ATGATT, or why do I even bother?

My mom used to do this to me all the time.

Seriously though. Prior to a career change that made me commute a long distance, my primary mode of transportation to and from work year round for 17 some years was a bicycle. This started mid 80's. I confess I did not wear a helmet often at first. A doctor friend embarrassed me into it...most the time.

In 1993 I had gone for a long recreational ride. Was hot and I was on a quiet country road. Took the helmet off and rode for about 1/2 hour without to cool down. Had just put it back on and went to ride through a ditch and up onto another road. The ditch was vegetation covered. Didn't see that gaping hole under the vegetation. Front wheel went into the hole and bike stopped immediately. I did not. Over the bars and head first into the opposing side of the ditch that was rip rap covered. I have suffered to a small degree ever since in the neck area. But this is very livable. I don't know why I did not break my neck but I didn't. Thing is, had I not put my helmet back on when I did, then I am confident I would not have survived that crash and be here pestering you all.

Ever since that incident it is ATGATT, bicycle, motor cycle and cage. Don't forget seat belts folks. In over 25 years working at accident scenes, not once did I pull a dead body from a seatbelt.

 

Only problem is, it is a person's right to be an utter retarded moron. Sure I hate to see people who go without lids and gear but hey, it's their ass that will be a freeway filet, not ours.

Very few people do things that will help themselves stay healthy or alive before they have a brush with death or other life changing event. This is no different than someone filling their gut with grease and fried food every day who suddenly pays attention to his diet AFTER having a heart attack. You simply cannot preach to people. Lessons need to be learned as you go. Sure there are rare instances of people who take advice of others who have suffered, but for the most part, fuggetaboutit.

I really like the idea of the forehead tap to the pavement, if you can't get someone to at least think about it after that, there's no helping them.

 

Some people won't learn anyway but the hard way. I preferred not to insist that people wear helmets because when instead they chose to, it stayed with them after the class. But motorcycling is more dangerous than bicycling, especially for a beginner, so I could see insisting on a helmet in a mc class.

Randy, when my mom was frustrated with my brothers and me, she used to grab her hair and bang her head against the wall, muttering, "I might as well be talking to this wall." It probably did hurt less than talking to us.:rant: