I just read Rhoel's blog about safety gear. Here's what I think: helmets are a good idea. seatbelts are smart, safety gear in general is good. But, when I go snowboarding I only wear my helmet sometimes (depends on who I'm with and where I'm boarding), and my gloves have some built-in wrist support (not wrist guards, mind you - just wrist support). But should I be wearing elbow pads, knee pads, bum padding, and/or a spine protector? It would be a whole lot safer, wouldn't it? Especially considering I've broken my wrist and my finger snowboarding. Forget it. I won't wear it. For the same reason I don't swim with a lifejacket or walk into a patient's room with full isolation gear on. There's a certain amount of risk involved with everything we do. It makes things fun, exciting, and memorable. Everything is about balancing what risks you're willing to take and which risks are worth taking. Stupid risks are stupid - drunk driving or betting your car on one hand of poker. Basic safety and common sense is good - helmets, eye protection, gloves, proper footwear, etc etc. Going too far is paranoia and irresponsible.
1 comment:
when we used to go skating... i had these 2 inch thich kneepads... eventually when we got 'good'... i wore no pads at all... i would do jumps 10feet in the air padless... and hit rails with no pads.. you learn how to 'fall' without injuring yourself. Sure you get bruises and roadrash.. but whatever.. i was still in my early 20s and was more fit/limber back then
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