything just some nasties.

As for just riding the blue/red at GT thats faster!!