EVERY pro should wear a helmet AT ALL TIMES IN PUBLIC

if the only reason you dont wear helmets is because pros dont then you are stupid. and thread writer, fuck you. everyone has a right to wear helmets or not. just becuase people die who dont wear them doesnt mean we have to make everyone else wear one now. god i hate how everyone places the blame for people dying on if they were wearing a helmet or not... IT WAS THEIR CHOICE TO NOT WEAR A HELMET AND THEY DIED BECAUSE OF IT. that is a consequence of not wearing a helmet and we all know that. so please stop trying to make yourself feel better by telling others to wear helmets too.
 
Mad karma to you sir.

Here's why I'm paying so much attention to all this. Not sure whether all yall know this yet, but next season, all Vail Resorts skiing and/or boarding employees will be required to wear helmets when they are skiing on the clock. That's big and a bit scary.

All it takes now is one major insurance company to say, "Hmm, Vail is making all of their employees wear helmets, maybe we should tell all of our ski area clients that they need to require everyone to ski/ride in helmets". We're that close folks.

Again, I think all skiers should wear helmets. I think all boarders should ski with cinder block ear muffs. Just kidding. I do not think that anyone skiing on their own should be required to wear a helmet.

Why is this a real concern? I've been following this pretty closely. People are worried that wearing a helmet when skiing or boarding could become a state law or something like that. Others argue that will never happen for the same reason that motorcycle helmet laws haven't passed in every state. The big factor, that those who argue that side of it haven't taken into consideration, is that there is a big differnce between ski areas and public roads. Insurance companies could very easily make this happen. If a few of the big's (like Vail Resorts) are on board, it is pretty easy to tell the smaller ones that they either go the same way or their rates are going way up. Whether it's a law or not makes no difference. In order to ski or board at any area you could be REQUIRED to wear a helmet and they could yank your ticket if you don't. Pretty simple actually; no helmet, no lift ride.

Hey NS; no matter how you feel about helmets, this is something you need to keep and eye on.

 
thats so not true what ur sayin there! Think of Pros like Jossi, Jon, JAcob, Henrik, etc they are prolly some of the most published skiing athletes in the skiing world and they allways wear helmets when skiing!
Ive worked with a lot of photogs myself as skier for k2 and I have never EVER heard one of them saying that me wearing a helmet is gonna affect the "publishability" of the pics they took from me. As long as they can capture ur style and get the shot how they wanted it to get your stuff gets published and nobody gives a fuck about a helmet in the pick or not.
I would like to hear one backup example for ur argument but prolly wont get one since i assume you just said it cuz ur selling beanies after lookin at ur profile pics....
 
.......

i personally only dont wear a helmet if im doing some coaching and just cruising groomers..

but i dont force anyone to wear one, and if you dont want to thats your decision not mine.
 
I always wear mine in the park. It's warmer than a hat and looks pretty decent.Also, I don't think it gives me a false sense of security. I do, however, feel safer even when hitting rails, it could save you from a huge bump on the head or worse a contusion.
 
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Helmets are pretty much a new fad in skiing. Where were they 10 years ago? Just the nerds, racers, and extreme skiers wore em. If you have to look up to the pros to decide weather or not to wear one....well I wont say it in light of the recent loss of your friend. They can help reduce some deaths and injuries but for the most part they dont do much. In alot of cases they do more damage then good. I've had the buckle to my helmet cut my neck wide open a few times. The strap damn near choked me to death... They can help but, good old not fucking up is the real answer to the problem.
 
I completely disagree. Pros should not be forced to wear helmets to protect other people from their own stupidity. I ski sometimes with just a hat, and it would be smarter to wear a helmet, but that's my decision, and if I get hurt, it's MY fault.
 
Ok, just to clear a couple of things up.
1. You ^ are a fucking prick.

2. I am not saying it should be the LAW or that a pro HAS to wear a helmet. I am just saying that when SKIING in the public eye, they SHOULD set a good example by wearing a helmet. If they don't it's their choice, fine, but remember that they do respected and influence a lot of people whether they like it or not.
If each pro set a good example by always putting their helmet on when they hit the slopes, people would always look up to them and it would set a trend for people to do the same.
I am NOT saying that it's the ONLY solution. But it's one surefire way to help!

