ben and helmet use...

from the latest news it looks like ben is going to make a quick, and hopefully full, recovery. it sounds like it will be a couple weeks before they really know if there will be any long term effects.

i wonder if ben will start wearing a helmet... regarding helmet use, there was a report on the kdka web site about helmet use, or as they put it, "expert opinions vary whether a helmet would have helped ben." the "expert," dr. guy catone, says that the helmet could have changed the mechanical forces in the accident, possibly making it worse. at face value, this is true, it could have made it worse. but there are a lot of other factors, that if thrown into the situation, could have possibly made it worse - weather conditions (what if it was raining), road conditions (what if there was a lot of gravel), speed (what if he was going a lot faster), etc. we could go on forever listing the different possible factors that could have changed the effects of the accident. how about this one?? what if the lady driving the car would have checked for oncoming traffic and waited to make the left hand turn in front of the motorcycle??

but i digress - back to the use of helmets... it's a fact that helmet use does help protect the rider in cases of accidents. sure, there are probably instances where it does attribute to additional injury. but the protection provided by a helmet outweighs the additional risk of injury or wearing the helmet and far exceeds not using a helmet at all.

with that said, it should also be noted that helmet use alone is not enough to prevent injury or save a rider's life. riders should employ a strategy of defensive riding techniques to prevent getting in an accident in the first place...

i guess that's enough about that (for now). i'll get off my soapbox...

ride safe...

serious, but stable condision...

that's the latest on ben roethlisberger, quarterback for the pittsburgh steelers.

ben was in a motorcycle accident this morning that apparently left him in fairly bad shape. it's still early after the accident, so a lot of the details are still being figured out. according to the police report it seems ben was a victim of the dreaded left turn in front of the motorcycle. unfortunately, it also seems ben was not wearing a helmet!!!

best wishes, thoughts and prayers to ben for a speedy and full recovery...