BeteLise
Answer
Is it necessary? No.Not unless it's a law in your town. Is it a smart thing to do? Maybe. But don't depend on a helmet to be the absolute last word in bicycle safety. You still need to use the gray matter beneath your helmet to be safe. For instance, a helmet won't protect you from breaking your collarbone or loosing skin from road rash. Safety involves a number of things of which a helmet is only a small part.
Having said that ... the way you phrase your question really bothers me. I would never "just stroll(ing) around aimlessly" on my bike. You should always pay attention to what's going on around you if you want to be safe. Not paying attention will get you killed faster than anything.
Is it necessary? No.Not unless it's a law in your town. Is it a smart thing to do? Maybe. But don't depend on a helmet to be the absolute last word in bicycle safety. You still need to use the gray matter beneath your helmet to be safe. For instance, a helmet won't protect you from breaking your collarbone or loosing skin from road rash. Safety involves a number of things of which a helmet is only a small part.
Having said that ... the way you phrase your question really bothers me. I would never "just stroll(ing) around aimlessly" on my bike. You should always pay attention to what's going on around you if you want to be safe. Not paying attention will get you killed faster than anything.
Helmet for rollerblading?
Joe B
I am in my late twenties. When rollerblades first came out (when I was around 10), I used to skate a lot. Being a child, I always wore a helmet and fell flat on my back enough time to warrant it. Then the fad passed. Later on, I purchased an expensive set of skates and would skate around college (around 2002). By this time, "skating" for most young people referred only to skateboarding and I felt like a total dork with my helmet and pads. Because of my schedule, I gave it up. Now I would like to give it another go. Since I have broken my left wrist twice (not related to rollerblading), I feel I should wear wrist guards. However, because I'm not up on a bike or likely to fall backwards anymore, I am wondering whether a helmet is necessary. Is it overbundled and dorky or just appropriate? Would others roll their eyes seeing me not wear one?
Answer
Inline skating (Rollerblade is only the name of one company) is more of an adult sport now days.
You want the helmet and wrist guards. Head hits are a lot less common than other falls, but can be horrible. I skate with a lot of people including both beginners and very experienced skaters. The worse head hits that I know about have been on the more experienced skaters. A couple friends have had headaches for weeks or months after a head hit. One person that I knew by sight but not personally who had been skating for over a decade fell in a very safe venue, hit the back of his head, and died on the way to the hospital. No one saw how he fell and security footage (not in sight of his fall) indicated that no one else was near him. Doctors said that he would have lived if he was wearing a helmet.
For rec skating (no tricks and minimal backwards skating) a bicycle helmet is suitable and more comfortable than a "multi sport" helmet that has more side and back of head protection.
Most falls do end up with the hands sliding on the ground. I wear glove style wrist guards like aggressive skaters use. They are more flexible than the cheaper splint type guards that are more common but also have leather covering the palm and back of the hand so that it keeps the skin from getting shredded.
Most adults that I know wear helmets (the one that had headaches for months strongly suggest them to others) while skating.
Bystanders really don't care one way or the other.
I don't wear elbow or knee pads. Elbow pads are rare among people I know but knee pads are about 50/50. I have met people who have had other pads (one using rib pads for horse back riding) due to previous injuries and risks.
Inline skating (Rollerblade is only the name of one company) is more of an adult sport now days.
You want the helmet and wrist guards. Head hits are a lot less common than other falls, but can be horrible. I skate with a lot of people including both beginners and very experienced skaters. The worse head hits that I know about have been on the more experienced skaters. A couple friends have had headaches for weeks or months after a head hit. One person that I knew by sight but not personally who had been skating for over a decade fell in a very safe venue, hit the back of his head, and died on the way to the hospital. No one saw how he fell and security footage (not in sight of his fall) indicated that no one else was near him. Doctors said that he would have lived if he was wearing a helmet.
For rec skating (no tricks and minimal backwards skating) a bicycle helmet is suitable and more comfortable than a "multi sport" helmet that has more side and back of head protection.
Most falls do end up with the hands sliding on the ground. I wear glove style wrist guards like aggressive skaters use. They are more flexible than the cheaper splint type guards that are more common but also have leather covering the palm and back of the hand so that it keeps the skin from getting shredded.
Most adults that I know wear helmets (the one that had headaches for months strongly suggest them to others) while skating.
Bystanders really don't care one way or the other.
I don't wear elbow or knee pads. Elbow pads are rare among people I know but knee pads are about 50/50. I have met people who have had other pads (one using rib pads for horse back riding) due to previous injuries and risks.
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