3. If I have saved JUST ONE life by creating this thread, then it has been worth it. If I have stopped just one injury because someone has said, ahh actually I remember that thread from yesterday, I will wear my helmet, then it has been worth it. So fuck you to this guy ^ who thinks "im trying to make myself feel better".
 
that i find it funny, how most of you say "i always wear one, anyone SHOULD wear one, but people shouldnt have to wear one"

ok, as the other said, in a country where not all states are on the same level regarding motorcycle helmets, it might seem a little hard to understand that a law (to make ski helmets mandatory) could come into place.

BUT why do you care that much? do you think your personal freedom, something "your ancestors died for" is destroyed when you HAVE TO WEAR A HELMET (even though youre wearing one already all the time)????????

and to the people that think that either soft snow is safer than a helmet, skills are safer than a helmet, hell even not wearing a helmet is safer than a helmet:
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i agree, helmets are great sure but still if you dont want to wear one then why should you have too ? i got a concussion this year even while wearing one so im gonna keep rocking mine thats for sure
 
Didn't read much past here.. so that's my disclaimer if I say something stupid.

The ski world won't stop being obsessed with pros until skiing reaches the point that skateboarding has. There are hardly any "pros" anymore, everybody is throwing down and doing their own thing with vastly different styles. Younger kids emulate who ever appeals to them the most, and in skateboarding there are always up-and-coming big names and styles. Skiing will reach that point eventually.. maybe.. and when/if it does get close to that, as I'm starting to see now, there will be so many "pros" no one will want to follow the stereotypical skier fashion. It's gonna get better.

As for helmets, I always thought they were unnecessary. It's snow right? Yeah.. then I dub ejected and smacked my head, saw stars, and decided to buy a helmet. I'll never ride without one again, unless it's super hot out or something.
 
I'm a photographer and I've shot with photographers. Telling riders that shots are more publishable without a helmet would be completely irresponsible and is not something I or anyone would ever do, but it's the truth.
 
i have trouble visualizing jon ollson sliding out of his lambo in a POC.

and it is OBVIOUS that skiing is dangerous.

stupidly obvious.

and it is OBVIOUS that wearing a helmet will help lower the chance of injury.

so you are STUPID if you don't wear a helmet.

 
First, thats not a backup example "but its the truth" - why is that the truth? cuz u say that? Who have u worked with and where did u publish shots?? Thats what id like to know cuz ive never met a photog (and I met a lot of em) who shares ur opinion. Face it, its just not true, just look in the magazines, youll find more pics with helmets then without!
 
I agree and disagree. I recognize that pros have a huge impact; even I, who consider myself independant and original frequently look to pros (and others) for inspiration or information when I'm looking for something new. It doesn't mean I'll go out and buy everything a given skier owns because I want to be like him, but I definitely let them inform me of what is available, and, in all honesty, what is the trend. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, but this is not a thread about whether or not one should follow trends. As far as requiring them to wear helmets: I don't think we should. I see the argument, and I suppose one's opinion will be based on some of their fundamental political/philosophical beliefs. I am one for individual people taking responsibility for themselves. While it may not actually be true, I think that everyone has the capability to make their own decisions, and that no one else should be held responsible for a random individual's choices. Of course I would like to see them wearing them more often, but I think there is enough information out there regarding helmets that everyone should know their benefit, and it is entirely their fault if they chose not to wear one. My parents made me wear one when I was younger, when I didn't want to. I'm glad they did. I have hit my head so many times. Interestingly, my friends and I noticed this fall that none of us were wearing a helmet for our urban sesh; it was kinda weird. The next time out I believe I had mine. I feel weird without one though. Even when not in the park they are important. One of my hardest head to ground experiences occurred in the middle of a blue run. I went stop for a friend (I always look uphill before stopping or making a wide turn, but I guess I had a blind spot or looked over the wrong shoulder) and this kid had lost a ski and was out of control. He came flying into me and knocked me clean off my feet, spinning around down the hill. I've also seen someone with a new helmet get knocked out for a significant amount of time on a medium to small jump doing a 1. They help, but don't make you immune.

