BMJ Journal Poll on helmets

[Red Light]

Is this how you ride your f***ing bike?

[media]

]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwYbrrKkdGw[/media]

 

[HJ]

This is rather an emotive issue, but it is an area where actually looking at the evidence would help, this blog post on the BMA, the BMJ, and bicycle helmet policy makes some good points and is worth reading.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Unless it twists your head round more than it would have done without one.

When was the last time you went cycling and break dancing at the same time

3 accidents 3 broken helmets 1 concussion 0 broken heads. I for one am a believer but whilst the choice is open to option, your choice to wear one is your choice.

Here's to safe cycling and long life

 

[Red Light]

3 accidents 3 broken helmets 1 concussion 0 broken heads. I for one am a believer but whilst the choice is open to option, your choice to wear one is your choice.

Ooohhh goodie......can we trade anecdotes? Four accidents, no helmets to break, 0 concussions, 0 broken heads. I seem to be doing better than you anecdotally.

 

[darth vadar]

the BMJ journal is having yet another 'let's make helmets compulsory' poll

http://www.bmj. com/

it's a running joke, but I'm getting tired of it

fgodlee@bmj.com, jsmith@bmj.com, tdelamothe@bmj.com, tgroves@bmj.com, tjackson@bmj.com, dpayne@bmj.com, gjones@bmj.com, scook@bmj.com, hmacdonald@bmj.com, tgroves@bmj.com, aburke@bmj.com, kfister@bmj.com, eloder@bmj.com, cmartyn@bmj.com, kpatrick@bmj.com, groggla@bmj.com, atonks@bmj.com, awalker@bmj.com, wweber@bmj.com, dmacauley@bmj.com, aferriman@bmj.com, zkmietowicz@bmj.com, dcohen@bmj.com, kpatrick@bmj.com, mchew@bmj.com, trichards@bmj.com, sdavies@bmj.com, tjackson@bmj.com, rcoombes@bmj.com, sschroter@bmj.com, plapsley@bmj.com, dpayne@bmj.com, btwisselmann@bmj.com, jdobson@bmj.com, ldillner@bmj.com, smalik@bmj.com, rhurley@bmj.com, jwalker@bmj.com, adichiara@bmj.com, vfletcher@bmj.com, lbanham@bmj.com, jannis@bmj.com, mbutler@bmj.com, scarter@bmj.com, mcooter@bmj.com, gcotton@bmj.com, cgriffith@bmj.com, epayne@bmj.com, ksharrock@bmj.com, bsquire@bmj.com, jthompson@bmj.com, aberger@bmj.com, hmarcovitch@bmjgroup.com, dkamerow@yahoo.com, jburrell@bmj.com, eking@bmj.com, sminns@bmj.com, jmayor@bmj.com, edavies@bmj.com, hjaques@bmj.com, studenteditor@bmj.com, are the contact e-mail addresses for the BMJ. Feel free to put them straight.

For what it's worth, this is my draft e-mail

You think it's a running joke. I think you're bunch of chinless twats, with not enough to do. You don't give a flying **** at a rolling doughnut that 8000 people die of falls in the home, you neither know nor care that a simple change in the Building Regulations would glass injuries by half, (cutting plastic surgery department time dramatically), you don't give a monkeys about hospital borne infections and you're too scared to think that most GPs are halfwits that couldn't diagnose their way out of a ****ing paper bag. Your readers lead a life of pampered luxury at the taxpayer's expense, dispensing solecisms that would look lightweight in a Christmas cracker and you have nothing better to do than take your 'I'm scared of cyclists' problem for a walk in your sad little excuse for a journal.

Don't, please, send me e-mails from your home addresses telling me that you ride a bike to work, because I'm not ****ing interested. You publish this shoot, so you take the abuse. **** off.

Simon Legg

Are you proud of yourself with that reply ?

What an idiot.

 

[Red Light]

Panic over - they're on to worrying about their status being eroded now.

 

[Red Light]

Are you proud of yourself with that reply ?

What an idiot.

IIRC Darth Vadar was at least consistent in that he wore his helmet all the time, not just when cycling.

