Helmet emphasis on cycle crash in Bristol paper

[captain nemo1701]

A young lady ventures out on a bike without checking the brakes and, guess what?:
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Horror-bike-crash-helmet/story-19489283-detail/story.html?afterReg=Y

Interesting to note that the article has a distinct over-emphasis helmets (mentioned 8 times!) and the accident was actually caused by brake failure. It's doubtful if a helmet would have prevented the injuries sustained (they don't cover collar bones).

 

[fossyant]

Hmm a helmet wouldn't have prevented any of those injuries. :confused:

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

So now we have to wear full face helmets too?

 

[MontyVeda]

the lowest form of journalism that be.... no mention of maybe check your brakes are working before venturing out, which would have averted the incident altogether... just the usual 'no helmet' drivel

 

[david k]

the lowest form of journalism that be.... no mention of maybe check your brakes are working before venturing out, which would have averted the incident altogether... just the usual 'no helmet' drivel

"for mums and dads to check their children's bikes regularly and make sure they are wearing their helmets." does mention checking bikes but point taken

 

[captain nemo1701]

The Bristol Post is well known for being anti-cycling. It's owned by the Daily mail who once tailed CTC president Jon Snow through london in an attempt to catch him RLJing etc. They've never supported cycling city either. Now, they appear to be joining the helmet debate without doing any research. They have started a poll about helmets on their website.

 

[summerdays]

I too had seen the article (and the piece on the radio a week or so back). In each time they just mentioned the brakes and then concentrated on how she should have been wearing a helmet. How often do both brakes fail at the same time? No so that means she didn't pull them on when she was even getting on her bike to find out that her parents or herself (she looks old enough to work out if her brakes are working) had been maintaining the bike, before setting off.

At no point have they actually explained how the helmet would have prevented the accident unless she was supposed to jam the helmet into the wheel to act as a brake but probably throwing her off the bike anyway (but before the bus crash potentially I will grant you).

 

[summerdays]

I admit seeing a bike with one of the brakes completely slack is relatively common - usually the front but you do see both sometimes ... the clue is usually the fact they are using their foot in some manner (on the ground or on the back wheel) to slow themselves down - which makes you look at the bike and notice the brake arms at the wrong angle. Most common on BMX bikes rather than the type shown.

 

[StuartG]

Just read the article and realised you folks were rather playing down the helmet bit. Ye Gods I need one right now having an unstoppable urge to cranially attack my keyboard ...

 

[byegad]

the lowest form of journalism that be.... no mention of maybe check your brakes are working before venturing out, which would have averted the incident altogether... just the usual 'no helmet' drivel

There's a higher form of journalism????

 

[albion]

They just near 'copy and paste' old stories together to make it up.
Obviously helmets are the fail safe to pad out the story.


Sadly, by us all often linking to crass, dumbing down works !

 

[mcshroom]

I too had seen the article (and the piece on the radio a week or so back). In each time they just mentioned the brakes and then concentrated on how she should have been wearing a helmet. How often do both brakes fail at the same time? No so that means she didn't pull them on when she was even getting on her bike to find out that her parents or herself (she looks old enough to work out if her brakes are working) had been maintaining the bike, before setting off.

At no point have they actually explained how the helmet would have prevented the accident unless she was supposed to jam the helmet into the wheel to act as a brake but probably throwing her off the bike anyway (but before the bus crash potentially I will grant you).

I've had no brakes before. CHanging both tyres and forgetting to re-attach the straddle wires does that pretty effectively

 

[summerdays]

I've had no brakes before. CHanging both tyres and forgetting to re-attach the straddle wires does that pretty effectively

But you sussed that before you had gone any distance from your house?

 

[mcshroom]

But you sussed that before you had gone any distance from your house?

er

 

[summerdays]

Maybe it helps to live in in a place with hills - I can't go any distance without hitting a slope, in the old house I lived on a hill.