Moral of the story: Accidents can happen anywhere, and it isn't necessarily your own abilities that will determine your fate, but those of the other people on the hill. Pros are just like normal people and should not be held accountable for the actions of others, even though we recognize that they do have an impact on the general population. Perhaps when they are 'working' it could be justified, but I'm not sure. Helmets (and other protective gear - I have a custom mouth guard which has also saved me on one or two occasions) should for sure be subsidized. Mind you given the healthcare system in the US, and the direction ours (at least in BC) may be heading, that doesn't seem like a likely occurrence.
 
You're wrong. Thanks for reminding me why I stopped posting on this website for a while. Goodbye.
 
Check out all you Euros gettin all agro. Take a nice cleansing breath and refocus your chi. This whole helmet deal is just getting started. Save your energy.
 
Shut up.
it is also OBVIOUS that trampolines and riding in cars are dangerous, just look at the statistics.and it is OBVIOUS that wearing a helmet will help lower the chance of injury in those situations too.
However, if I were to call you STUPID to do either of those things without a helmet, it would be rude, arrogant, and fucking intrusive. Same as you calling some of the greatest athletes in our sport, not to mention a large percentage of the skiing population, STUPID, which is what you just did.
What is STUPID, is forcing your views and your personal safety protocol choices on others.

 
arguing against wearing a helmet whilst skiing is like arguing against having seatbelts be mandatory in cars.
 
god damn it i hate people like you. pros should set good examples, you should eat healthy, you should work hard, you should drive the speed limit, you should always wear a condom, you should always do all your homework.... you see, the list goes on and on and on and on. AND for every single one of those things i just listed, there is some fuck up person like you who wants to let everyone know what we "should" be doing. Seriously go suck a dick. let people live their lives the way they want to, not the way you think they SHOULD. trust me, everyone knows the risks involved with skiing. its on the god damn ticket. its my choice, your choice, your friend who died choice, and every single pro's choice to wear a helmet or not. deal with it. there are a million people out there like you who want to feel good about themselves by trying to help "if i have saved just one life by creating this thread then it has been worth it" BULLSHIT. you are not saving any lives by writing this thread. your just trying to sleep good at night by thinking you did good. you know it even if you dont want to admit it. want to do something that really saves lives? pass a helmet out to every kid who enters the park. Thats proactive. that saves lives. bullshitting on some website does not.
the way to solve you problem is not by making additional unreasonable requests to people in the public eye. learn the fuck up and let people decide what they SHOULD do and let them make their own CHOICES and deal with whatever CONSEQUENCE that may be including DEATH
 
No, it's not. Don't mix things up.
Just because you wear a seatbelt in a car, you still are at risk of head injury in a crash. I have had 3 friends die of head injuries in car crashes, all were wearing seatbelts at the time. Helmets would likely have saved 2 of them. (I've also had 2 friends die of head injury while skiing, both of them WERE wearing helmets at the time.)
And at no point did I argue against helmet use. I only argue against the narrow minded, hypocritical, perspective of people who can call out people for being STUPID for skiing without a helmet, but in reality probably take the same type of risks themselves all the time (ie jumping on a trampoline without a helmet), without feeling STUPID themselves.

