Helemt or not??

[Bugner]

I am a relative newbie here and have just been reading the thread re the newspaper article.

There seems to be a lot of people that despise helmets?? WHY?

I realise that wearing a helmet is a personal choice, but I really can't understand the opinions of the anti-helmet brigade??

Statements of there is no proof and that helmets increase safety and they can in fact cause additional injuries (yet no proof of that either)

Surely, simple logic suggests that a helmet offer some sort of additional protection

For example, if you were to drop a cricket ball from 3 feet onto someone with a helmet and someone with out, who is going to come of worse??

or if you were to run and headbutt a wall, again who is going to suffer more of an injury.

Also if the headgear is such a waste of time, why do all tour-de-france cyclists wear them, surely they add extra weight and increase drag?

I would be interested to know why some people are so anti-helmets? and if was to become compulsory, would you ignore the law and take a fine each time caught, or stop cycling out of principal??

I would be interested in peoples opinions.

PS. I do wear a helmet

 

[BentMikey]

*sigh*

Go adn read www.cyclehelmets.org for evidence both for and against. Helmets are a peculiarly US and UK thing, for something that is as safe as walking.

 

[spindrift]

http://www.cyclehelmets.org/

 

[Bugner]

Mikey, apologies if this has been done to death for the Senior members, but as a newbie, I am interested and maybe after looking at your link (thanks by the way) i may stop wearing mine?!?!

 

[BentMikey]

I wouldn't say stop wearing it, but definitely read up on the issues. One thing that's not debated much is that helmets are probably quite good at preventing scalp lacerations and other minor injuries. That could be reason enough for some, but me, I'm most worried about serious head injuries, and that's where helmets are *very* controversial.

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

I have yet to hear someone who has had an accident say that they would have been worse off if they had worn a helmet.

But then again it's pretty difficult to make out what they say since there congnative abilities have been impaired.

 

[snapper_37]

2 fairly nasty accidents, 2 split helmets. 1 head still intact.

Enough for me to keep on loving a helmet

Each to their own and that.

 

[domtyler]

I find the above site has the distinct air of a propaganda site, some man on mission, a single issue kind of thing. Nothing wrong with that in itself, but certainly not somewhere to find a balanced argument.

 

[John the Monkey]

Read up on it, make your mind up. I have no problem with your decision either way.

 

[BentMikey]

I have yet to hear someone who has had an accident say that they would have been worse off if they had worn a helmet.

But then again it's pretty difficult to make out what they say since there congnative abilities have been impaired.

You can't say that any more - Ravenbait posted about her neck injuries sustained in a crash as a result of her helmet.

 

[BentMikey]

I find the above site has the distinct air of a propaganda site, some man on mission, a single issue kind of thing. Nothing wrong with that in itself, but certainly not somewhere to find a balanced argument.

LMAO - when you compare the numbers of pro-helmet studies versus the number of sceptical ones listed and discussed on the site. Don't be silly, they do a great job of showing the pro-evidence as well as the rest.

 

[dodgy]

Also if the headgear is such a waste of time, why do all tour-de-france cyclists wear them, surely they add extra weight and increase drag?

They don't get a choice.

Dave.

 

[numbnuts]

do whatever floats your boat

 

[domtyler]

LMAO - when you compare the numbers of pro-helmet studies versus the number of sceptical ones listed and discussed on the site. Don't be silly, they do a great job of showing the pro-evidence as well as the rest.

So you are saying that the site is totally non-biased?

 

[BentMikey]

Of course not, but it's about the most neutral out there. FFS, some of the authors behind the site are ardent helmet wearers. Unfortunately many pro-helmeteer religionistas don't like anyone to discuss the evidence against helmets, and thus call the site biased.