Always wear a helmet

We had lunch yesterday with Ro and Anne. One topic of discussion was wearing helmets while bicycling. As we were leaving, headed to Rocky Mountain National Park to watch Elk, we encountered an accident that drove the message home so clearly. A young person had been riding down the shoulder of US 36 headed northbound. Apparently something caused the person to go off the side of the road on a downhill section and be thrown over the handlebars. The rider ended up in the center of the highway with severe trauma including an apparent closed head wound. A helmet would likely not have prevented all injury, but it may have helped prevent the most damaging of brain injuries. From witness accounts there was nobody else involved in the accident. A quick look at the bicycle and equipment being used indicates this was not a novice cyclist. Our thoughts are with the family of the young person.

Update: According to the Boulder Daily Camera, University of Colorado instructor of science writing Harrison Carpenter, 34, was riding downhill and hit a truck that was in the acceleration lane merging into traffic. Carpenter remains in critical condition.

Category: 

2 Comments

Harrison Carpenter

This is a comment on an old entry, but I found this site while looking for info on this accident. Harrison Carpenter was a professor of mine in Spring of '03, and when I heard about the accident I was devastated.

Harrison is an intelligent, remarkable man (only a little older than myself), as well as a talented teacher. We at CU hope he recovers quickly.

chris maytag
boulder, co.

Update on Mr. Carpenter's Condition?

If anybody has updates on how Mr. Carpenter is doing that would be wonderful. My wife was one of the first EMTs on the scene who helped to treat him and its always good to hear how people are doing.