 

[dellzeqq]

Bicycle helmets. You think it's a running joke. I think you're bunch of chinless twats, with not enough to do. You don't give a flying **** at a rolling doughnut that 8000 people die of falls in the home, you neither know nor care that a simple change in the Building Regulations would cut glass injuries by half, you don't give a monkeys about hospital borne infections and you're too scared to think that all too many GPs are halfwits who couldn't diagnose their way out of a ****ing paper bag. Your readers lead a life of pampered luxury at the taxpayer's expense, dispensing solecisms that would look lightweight in a Christmas cracker and you have nothing better to do than take your 'I'm scared of cyclists' problem for a walk in your sad little excuse for a journal.

Statins for cash? Not bothered. Contraceptive implants? You don't give a toss. MRSA? Can't even be troubled to wash your hands. But when it comes to telling people what to do, you're like a ****ing rash. Half a glass of Pinot a day, ladies, or you'll go mental. Shift the weight, porky, or sing for your hip op. Give up fags or get the **** out of my surgery.

As for offering a service - you're having a ****ing tin bath. Appointment sometime this week? Go to A+E. Blood tests? No chance. Home visits? What do you think my name is, Harold ****ing Shipman?

Don't, please, send me e-mails from your home addresses telling me that you ride a bike to work, because I'm not ****ing interested. You publish this shoot, so you take the heat. **** off.

 

[Ravenbait]

Don't, please, send me e-mails from your home addresses telling me that you ride a bike to work, because I'm not ****ing interested. You publish this shoot, so you take the heat. **** off.

I think it's still lacking in the vitriol department. Is this really a subject deserving of such impeccable manners?

Sam

 

[Red Light]

Its clearly great irony. After all look at the opening line:

Bicycle helmets. You think it's a running joke.

 

[theclaud]

Have you sent it yet, then, DZ, or is it still a work in progress?

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Let's hope the latter, seeing as it is way to wishy washy.

Yes, why does he always seem to sit on the fence with these issues.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Ooohhh goodie......can we trade anecdotes? Four accidents, no helmets to break, 0 concussions, 0 broken heads. I seem to be doing better than you anecdotally.

Far better. You obviously land better than I do Incidentally, what parts did you land on

 

[downfader]

I have just written this on their blog webpage (via disqus, so lets hope they review it and put it up)

Cycle helmets, as I so often state, are not the issue or the solution to the issue. The issue is human behaviour that leads to collision or fall, deal with that and we deal with the problem.

Cyclists represent 2% of all traffic according to the DfT. Head and brain injuries of cyclist related origin are around 2%. Thats an NHS stat iirc. Another NHS stat says that 65% of all head and brain injury are drink related. So on this basis you have to ask where is the actual risk? It is no good trying to "save just one life!" Its the majority you have to think about.

Erke and Elvic have peer reviewed a lot of the research and found that under closer scrutiny that Australian cyclists were 14% more at risk after compulsion came in. They also found that head and brain injuries rose significantly. The helmets just were not preventing the injuries people like BHIT, Headway and Brake say they will help with.

Another study I read (sadly I forget the source so you may have to google) stated that New Zealand cyclists were 20% more at risk after their barehead-ban came in. There have also been drop-offs in cyclist numbers in Aus and NZ of around 30%+ (even more with children). Reason's cited have been "..to dangerous.." - use of armour such as helmets leads to this conclusion, it seems.

UK helmets are mostly EN1078. These are tested to a basic 12mph drop on a weighted anvil from between 1-1.5m. It simulates a stationary fall. I have tried to squeeze helmet manufacturers for more details but this is as far as they would tell me. Specialised Helmets do make a B90 SNELL tested helmet which is slightly better tested.

Helmet compulsion will also cause many problems for the bike shops and the industry that supplies them. A "legal" helmet will have to conform to a specifc standard, and often these laws dont favour higher tested helmets. Australia saw several problems with bike shops having to ditch old style helmets that didnt conform, they lost a lot of money. They also lose money when cyclists give up, as the evidence has shown internationally.

Why are the BMJ debating this when we have major problems with drink, drugs and obesity in this country. Cycling needs to be free and easy, encourging it will lower the obesity and diabetes numbers significantly. The BMJ in all truth should be actively making a stand on road safety issues, not helmets. They should be lobbying the Government, the Police and the CPS to deal more effectively with dangerous driving/cycling.

Where is the poll? And do they accept letters, I'd like to formalise my criticism.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Has he sent the ****er to those ****s yet?