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by steelaz 3921 days ago
Image of my helmet after the crash [1]. Hospital cleared me the same day, with couple stitches. Surgeon said if not for helmet I would be gone.

[1] http://i.imgur.com/QBg0b0V.jpg
2 comments
amit_m 3921 days ago
There is a lot of this post-hoc analysis, the main line of thought being that if the helmet broke then maybe your head would've been the one to break instead had it not been for the helmet.

This is completely false and not based on any science. Bicycle helmets are meant to crush, not to break. When they break, they absorb very little of the impact's energy.

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upofadown 3921 days ago
The helmet shattered. In other words it failed. No significant amount of energy was absorbed.

There was blood so it didn't even protect you from abrasions. A construction type hard hat would of provided more protection.

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jschwartzi 3920 days ago
If the helmet shattered, then a significant amount of energy was absorbed. Otherwise it wouldn't have shattered.
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upofadown 3920 days ago
The propagation of cracks results in a very minimal amount of energy absorption.
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