Detention Lines: I will wear a helmet.

[Riding in Circles]

How about a recall because sweat caused to the wearer can run into the eyes and cause the wearer to swerve into on coming traffic?

 

[ComedyPilot]

How about a recall because sweat caused to the wearer can run into the eyes and cause the wearer to swerve into on coming traffic?

That only happens if you're going so slow the prevailing wind isn't blowing it away first!!

 

[Maz]

Because there is no "context".... it simply proves that a helmet may contribute under certain circumstances.... and not for a particular activity - it certainly does not prove anything for an activity where the impact is far greater than in the test!

Context? What are you referring to?
I'm saying that for certain head impacts, wearing a helmet can reduce injury.
It really is very simple. For some impacts (depending on how you fall etc) a helmet will be useless.

 

[Dirtyhanz]

I wear a helmet again probably out of habit but i have also cracked one in half when i have come off. I have cycled with clubs for over 20 years so i have seen them rise in popularity over the years i would now say out of a group of about 20 people who ride regularly 18 of us wear helmets but the two that don't are the most experienced riders. Sometimes I think they are a fashion thing more than for safety

 

[yello]

I ride with an FFCT group (like CTC) here in France. The huge majority of them wear helmets... but they're either so old and/or badly worn to be of very doubtful effectiveness should the need arise. I would argue there's an awful lot of blind, unquestioning adherence to a simple 'helmet = safety' principle.

 

[ufkacbln]

Context? What are you referring to?
I'm saying that for certain head impacts, wearing a helmet can reduce injury.
It really is very simple. For some impacts (depending on how you fall etc) a helmet will be useless.

This "test" was originally quoted to prove thathelmets were beneficial to cyclists..... If your personal statement is that they are effective in ALL head injury groups then welcome aboard!

 

[Riding in Circles]

Anyone looking at the long term development of motorcycle helmets would see that they traded head injuries for neck injuries so there is always a compromise somewhere along the way, I use the motorcycle helmet example because the development has been so much more extensive than bicycle helmet development.

 

[Maz]

If your personal statement is that they are effective in ALL head injury groups then welcome aboard!

Nope. Not saying that at all - I'm saying they're only effective for some types of impacts. For many impacts they will be useless.

 

[DJ]

Had a nasty accident yesterday. Had to cross two lanes of traffic to take a short cut. Half way across i noticed the car heading towards me was speeding up therefore causing me to increase my speed. Due to not taking this short cut for a long time i had forgotten there is permernent barriers at the entrance to this road. There is two small gaps for cycles but you have to slow down to get through. So there's me going way too fast and hiting a concrete kerb thats part of the barrier.

I heard the sound of my metal (my pedal) hitting concrete and find myself flying with my bike through the air upside down. Luckily i came down towards my left side. But my knee, elbow and especially my wrist/hand took the full force. This being London no one stopped to ask how i was just a couple of kids giggling nearby. I immediately did the macho thing of standing up and acting like nothing happened......i sat back down sharpish. The kids came over, asked if i was alright, then commented on how spectacular and desperate i looked flying through the air. The bike was ok but my knee and wrist really hurt. For some reason i got back on the bike and cycled home? When i got home i started to feel the pain and saw the swelling.

At A+E i found out i had broken my wrist. Luckily there was only abrasions on my knee and elbow. While i was waiting for the x-ray i was wondering what if i had landed on my head? I have finally concluded i am not master of the universe and must wear a helmet. Also seeing how upset my Son was when i came home with my arm in a plaster and sling hit home. When i leave home my family are expecting me to return home in one piece.

So if there is anyone out there not wearing a helmet, please get one.

I did something very similar this evening and luckily got away with it!

I made a really bad decision and could have got badly hurt so my full sympathy goes out to you, and hope you recover quickly!

 

[ufkacbln]

Nope. Not saying that at all - I'm saying they're only effective for some types of impacts. For many impacts they will be useless.

So are they effective in pedestrian falls ?

 

[Maz]

So are they effective in pedestrian falls ?

Pedestrians? I don't understand your line of questioning.
Does anyone else?

 

[BentMikey]

The risk of head injury is about the same for pedestrians. He's asking why you wear a helmet on the bike, and not walking to the shops. (I assume).

 

[Flying_Monkey]

The risk of head injury is about the same for pedestrians. He's asking why you wear a helmet on the bike, and not walking to the shops. (I assume).

I am not going to get into the helmet/no-helmet argument, but I do take evidence seriously and this is an oft-quoted and very misleading comparison. It is an absolute comparison and not very helpful. Are you comparing the same thing here? How do the injuries to pedestrians and cyclists occur and in what circumstances? Would a pedestrian walking normally within the bounds of the law and obeying the Highway Code have the same risk as a cyclist cycling in the same manner? Do the the injuries of the same degree of seriousness and risk of death or serious brain trauma?

 

[BentMikey]

As an average across the whole of the UK, that will include both bad/irresponsible as well as sensible safety-conscious use for both modes of transport. It'll no doubt cover a lot of different situations and usages for both too.

I don't see why you'd think it's not a good comparison. It is from the point of view of showing that most cycling is well within normal acceptable danger levels by comparison with many of the other activities we seem to accept. Just because cycling in traffic is very intimidating doesn't mean it's especially dangerous, and nor does the strange cultural focus on hiviz and helmets. Neither are needed for other similar activities.

 

[Crackle]

It may be interesting when talking about overall risk but not when trying to assess the specific risk of cycling and head injury.

Anyway I found something for you and Cunobelin to wear down the pub.