rustyroger
Active Member
Safety helmets are compulsory for Tour de France riders, I don't know if they are generally required in any particular countries. (If anyone does know please let us know).
I remember the fuss kicked up by the motorcycle fraternity when helmet law came in, and the same when seat belt law for cars was introduced. Strangely I don't think the death rate for motorcyclists went down dramatically, but the brain damage rates dropped markedly. However the death rate for car accidents dropped by a third.
Many years ago I watched a tv programme all about road safety, if memory serves it was a Man Alive production called "The greatest epidemic of our time" I remember a psychologist saying at the time that the safer people feel, the more risks they will take. Is it possible that helmet wearing cyclists will take risks that non wearers would steer clear from?.
On occasion I have driven a 1959 Cadillac from Kent to Northampton to car shows. I was very aware it had no seat belts, ponderous road manners and brakes that were certainly not up to modern standards. Also the interior might have been designed to maximise injury in a collision, plus it wasn't my car. As you might imagine I drove in a very risk averse manner, concentrating all my attention on what was going on ahead and around me, and trying to anticipate any potential hazards. I like to think I try to drive within my and my cars limitations, but certainly I would have got a bit more of a move on in my modern airbag and abs equipped Peugeot.
Some say it should be the individuals choice whether to helmet up, buckle up etc. My answer to that is if you do suffer avoidable injury it is the the NHS paid for by us, the taxpayers, who will pick up the bill.
Roger.
I remember the fuss kicked up by the motorcycle fraternity when helmet law came in, and the same when seat belt law for cars was introduced. Strangely I don't think the death rate for motorcyclists went down dramatically, but the brain damage rates dropped markedly. However the death rate for car accidents dropped by a third.
Many years ago I watched a tv programme all about road safety, if memory serves it was a Man Alive production called "The greatest epidemic of our time" I remember a psychologist saying at the time that the safer people feel, the more risks they will take. Is it possible that helmet wearing cyclists will take risks that non wearers would steer clear from?.
On occasion I have driven a 1959 Cadillac from Kent to Northampton to car shows. I was very aware it had no seat belts, ponderous road manners and brakes that were certainly not up to modern standards. Also the interior might have been designed to maximise injury in a collision, plus it wasn't my car. As you might imagine I drove in a very risk averse manner, concentrating all my attention on what was going on ahead and around me, and trying to anticipate any potential hazards. I like to think I try to drive within my and my cars limitations, but certainly I would have got a bit more of a move on in my modern airbag and abs equipped Peugeot.
Some say it should be the individuals choice whether to helmet up, buckle up etc. My answer to that is if you do suffer avoidable injury it is the the NHS paid for by us, the taxpayers, who will pick up the bill.
Roger.
A friendly copper delivered it to my hospital bed, while checking up on me.)
