From: parkyn@fraser.sfu.ca (Dale Parkyn)
Subject: Re: ADVISE sought: WIFE doesn't wear helmet, etc. - how to make her do it?
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 20:28:43 GMT

Not being married myseI am relectant to suggest this.  I am worried about
what the long term effect on a relationship would be...

The purpose of a helmet is to reduce the severity of brain injury that ruins
 a person's life.  A helmet does nothing to protect the neck which is also
 susceptible to life-style destroying injuries.  Strengthen the neck too!

It was suggested to use the 'watermelon arguement.'  Splitting melons is often
seen on TV so might have lost its impact.  Try a variation. Set up a rig that 
drops a blunt mass from a height.  A string over the bar in a closet is good.
The closet is useful to hide the blood and the unconscious body from children's
prying eyes...

Now challenge the reluctant helmet user to drop the mass on their own head.  
They may be supine in the closet if they wish.  The fear of pain will make 
this difficult to do for most people.  At some point demonstrate the effect of
a mass dropped onto a melon.  

Present the arguement - If you can't willingly injure yourself in the comfort
of your own closet, where you can be detected immediately as being injured and
help summed, where no one is subjected to the anxiety caused by not knowing why
a loved one did not return on schedule from that warm spring day ride to the
store, why go out to ride in a street where loved ones don't know where you are
, that you are injured and not getting help, and that CNS damaged will not
be fully assesed until the physiotherapists have had the body for six months!

Rant Rant Rant
Rave Rave Rave

Author's ranting and raving not intended as part of the arguement!

A friend fell off her bike ona dirt trail.  The foam in the helmet was 
cracked (helmet discarded) but head unhurt.  Humerus was broken very 
near the shoulder - fracture was nearly directly across the bone.

I was assaulted will biking home from work.  Being thrown to the ground
damaged my helmet, ruptured lungs but head was undamaged.  Staying conscious
lead to positive identification of vehicle.  They went to jail.

Helmets are cheap!  Stop trying to save milligrams of bike mass at big $$ use
 $$ to get a helmet for everyone even as a present if necessary.  A great big
card signed by all the friends and acquintances for would send sympathy cards
to hospital patients might help.

Another $$$ arguement.  Ask your hospital or insurance company about the
cost of simply stayin in a bed (shared room) for one week!

Eight years ago the cost of a bed, just laying in the bed, would cost non-
Canadians in Canada >$500 per day.  Geez!  Who knows what it would be now!
I mentioned non-resident fee because it reflects the COST of service not
what the patient is likely to be billed.  A non-resident gets the FULL bill
while insured BC resident get a much smaller bill (the Province of BC must
still come up with the money, taxes of course).  

Pity the poor American who isn't adequately insured!  For comparison, BC
single person pays about $350 Can. for one year of basic services.  Are the
stories of US$400 a month true for US.  Is that a family?

Enough already.  If the person does not care about injury nor finances start
the divorce papers because what else is there that is really important.


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