Helmet wearer ?

[Crackle]

Light blue touch paper and away you go....

I was thinking that.

 

[MacB]

I was thinking that.

is it too early to mention Nazism, do I lose points?

 

[Crackle]

is it too early to mention Nazism, do I lose points?

No I think you could accuse Heartattack of being a mini-hitler at this point and get away with it

 

[Dan B]

My helmet has taken a few impacts on my behalf.

I hope you replaced it after each of them. Unless it's a particularly unusual design (more common in skate helmets than cycle helmets) it's only good for a single impact.

 

[asterix]

I've hit my head on the garage door a few times whilst helmetted. Should I have replaced it (the helmet, not my head, or maybe both).

Anyway, hurtling down the dales yesterday it occurred to me that: helmet versus dry-stone wall? No contest.

 

[swee'pea99]

(I can't resist rising to a nice juicy bit of bait...)

There is indeed the rotational one: broken neck, as against a bit of grazing.
There's the 'useless above 12 MPH' one.
There's the 'motorists drive closer' one.
There's the 'compensatory behaviour' one (feel safer, ride riskier)
And (socially speaking) there's the 'wherever implemented, compulsion has seen rates of cycling drop off a cliff' one. (In NSW, eg, where cycling among teenage girls fell 88%. Tackling obesity anyone?)

 

[Crackle]

A reasonable summary. I think you left out

Wearing the damn thing properly on your head in the first place
BS vs Ansi standards, BS being inferior to Ansi

 

[punkypossum]

I never used to wear one, then started wearing it, and now I'm scared not to wear. Almost seems like tempting fate - the one time I don't wear it, I will come off or something like that. So, looks like I'm stuck with it - although they totally mess my hair up!

 

[Baggy]

Without an independent study on head injuries I don't think we can do any more than speculate about how much use they are in impacts above 12mph, and without any evidence as to whether they are 'life savers' or not I don't think we should judge the choice of others.

If you want to wear one, wear one. If you don't, don't. I used to wear one in London, but don't any more (less street furniture here). As well as Crackle's additions there's also the fact that the added weight and size of the helmet means you might hit your head on the ground, when otherwise you would not.

Once when I was knocked over sideways by a pedestrian I had a stiff neck from the effort my body had instictively gone to to keep my head off the floor. With a helmet on I think I'd have smacked my head as the extra weight would have pulled me down.

 

[fossyant]

Almost always wear one - don't if popping half a mile to the shop though.

Buy a good one, they are light, well vented and look half decent.

Road rash is not pleasant on your scalp....

 

[scook94]

Okay, I can see that one

Again, agreed. But that's not why I wear one as a newb, my average speed on rides isn't much more than 12mph! I'm more concerned about losing concentration while admiring scenery and riding into a ditch. (almost happened a few times already!)

Don't buy this one at all. As a motorist I've never looked to see if a cyclists is wearing a helmet to see if I should give a wide berth or not.

Well there's no accounting for stupidity, hopefully doesn't apply in my case!

 

[palinurus]

Mostly no.

for cyclocross: Yes, because it's compulsory.

for time-trialling: Sometimes, because it has a clear benefit (pointy type only)

for utility riding (shopping and trailer trips), commuting and most leisure rides: No

for group riding: Sometimes, mostly not.

 

[User169]

Don't buy this one at all. As a motorist I've never looked to see if a cyclists is wearing a helmet to see if I should give a wide berth or not.

There is a purported demonstration of motorists giving non-helmeted cyclists a wider berth - see Ian Walker's work at the University of Bath. Mind you, he did find that dressing as a tranny is pretty effective too..

 

[swee'pea99]

There is a purported demonstration of motorists giving non-helmeted cyclists a wider berth - see Ian Walker's work at the University of Bath. Mind you, he did find that dressing as a tranny is pretty effective too..

Never wear a helmet, always wear a frock.

 

[tyred]

I would say it's an almost impossible question to answer as each and every accident will be different.