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Should there be a helmet law?

tcharron

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So, what, anyone under 13 has to wear one? How do you enforce that?

Generally, up the the age of 12 has a ticket that says Jr. They already generally check tickets at the lift, so just check it there. Is there a way to ensure it? No, but there's a burden of risk. Same way you enforce anything, really. If your caught, you get a warning. Repeat offenders, you get punished.
 

Nick

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Started wearing a helmet last year. I feel better with one on. Plus i kind of feel like they have become fashionable now.

I also have a son now and want to protect myself a little more ... I do ski fairly aggressively.

In terms of a law itself: I don't think it should be the law. I like the idea of personal responsibility. As long as it doesn't cause cost to me or others, if you want to smash your head in, that's your right.
 

4aprice

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Started wearing a helmet last year. I feel better with one on. Plus i kind of feel like they have become fashionable now.

I also have a son now and want to protect myself a little more ... I do ski fairly aggressively.

In terms of a law itself: I don't think it should be the law. I like the idea of personal responsibility. As long as it doesn't cause cost to me or others, if you want to smash your head in, that's your right.

Agree with you Nick. Took me a long time to get one but now I wouldn't ski without it.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ
 

Riverskier

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I wouldn't oppose a helmet law for those under age 18. I don't like any law in place to protect me from myself, and would strongly oppose a helmet law for adults. It is kind of the same way I feel about seatbelt laws- under 18= fine, adults not so much. Unfortunately, anyone can become a parent, and many of them probably shouldn't be. Most kids aren't yet ready to make responsible decisions for themself, so sometimes I am ok with laws that essentailly protect children from their parents potential stupidity.
 

gmcunni

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law for under 18 = don't love the idea but wouldn't go crazy fighting it
law for over 18 = no
mountain requiring the use of helmet = i don't have a problem with it

* any law to be applied to parent/guardian as responsible party, not ski area, manufacturer, sponsor or other.
 

MadMadWorld

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I wouldn't oppose a helmet law for those under age 18. I don't like any law in place to protect me from myself, and would strongly oppose a helmet law for adults. It is kind of the same way I feel about seatbelt laws- under 18= fine, adults not so much. Unfortunately, anyone can become a parent, and many of them probably shouldn't be. Most kids aren't yet ready to make responsible decisions for themself, so sometimes I am ok with laws that essentailly protect children from their parents potential stupidity.

Yea I tend to agree. If you can't get NH to require a seat belt law, how the hell are you going to get them to require a helmet?
 

darent

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new hampshire doesn't have a helmet law for motorcycles,why would they do one for skiing. A local doctor loves new hampshire, a lot of organ donors up there!!
 

deadheadskier

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I wish, but he's too popular for the Stone Church now. We saw him years ago at the Comedy Connection in Portland when he was an unknown, then before we knew it we saw him on Comedy Central. Last time we saw him around here he was at the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury, MA and he had sold the venue out. According to his website he's doing a DVD taping show at the Palace in Manchester on October 20th. Also has a couple of dates at the Kowloon. In the past 5 years, we've also seen Jeff Dunham, Ron White, Lewis Black and Bob Marley. I think Justin puts on a better performance than all of them.
 

witch hobble

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No comment.

This is a transparent attempt by the admin to dredge up a hot topic, as long as we have some Kmart and MRG/snowboard threads going.

:spread:<--- Put a helmet on this guy!!!!
 

Nick

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Nah, not transparent, just an ongoing interesting topic.

Here is a report just released earlier this week:

http://www.alpinezone.com/news-and-...-head-injuries-increase-despite-helmet-usage/

In a nutshell here is the statistics:

In 2004, there were an estimated 9,308 head injuries sustained while skiing or snowboarding that required emergency medical care. By 2010, that estimate had increased to 14,947 head injuries. The number of helmet users increased by over 20 percent between 2004 and 2010.

Now, I think we need to look at this broader than it states .... how many skiers in 2004 vs. 2010, etc, were conditions different, are people skiing more aggressively (bigger parks / more glades), etc.

Still, interesting topic nonetheless.
 

mriceyman

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No more laws... ive never worn a helmet but this year i am considering one when i am gonna go hard on the hill. But it.should.be up to the individual not government
 

Downhill Threads

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Nick... those stats are scary! 15K head injuries in 2010? If you're a beginner... wear a helmet. If you're an average skier... wear a helmet. If you're sponsored by Red Bull and are one of the best skiers in the world... wear a helmet! No reason not to anymore. The newer ones are comfortable, keep your head warm and are designed for goggles/cameras/etc. If you can afford a lift ticket, then you can afford a helmet. You can still get seriously hurt with one on, but knowing that it could save your life is reassuring when flying down a slope hitting bumps.

As far as making it a law? Power to the people. Still should be a choice. But hopefully an easy one.
 

millerm277

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Now, I think we need to look at this broader than it states .... how many skiers in 2004 vs. 2010, etc, were conditions different, are people skiing more aggressively (bigger parks / more glades), etc.

Overall skier visits are up by about 5% over the time period, so that's not it. If I had to guess, I'd say it's entirely due to the explosion of terrain parks + the scale of the features in them.
 

farlep99

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Overall skier visits are up by about 5% over the time period, so that's not it. If I had to guess, I'd say it's entirely due to the explosion of terrain parks + the scale of the features in them.

I agree with this 100%. I grew up skiing in the poconos in the late 80's/early 90's. We were kids and then young adults & I won't say stupid, but certainly fearless. I wasn't the best skier, but we'd find a 'jump' on a mountain & lap that run all day trying to get some big air (or what we thought was big air!) Mind you, these "jumps" were more like 1 random bump at the side of a trail somewhere. We'd fall a lot, one friend needed some stitches after taking a ski to the face, but generally injuries were minor. Obviously no helmets involved back then.

When I see places now with terrain parks I have mixed feelings. On the one hand I really wish we had them growing up because it would've been fun & I'd probably be able to do a rail-slide now. On the other hand, I probably would've had multiple broken bones, concussions or worse.

I'm not sure if stats are divided up this way, but it would be interesting to see what % of the injuries occurred in terrain parks as opposed to the trails. My guess is terrain parks add to the injured, but I could be wrong about that. I've read plenty about the debate re: shaped/sidecut skis=easier to learn= more likely to ski something over your head= more injuries. There's probably something to that as well
 

Nick

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No more laws... ive never worn a helmet but this year i am considering one when i am gonna go hard on the hill. But it.should.be up to the individual not government

I'm on board with that, I wear a helmet (as of last year, I'm a newbie) - but I didn't for a long time and I still felt weird about it. But I do actually think it keeps me warmer plus i feel comfortable in it. I don't think it should be a law, with the possible exception of kids under 18, but I do think it just makes more sense nowadays. I don't judge if you don't wear one though - your call.

@Farlpe, I think the same thing. I remember growing up on Ski Sundown and there was this one jump at the bottom that was probably 5' top to bottom - and I recall it being huge. Killington didn't even have any real legit terrain park for a long time. Halfpipes? Pschh....

The features nowadays can be friggen huge. It's impressive but man I get sweaty palms just looking at some of them.
 
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