Riding on sheet ice

[Linford]

Link.

I don't disagree with this, and certainly for in people in their 90's

Have you got any similar data on serious head injuries for a comparison ?

 

[ColinJ]

I don't disagree with this, and certainly for in people in their 90's

Have you got any similar data on serious head injuries for a comparison ?

The article I quoted said that the risks were not actually increased in the over-90s, probably because the people would have died anyway.

You seemed to be disputing the seriousness of a broken hip with this comment:

You recall the crash I witnessed of another friend a few years ago. His first point of contact was his head when he hit the road, He suffered no head or neck injuries, but broke his hip and femur. The hip was put right that night and has not bothered him since.

And you seemed unaware of the risk of death after such an injury.

As for head injuries ... I'm doing hips - if you want to do heads then you can do the Googling!

 

[Linford]

The article I quoted said that the risks were not actually increased in the over-90s, probably because the people would have died anyway.

You seemed to be disputing the seriousness of a broken hip with this comment:



And you seemed unaware of the risk of death after such an injury.

As for head injuries ... I'm doing hips - if you want to do heads then you can do the Googling!

Absolutely not. My GMIL died at the age of 97 about 7 years ago after breaking her hip. I was at her bedside when she went

What I am saying though is that a comparison should be made like for like in cyclists or motorcyclists to see how each fare. No more or less

 

[srw]

I only got it on the thursday evening before. The rest of the weekend was taken ferrying people around the hills in the 4x4. The BB on my own bike is buggered , and so hateful to ride, I was happy to not bother.

Even I know, and I'm no engineer, that replacing a buggered BB is a swift and cheap 15-minute job.

 

[ColinJ]

Absolutely not. My GMIL died at the age of 97 about 7 years ago after breaking her hip. I was at her bedside when she went

Brings back unhappy memories ... Still, 97 is a pretty fine age to reach.

What I am saying though is that a comparison should be made like for like in cyclists or motorcyclists to see how each fare. No more or less

Going back to the original question ...

I nearly always wear a helmet on my bike, so if I were going to ride in icy conditions then I would be wearing a helmet. The fact is though, that I crashed 3 times on one short icy ride and each time it was the kind of heavy fall that could break a hip so I decided not to risk riding on ice again. I can remember my helmeted head smacking hard against the ice on at least one of those falls so I was grateful to be wearing it.

I have witnessed people walking away from nasty-looking crashes with broken helmets but unscathed heads.

I only started wearing a helmet because I promised my elderly mother that I would and I didn't want to be lie to her by continuing to ride without one. I got used to it, and feel that it would probably help in more situations than it would cause problems in so I carry on wearing one even though my mum isn't around to worry about me any more. It's a personal choice though, so I don't evangelise on the subject - wear one, or don't wear one - it's up to the individual!

 

[Linford]

Even I know, and I'm no engineer, that replacing a buggered BB is a swift and cheap 15-minute job.

The bike was hateful to ride before it broke...Tyres are good off it though

 

[mcshroom]

I wouldn't even think about the helmet really.

If you do consider it effective, then it still comes behind Not Cycling (remove the hazard), and Studded tyres (reduce risk of accident). Once you've fallen off then you may consider that the helmet provides some mitigation, but I'd prefer to lower my chances of falling off personally.