Donutz

With bike and motorcycle helmets and seatbelts, you can compare the stats between jurisdictions that require their use and jurisdictions that don't. Interestingly what you get is a splitting of risk clusters. For most of the population, the introduction of the safety equipment reduces overall injury and death. But there's a subgroup for whom the stats move slightly towards increased fatalities at higher speeds. Turns out this subgroup figures they're safer now so take even more risks.

Overall though, they decrease injury and death.

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

Leo

I thought the number of snowboarders is rising? At any rate, it's not just fatalities I want to know about. Head related injuries.

And eh, I have been taking less risks since my helmet use. But I'm one of those guys that was hell bent on finding one after an injury. The injury is what is keeping my risk taking down lol.

I think I'm back to normal after this season though. I can't wait until next season to try more stuff again. Soooo looking forward to more Crystal mountain runs. We're also likely doing our trip to Colorado.

It's still dumping there. Lucky ass Coloradians.

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www.aGNARchy.com Reviews and David Z's rants

david_z

Snowboarders were rising, skiers declining. Total number of participant-days is flat over 30 years or so.

Serious injuries (paralysis, serious head, and other serious injuries) occur at the rate of about 43 per year, according to the NSAA. In the 2009/10 season, there were 39 serious injuries. Sixteen of these serious injuries were skiers (11 male, 5 female) and 23 were snowboarders, (16 male, 7 female). Among the serious injuries, 18 of those involved were reported as wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. The rate of serious injury in 2009/10 was .65 per million skier/snowboarder visits...

[R]ecent research has shown that the use of helmet reduces the incidence of any head injury by 30 to 50 percent, but that the decrease in head injuries is generally limited to the less serious injuries such as scalp lacerations, mild concussions (Grade I) and contusions to the head, as opposed to more serious injuries such as concussions greater than Grade II, skull fractures, closed head injuries and the like. There has been no significant reduction in fatalities over the past nine seasons

I got my season pass for Crystal. $219. Solid.

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East§ide

All I'm going to say in regards to your statistics is this:

1. if the law stops even one kid from having a serious or fatal head injury, it's worth it
2. just because "only" 40 people per year are injured doesn't mean that that's entirely accurate - many people may have injuries they don't report (ie. concussions where they are not treated, like mine)
3. i played competitive paintball for years - super serious, super hardcore. and i believe there are less injuries in paintball than even in bowling. Guess what? We still wear protective gear, including goggles/face protection, knee pads, elbow pads, etc.

I just think this whole thing has been way overblown. Sure, there's tons of bigger issues the government could be spending money on..however, this is a state government law, not a federal law, so if you aren't in the state that demands it, it has little to no bearing on you. In addition, there are a MILLION wasteful ways the government spends money... I can think of a lot that are way stupider and unnecessary than insisting that minors wear helmets while snowboarding.

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Never Summer Evo 153/Restricted ReFlex Cartel
Gnu Danny Kass 156 BTX

david_z

Although as empathizing humans, we abhor the idea of putting a price tag on a human life, we need to be honest with ourselves and everyone else and admit that there are prices which would be too high. And I think that's what people are saying: you can't just keep piling on taxes on top of taxes eventually people have had enough.

Everything in life is about tradeoffs. If you want to add helmet laws, then you've gotta be willing to give up one of the other frivolous government expenses (and I'll totally concede that for every real problem that the government doesn't spend money on, there is probably a frivolous issue on which they do spend money) but even if you do that, I still submit that there are more pressing concerns that need to be addressed, than some grandstanding attempt to save rich white people from their own ignorance.

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Donutz

about 10-15 years ago, some nutbar in the BC Legislature suggested they should pass a law making seatbelts mandatory on motorcycles. Not kidding.

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

david_z

that's right up there with "screen doors on submarines" and "ejection seats in helicopters". And snowboard leashes.

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BurtonAvenger

Will no one think of the children? This seems to be the rally cry of people that want to bubble wrap the youth of tomorrow. Seriously the youth of tomorrow are the scariest sacks of shit I've ever had to deal with, but that's another story.

Now don't get me wrong I'm not against helmet use for kids or adults. I'm advocating that it's a choice and if the state wants to make it a law it's a waste of time and money. Now if the resort wants to make it a policy go for it that's fine. I live in Breck best park in the world hands down (anyone can try and argue that with me but it's fact) we have jumps ranging from 3 feet to almost 100. Do you need a special pass? Helmet? or training? Nope you just need a lift ticket and you can go in the park and that's that. Do people get broken in the park every year because of this? Yes, could some of it be prevented? Definitely. But at the end of the day its the persons choice to venture into Freeway and Parklane it is there choice to hit the jumps and jibs.

Now are kids a lot stupider than adults? Well some are but helmet use is a lot different than it was when I was 16. Back then I had a helmet I knew what it would do and I charged harder and got more concussions then than I do now without one yet I'm actually hitting bigger features now. My parents when I was that age never saw me hit a jump or ride the pipe, they never forced me to wear a helmet, I just decided it was a good thing to have. Some of my friends followed suit some didn't we all survived, granted a bunch of us got concussions.

Moral of the story people will get hurt, people will die, people will get maimed, but let it be their or their families decision not the governments. Just like if I wanted to go fly down mainstreet on a crotch rocker in Breck I can do it with or without a helmet in this state because it's my choice. Is my life in my hands and ability? Hell yeah and that's what it should come down to.

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Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!

labowsky

if someone wants to put their life at risk, let them do it, if they die well that sucks but whose fault is it? the persons.
if a kid wants to ride without a helmet let him, are we really trying to force something a trivial as a helmet?? guess they don't know it only protects your head.
really making a law will make kids wear a helmet even less cause the police wants the, to do it.
but im sure this has been said i was just to lazy to read through all these pages

Karasene

I also disagree with this law. Most of what I believe has already been said.. so there's no need for me to re-type anything. I just think enforcing this law is a waste of time and money especially when I would guess a good 75% of people on the hill these days wear helmets on their own already.

What I am curious to know is how would they punish those caught not obiding by this law? Say its a 13 year old boy who isn't riding with his parents.. what are they going to do? detain him until they get in contact with an adult and hand out a fine? Or hand out fines to the minor themself?

anyway.. The government needs to readjust the way they spend our money and focus more on areas that will actually improve our country (or state) and it's stability. Personal safety shouldn't be on the radar when we are struggling with keeping the US on its own two feet.

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To legit to quit.
On the move this season.