Helmets.....

[jonesy]

i personally can't see a problem with wearing a helmet, and I don't understand why it would put people off cycling.

And therein lies the problem with your argument...

 

[ianrauk]

okay here's a question then, and it's a genuine question to see what peoples thoughts are. You can get a helmet in a sale for £20, which isn't exactly loads of money. So why would you not wear one? Is it a case of thinking that they are useless? Or is it because people simply don't like the look of them? Don't shoot me down with sarcasm, i'm genuinly interested in peoples thoughts.

None of those.
Just dont wear one. It's that simple. Is that hard to understand?
Cycling is not a dangerous activity.

 

[Red Light]

I do see why it is important to some; it's just that I know nobody who would stop cycling if helmet use became mandatory. I cannot at this stage know whether I know anyone who would have started cycling were it not for helmet legislation.

It really doesn't matter whether you know anyone who would or whether you can't understand why they might. The fact is they do. And its worst with teenagers who are the very people we should be encouraging to take up cycling.

 

[Norm]

okay here's a question then, and it's a genuine question to see what peoples thoughts are. You can get a helmet in a sale for £20, which isn't exactly loads of money. So why would you not wear one? Is it a case of thinking that they are useless? Or is it because people simply don't like the look of them? Don't shoot me down with sarcasm, i'm genuinly interested in peoples thoughts.

Are there any circumstances under which you would consider wearing a helmet when walking? If you are walking on rough ground, for instance, or going out for a drink, or on a pavement which runs alongside a fast road?

 

[Red Light]

Not really, I can see people don't think they help with a head injury, which is fair enough, that's their opinion, but my own opinion and decision to wear a helmet was purely based on the fact that any sport that involves cycling involves helmets....if the pro's and semi pro's wear them then there must be a reason to? Unless of course it's down to regulation.

I assume you follow the pro's then and wear a helmet and five point harness in the car as they are required in any sport involving a car.

 

[Red Light]

okay here's a question then, and it's a genuine question to see what peoples thoughts are. You can get a helmet in a sale for £20, which isn't exactly loads of money. So why would you not wear one? Is it a case of thinking that they are useless? Or is it because people simply don't like the look of them? Don't shoot me down with sarcasm, i'm genuinly interested in peoples thoughts.

Why would I spend £20 and suffer all the inconvenience of wearing a helmet * when there is absolutely no proof there is any benefit from it. You might as well ask why I don't carry a lucky rabbits foot to protect me.

* you have to carry them around off the bike, the insides need regular cleaning, you have to store them somewhere and remember to take them with you and they remove the pleasures of the wind in your hair inter alia.

 

[Raging Squirrel]

I assume you follow the pro's then and wear a helmet and five point harness in the car as they are required in any sport involving a car.

No, because i'm not driving my car at excessive speeds and pushing it to it's limit like a pro driver does.

 

[Raging Squirrel]

Are there any circumstances under which you would consider wearing a helmet when walking? If you are walking on rough ground, for instance, or going out for a drink, or on a pavement which runs alongside a fast road?

No I wouldn't. If you were to climb the north face of Ben Nevis would you not wear a helmet?

 

[Red Light]

No, because i'm not driving my car at excessive speeds and pushing it to it's limit like a pro driver does.

Neither do the vast majority of people on bikes. Its also curious that the helmet you are wearing is only designed for slow speed accidents ~10mph - not the speeds involved in pushing it to the limit like a pro-rider.

 

[StuartG]

Not really, I can see people don't think they help with a head injury, which is fair enough, that's their opinion, but my own opinion and decision to wear a helmet was purely based on the fact that any sport that involves cycling involves helmets....if the pro's and semi pro's wear them then there must be a reason to? Unless of course it's down to regulation.

Not sure what 'Not Really' refers too or your position on compulsion without reading back (I'm too tired). I and I guess nearly everybody has no problem with you wearing a helmet for any reason or none. What we have a problem with is any suggestion of compulsion by those without understanding of the counter arguements.

You need to understand before you can disagree. Do you agree with that?

 

[Raging Squirrel]

Why would I spend £20 and suffer all the inconvenience of wearing a helmet * when there is absolutely no proof there is any benefit from it. You might as well ask why I don't carry a lucky rabbits foot to protect me.

* you have to carry them around off the bike, the insides need regular cleaning, you have to store them somewhere and remember to take them with you and they remove the pleasures of the wind in your hair inter alia.

I wouldn't say from my own personal experience that having a helmet is an inconvenience. The only place I can think of that having a helmet with me would be a bit annoying would be in a club, but I wouldn't ride a bike to a club in the first place.

I can understand why people would conclude that a piece of polystyrene is near useless in an accident, I see my helmet as being protection against hitting my head on the floor in a minor accident, I'm under no illusion that it'd keep me alive in a serious accident.

 

[jonesy]

I wouldn't say from my own personal experience that having a helmet is an inconvenience. The only place I can think of that having a helmet with me would be a bit annoying would be in a club, but I wouldn't ride a bike to a club in the first place.

I can understand why people would conclude that a piece of polystyrene is near useless in an accident, I see my helmet as being protection against hitting my head on the floor in a minor floor, I'm under no illusion that it'd keep me alive in a serious accident.

...and again!

 

[Norm]

No I wouldn't.

So, if you wouldn't wear a helmet walking, even though helmets are only £20 and walking is as likely to lead to a head injury as cycling, then use the same reasoning to understand why many people do not share you views about wearing a lid when cycling.

 

[Raging Squirrel]

...and again!

I see you're picking up on every time I say in my own experience, which is clever. But i'm not someone who looks at people and thinks tut tut tut no helmet. If you wear a helmet, great....if you don't wear a helmet, great. Everyone has their own decision to make. I'm merely trying to understand what peoples reasons are for not wearing a helmet.

 

[Red Light]

I can understand why people would conclude that a piece of polystyrene is near useless in an accident, I see my helmet as being protection against hitting my head on the floor in a minor accident, I'm under no illusion that it'd keep me alive in a serious accident.

And that same helmet will protect you equally well against the far more common event of a minor accident of hitting your head while on foot. And of course leaving it on your head when you park you bike and set off on foot is the most convenient way of carrying it. So I assume that's what you do.