Does Helmet normalisation deter cyclists?

[matticus]

Ok, full disclosure - I'm pretty sure it does!
Can anyone point me to a resource for evidence?

 

[matticus]

Anyone?:-\

 

[rogerzilla]

It's stopped me ever getting a motorbike...

 

[newfhouse]

Anyone?:-\

I suspect it is true but only have anecdotes and my own judgement to support my belief. Like you, I’d like to see a real study.

Even if true, it has no bearing on whether helmets are a good thing or not.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Just do a search on Australia mandatory helmet laws and I’m sure you’ll find what you are looking for,

 

[Drago]

I can quite believe that the sarky remarks alone from the self appointed helmet police would be enough to put off many. I'd give them a good resounding "F off and mind you one business" by way of a reply, but others just won't bother riding instead.

With motorbikes the choice was taken away from us by the government - no lid, no ride, and it did indeed put some people off. Prior to that there weren't gobby, self appointed smart arses getting in the faces of non helmet wearing motorcyclists like there is with cycling today, so it snot really comparable.

 

[mjr]

Replies here are slowed by moderation - both directly and indirectly in that you need to try not to typo stuff because editing is not allowed.

Malta's legislature was convinced enough people were deterred that they repealed their helmet law: https://road.cc/content/news/236188...helmet-law-it-hinders-efforts-get-more-people - I don't know how online Malta's political processes are, but you might be able to find the evidence that led them to that conclusion by searching.

There are some dissenting analyses but it looks to me like Australia is the longest demonstration of discouraging cycling by law: http://www.cycle-helmets.com/cycling-1985-2019.html

The Isle of Man seems about to try to prove the same effect again by making helmets compulsory for cycling: https://cyclingindustry.news/isle-of-man-compulsory-cycling-helmet/

And some in Denmark claim that even just showing helmets (not compelling them by law and not even promoting them) discourages cycling: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2013/10/promoting-cycling-positively-now-with.html

There's also this excellent work from Dave Horton hosted there: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/09/fear-of-cycling-03-helmet-promotion.html

 

[Dave Davenport]

My standard response to the 'where's your helmet?' shouts (ok, they're very occasional) is 'where's yours?'

 

[Drago]

My standard response to the 'where's your helmet?' shouts (ok, they're very occasional) is 'where's yours?'

My response is, "on the end of my nob, just like yours by the look of things."

 

[Dave Davenport]

My response is, "on the end of my nob, just like yours by the look of things."

Yeh, but you're a lot bigger than me.

 

[DRM]

I don’t think it does, I regularly see people riding both with, or without a helmet, particularly in places like York & Hull, where cycling has been very much a way of getting around, rather than a hobby, you see a lot of What some may refer to as BSO’s that get people to work or the shops, ridden by no helmeted people in everyday clothing

 

[newfhouse]

I don’t think it does, I regularly see people riding both with, or without a helmet, particularly in places like York & Hull, where cycling has been very much a way of getting around, rather than a hobby, you see a lot of What some may refer to as BSO’s that get people to work or the shops, ridden by no helmeted people in everyday clothing

To answer the original question I wonder if it would be more useful to count those that decide not to cycle at all because of a perception that it is an unsafe activity requiring specialist headgear.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I've actually never been asked in a snarky / sarcastic way where my helmet is. Or been asked in any way in fact, or had a lack of one commented on. I don't feel any public pressure to wear one. I'll disclose that I sometimes wear, and I sometimes don't, it all depends. I'm about 50/50.

On CC I've seen very many snarky and sarcastic comments about those who wear helmets. "Plasctic hat wearers" and similar jibes are common, which saddens me given that CC is somewhere that prides itself on inclusion and personal choice.

 

[mjr]

I've actually never been asked in a snarky / sarcastic way where my helmet is. Or been asked in any way in fact, or had a lack of one commented on. I don't feel any public pressure to wear one. I'll disclose that I sometimes wear, and I sometimes don't, it all depends. I'm about 50/50.

You obviously don't try to enter or organise many cycling events, then! Entire organisations have been banned from so-called "cycling festival"s because they stuck up for freedom of choice and refused to impose helmet requirements on their members.

On CC I've seen very many snarky and sarcastic comments about those who wear helmets. "Plasctic hat wearers" and similar jibes are common, which saddens me given that CC is somewhere that prides itself on inclusion and personal choice.

I'm hoping that means the CC mods remove the far worse abuse directed at us non-users, then. Over in Facebook, "stupid" is the polite end of the replies, with "vegetable in waiting" being one of the few others which I think won't get moderated out here!

Which reminds me to go back to the OP with a caution: whoever you're intending to show that evidence to may well not be persuaded because, let's face it, if they cared about evidence, they would have looked for evidence of cycle helmet real-world efficacy already and not found it, despite the helmet makers having the income from 30+ years to gather it. They are quite likely to respond with emotional blackmail, which is a waste of time answering rationally, which is why they often get sarcastic replies of the sort complained about above.

 

[Drago]

I've had the odd snarky comment about the lack of hi vis too, usually from people who aren't wearing one either yet who I can see equally well.