Helmet by Merriwether Adventurer, on Flickr

Best wishes on your recovery!

That's a fairly significant crack in your helmet -- seriously. Best wishes on a speedy recovery.

On that note, I've read that your brain heals better from physical injury if you don't think too much. It's one of the reasons a medically induced coma is part of the treatment in some cases. Or so I've read. Apparently the brain needs energy to think (who'a'thunk) and the same energy is required to heal from trauma such as a concussion. Coma fixes the thinking part so the brain can concentrate on healing.

On a separate topic, the helmet I bought 25 years ago is probably beyond is "use-by" date. Any recommendations for a replacement? All I used it for was holding a mirror and it excelled at that task. Never put it to work like Blast.

Again, best wishes for a full recovery.

Any helmet that old should be retired instantly -- do not ride with it even one more time. Go to a good bike store and find a modern helmet that fits you well. Helmet expiration dates vary from 3 to 8 years, in my experience. It's worth buying one with a shorter date on it if it fits you well.

Basically, any helmet in a reputable store will meet the same certification standard(s), so they all should provide the same level of protection. Comfort is important, and most helmets are adjustable over a fairly wide range.

One important variable is color. I would not recommend a dark color. Based on my riding, and from observations from behind the wheel while driving, a bright or white color makes the rider much more conspicuous, while a black helmet obscures your presence. I like red a lot, but it fades to black in reduced visibility.

So flaunt the color of purity when you ride. It fits, right??

I think some helmet manufacturers will replace for free any helmet that saved your head in a crash. Blast might want to check the manufacturer's policy.

Sorry to hear that.

Rule one of cycling (and this is twenty five years of cycling to and from work speaking): Assume that everyone else on the road hates you, and thinks you would look just peachy as a pancaked road kill.
So make a point of always being where it is difficult to get at you.
Rule two: Your the softest, sqishiest most invisable thing on the road. Always assume that they ain't seen you and be ready to get out of the way real quick.

Do everything possible to increase your visibility - bright clothes, multiple lights, and plenty of reflectors. Keep your guard up, even on a bike path - look out for kamikaze cyclists. Speaking of which, the accident rate would plummet if more cyclists learned and followed the rules of the road. Lessons learned from 35 years commuting (and a bike tour now and then)

No car was involved in my wife's accident, nor any negligence on anyone's part. She was in a what I suppose one calls a peloton of road bicyclists heading downhill at speed, 30+ MPH. One of them hit a crack in the road; my wife struck that bicyclist and was flipped to land on her head. The other cyclist that fell had pretty good road rash but declined transport by ambulance and got a ride home.

My wife wanted to decline transport as well. I was...insistent that she cooperate with the paramedics.

Sorry to hear of your accident Blast. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. : )