More helmet BS; by Carol Kirkwood.

[Brandane]

Carol Kirkwood was knocked off her bike by a car last year.
She has been reliving the traumatic event in various parts of the media today, which is all very good until she mentioned the H word....

She explained: ‘I have a huge nose as you can see, so my nose hit the deck and had a lovely big, black bruise on it, but my helmet had a peak at the front and that’s what stopped my face hitting the ground.’

So her nose "hit the deck", but somehow the rest of her face was saved by a peak at the front of her helmet? At best, it might offer some protection to her forehead, but her face? Very strange.
Generally I quite like Carol Kirkwood, but what drives people to come out with this nonsense? It just adds more ammunition to the pro compulsion mob. Maybe she has been "got at" by some of them?

 

[mjr]

Maybe she has been "got at" by some of them?

Almost certainly. It ain't nicknamed the Bike Bashing Corporation for nothing. Have you seen all the visitor bike parking at their HQ? No? That's because there isn't any.

 

[winjim]

Noses are nature's crumple zones.

 

[tribanjules]

So at least other assets didn’t get damaged ……..

 

[BoldonLad]

Carol Kirkwood was knocked off her bike by a car last year.
She has been reliving the traumatic event in various parts of the media today, which is all very good until she mentioned the H word....



So her nose "hit the deck", but somehow the rest of her face was saved by a peak at the front of her helmet? At best, it might offer some protection to her forehead, but her face? Very strange.
Generally I quite like Carol Kirkwood, but what drives people to come out with this nonsense? It just adds more ammunition to the pro compulsion mob. Maybe she has been "got at" by some of them?

I would doubt they are her own “pure” thoughts, I would think, someone has seen an opportunity for public “education”.

It so happens, I am a helmet wearer, but, would not like to see it become compulsory

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Love the 'it was a pure accident, of course" married to
" I was out on my bike and got knocked off it by a car that drove into me"

not really sure those 2 go together??

 

[fossyant]

So, three weeks off with a bump on her nose. Good god. Traumatic. I've done worse, much worse.

Probably the peak folded down - she must have fallen weirdly.

 

[fossyant]

Ah, OK she cut her knee as well - now't to do with the helmet !

 

[Dogtrousers]

Generally I quite like Carol Kirkwood, but what drives people to come out with this nonsense? It just adds more ammunition to the pro compulsion mob. Maybe she has been "got at" by some of them?

To be fair I think it's probably just how she perceived it happening. She may not be 100% correct but a crash can be a bit traumatic and memories and interpretation of the facts can be a bit unreliable. She may not even know that it's a contentious topic. I didn't until I started hanging round on cycling forums.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I didn't until I started hanging round on cycling forums.

Yeah - you kinda learn fast when you get here!!!

 

[Oldhippy]

Polystyrene has no magical qualities.

 

[Drago]

Now he tells me. All this time ive been wearing a lucky rabbits foot on my head, and kept a Giro helmet on my keyring.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have no idea who Carol Kirkwood is.

But about four years ago I came off my road bike going downhill. I was tavelling about 40mph. I slid down the hill head first and face to the road. I still have very visible scarring to my elbows and forearms. I had a helmet with a peak and it was ground down as if you had taken an angle grinder to it.

Had I not been wearing a helmet with a peak, all that grinding would have been on my face. I would have been a real mess. So miss Kirkwood may talk a load of drivel. But on this occasion, she could well be correct.

 

[icowden]

Polystyrene has no magical qualities.

No, but it does have many physical properties such as its ability to absorb and distribute energy thus being helpful if your noggin hits the ground.

 

[icowden]

Her nose "hit the deck", but somehow the rest of her face was saved by a peak at the front of her helmet? At best, it might offer some protection to her forehead, but her face? Very strange.

Why? The average female nose sticks out 2.2cm Thus if she faceplanted as is suggested, that polystyrene helmet possibly prevented her entire face smacking the concrete, thus saving her forehead, cheekbones etc, whilst failing to entirely protect her nose.

Try it yourself. Get a long ruler, pop your cycle helmet on and then hold the ruler from your chin to the front of your helmet. That is the additional "crumple" zone that you benefit from when wearing a helmet. Obviously there is an element of compression when the helmet hits the ground, but it is providing more protection than your head without the helmet.

Personally I'd rather a bruised nose than a broken one.