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Fast1075
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 10:42 am: | 
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1969: Got run over by a stoner in a VW. Huge gash in helmet, no damage to my noggin.
1970: Dirt biking. Hit a tree. Helmet cracked in half. Minor concussion.
1972: Motocross race. Crash and run over. Huge chunk torn out of helmet. Got up and walked away.
1973: Drag racing. Frame broke at steering head. Crash at 125+ bounced off the Armco. My new Bell Star bites the dust. I am on another bike the next weekend.
1984: Rounding a turn. Run over a 'possum. High side into the ditch. Helmet killed, I was fine.
My helmet may kill me the next time I crash, but they haven't so far.  |
Kenm123t
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 02:26 pm: |
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You be careful fast wow! |
Stretchman
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 03:59 pm: |
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I understand the theory. I just think that something could be done to make it smaller, with a different material. Just seems like with all the technology we have, we could do better. |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 08:15 pm: |
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There are fancier impact absorbing materials than the engineered foam used in today's lids. Ones that can take 2-3-4 hits and come back. They use them in modern sports helmets. Sports where you expect multiple hits, like Football. Sorbothane comes to mind. http://www.sorbothane.com/
The trouble is... Mr. Grumpy is right. The idea in a bicycle or motorcycle helmet is to take and spread out the acceleration of that one big hit. ( in that one spot ) while sacrificing itself to save you.
Modern bicycle helmets have just enough shell to keep the crushed foam on your head so that the uncrushed stuff has a shot at helping with the next impact. Lots of people hit multiple times as they roll down the road, or bounce through the trees.
"styrofoam" ( actually expanded polystyrene ) is a lot lighter than molded rubber products, and works far better than inflated or stuffed tubes, bladders etc. at spreading the impact.
So, yes, you can make a helmet smaller that will still protect you against an impact of moderate force, ( say... a baseball bat to the head by a non pro, but strong guy ) but it would be a failure at saving your brain from a heavy impact. ( say, a 5 lbs sledgehammer to the same spot by a big, angry, athletic guy. )
Even if the shell takes the blow and the sledge never touches you, the head movement under that blow can bruise the brain as it lags behind. Crush zones are not to stop an impact it's to spread it out over time.
http://www.giro.com/us_en/airattack/
At the other extreme, A good example is SCA Heavy Combat helmets. Designed to spread the blow ( usually in the class of that ball bat ) and prevent penetration. This is a multi-impact lid and does not use sacrificial materials.
First, the lid is made of steel. For multiple reasons. Authentic looks. Mass. Steel usually dents before breaking. Rules. ( motorcycle helmets were tried. they die fast )
Mass is important. It slows the energy transfer to what human musculature can handle. Titanium helmets have also been tried.... don't work. Head accelerates too fast. Brain doesn't.
The suspension of the steel helmet varies on the builder. I have a 14th century Bascinet. After trying various foams, rubber padding, and even water filled pillows, ( that was spectacular when it failed! ) I found that the 14th century solution was best. Cloth, sewn in channels, stuffed with cloth, sewn to the steel. It's what worked 600 years ago, and it still works.
Sometimes they did things a certain way because they didn't have modern materials. Sometimes because it was tradition, but mostly because it worked. When NASA wanted to design a space suit you could walk in, they borrowed the foot armor of Henry XIII from the Tower of London. Because it was the most advanced way to shape armor for foot & ankle.
Armor, designed for the task at hand, has not changed all that much. We have better padding, usually, ( stuff like sorbothane ) and plastic elbow cops are certainly lighter than steel, but the principles have not changed since the first grass woven shield.
Spread out the impact, over time and distance, prevent penetration, and hold together long enough to be useful.
As for bicycle and motorcycle helmets...
When I trash a lid, it goes on a nail in the basement. The better half talked me out of hauling a life's ( savings ) worth to the new digs when I bought a house, So the collection will start again. ( slower this time, as am I. ) |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 12:06 pm: |
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The trouble is... Mr. Grumpy is right.
Aww don't say it like that, no matter how painful you find it.
I'm proud of you to have the nuts to stand up say it though.  |
Pwnzor
| | Posted on Friday, June 22, 2012 - 11:40 am: |
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Driving through South Carolina right now.... No shortage of complete idiots riding in shorts, tennis shoes and no helmets.
Dumb. |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Friday, June 22, 2012 - 09:29 pm: |
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NY has helmet laws. So the typical squid has a full face lid that matches the Ninja, shorts, tank top and flip flops. ( I don't even want to shift in flip flops.... )
In no helmet states, 19 year olds are potential organ donors.
In NY they are potential skin graft recipients. ( EMT joke, heard more than once... ) |
Pwnzor
| | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 10:46 pm: |
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So now, I'm down in Charelston for the next few days.
All day long I'm seeing guys on stretched Hayabusas with their girlfriends on the back. Flip flops.... Shorts.... Tank tops.... Bikinis.... Booty shorts....
These things are literally UNIFORMS down here. |
Griffmeister
| | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 11:26 pm: |
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Pwnzor, how about some pics?
As I rode around today, weekend day with temps in the mid 80's, I made a mental note of who was wearing what. Being in one of the "free" states I saw that pretty much 99% of the people decided to exercise their rights. Maybe three other people had a helmet on, I was the only one in gear. Oh yeah, most of what you see around here are HD's. I know I've seen and heard sport bikes of one kind or another but when you're actually looking for them all you see are the big loud cruisers and bar hoppers. |
Thumpthump
| | Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 07:20 pm: |
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When I was 16, I crashed my motorcycle. I was wearing my helmet and had a spare helmet on the side of the bike. My helmet had some nice grind marks in it but I was OK. The helmet on the bike was squashed and did not save the bike but I did lessen the damage. That was the last time I crashed a street bike. I always wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle or ATV! |
Whisperstealth
| | Posted on Monday, July 02, 2012 - 11:56 am: |
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Had a head-on crash. Spent a month in the hospital. 15 broken bones, various internal injuries.
Wasn't wearing a helmet. Couple stitches above my eye and some bruises were the only damages to my head. Guess God figured I was ugly enough already! LOL I was lucky to say the least.
Most times I wear a helmet, sometimes I don't. I admit my wearing one has way more to do with comfort than it should. spring, fall, and winter get a full face. Summer gets a half helmet. It isn't the smartest policy but it's my choice, and I accept what could happen.
Really, the comment about wearing one because non brain injured men get laid more that ones in the drooly club is my favorite |
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