 
Chill your beans son, let's behave like adults.
You are missing the point of what I am saying, but let me take some of your examples.
Eating healthy. Fine, if it only affects you, and you wanna pig out, go ahead, you might die of a heart attack, whatever, it's your choice and affects no one else, it's your life. But what if you have a kid? you should probably set an example and try to cut down on those pies because you don't want your kid to die early because he gets diabetes or whatever.
Work Hard... again if it only affects you, do what ever you like... but just a reminder that if no one worked hard you wouldn't be getting all angry with your keyboard
Driving the speed limit... well actually this always affects other people. Whether you like it or not, accidents are worse at speed and there is a reason why that is the law. If you want to drive fast, do it when it won't affect other people and fine, live your own life. But if you are on a road, it affects other peoples lives, what give you the right to threaten and possibly take away their lives?
Condoms - yeah I am getting the picture of you now but it's pretty irresponsible if you get someone knocked up who doesn't want to be.
I am kinda getting a vibe that you have a problem with authority and have a lot of pent up aggression. Interestingly that is a classic sign of someone who was abused as a kid*. I'm not saying anything, just pointing that out. Anyway.
*My gf is a psychologist
The list does go on, and I actually agree with you, in that people do have a choice and should live how they want, but when it goes to seriously endangering or risking other peoples lives, people ought to have the morality to act responsibly.
So what is the message? If you are in a position when you could be affecting other peoples lives, act responsibly. I guess that summarises the message I am trying to put across here. Whether you like it or not, the majority actually agree with me.
Go figure.

 
I feel your pain. I have been checking other ski forums and their threads on this are like 10 x worse. It's funny that there are some of sites aimed at the "More Mature Skiers", and these folks are squawking like a bunch of preschoolers. I think NS is doing itself proud on this issue. You should hear the PSIA Examiners bitchin back and forth. It's hilariuos.
 
You girlfriend being a psychologist doesnt give you the right to psychoanalyze someone. What you did there was childish and immature and completely voided any valid argument you had in that post.
 
i wear a helmet, but that doesnt mean that i should force it onto everyone else who skis.

what ever happened to the freedom to choose to do what you want to do. we cant just go around forcing some rule onto a pro just to set a good influence. its THEIR choice, not ours.

 
First off, I wear a helmet when I ski.

Second, its not a pro's responsibility to do anything. They get paid to ski and do what they want, more power to them, but they dont have to be responsible for people imitating them. If they did, there would certainly be a fuckload of lawsuits from people landing on their neck off JOSS size jumps.

Morally, however, if I was in the limelight, I'd probably still wear mine, reguardless of what Skullcandy or Rimeknits wanted to give me (no offense to either, they make awesome products that I am a complete fan of). I'd do it because if I'm trying a cork 7 over a road gap, it kinda makes sense to at least protect my noggin. Theres good stuff in my brain, and I rather like it. Even at relaxed resort riding, I wear one (mostly, exception is to let my glorious mane go free).

My logic is this - if you're doing shit in the park, you're going to fall on your head sometimes. If you're skiing out on runs, theres a good chance anything you do wont incur injury, but its the 100 other gapers and idiots out there going 40 mph with pointed sticks that I dont trust. Yeah, a helmet doesnt make you invincible, but it gives you a better chance than without one. Its a benefit that completely overshadows whatever disadvantage (if any) there is to be had.

But again, our sport is called "freeskiing" last I checked. You dont have to do anything. Its nobody's responsibility, as there are no real rules or regulations, save contests. So, whatever, if you dont want to wear a helmet, go for it, but I really cannot see the logic behind not wanting to have one on your head.
 
good on you but most are different. in this material marketing world what pros do is watched by all and copied by many. when i started skiing dad forked out for a helmet on the proviso that i wore it all the time and many a time ive had a stack and though shit im glad im wearing this. in many ways it comes down to the sponsors to get the pros to wear them so i say we petition outerware companies to push for it!
 
Or, you could mind your own business. What are you, TJs grandma?
Why don't you phone Tanner right now and tell him how disappointed you are that you saw him skiing the glacier camps without a helmet last summer. After he stops laughing, he will tell you that he wears a helmet when he chooses to (like in AK for example,or when he's training new tricks, or at comps), not when YOU or anyone else tells him that he should.
You want to start a petition, wow that's just priceless.
 
i dont know what youre watching buddy, but jon olsson is almost always wearing a helmet. he knows whats up.
 
hey man +++k for this thread. people wanna be just like pros and look as best they can when they ski. i think the reason like three quarters of the people that dont wear helmets is because they cant wear there icons under their helmet!!! god its all the icon's fault.
 
helmets dont make u ski worse. WEAR A HELMET. if you ski well enough then u can where whatever you want and noone can say anything.. personally i think helmets look cool so there are no excuses.

WEAR A HELMET
 
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