The big cycle & walk challenge...being irresponsible??

[calibanzwei]

Again? REALLY?

 

[mcshroom]

If that is how you feel, then by all means wear a helmet. They are available and like any other item of clothing then you can decide what you want. As long as you enjoy cycling then who cares what you have on your head?

What has got people to react is the presumption that they are safer and that it is irresponsible not to promote them. I note you say you understand that you are better off with a helmet if you bang your head. I'm not sure the evidence is there but if you believe that you would be better off then fine, it's your head after all. Helmets are not as definable a quantity as we would like, and as well as the dangers that they protect against they also introduce other dangers in themselves. Where people sit on where the benefit or not of wearing a helmet should be determined individually by assessing the available evidence. I sometimes wear mine and sometimes don't.

When addressing children on the matter, IMHO it would be better to explain how helmets work if they want them, but not to tell them that they should or shouldn't wear one. The worst case would be for a child to be wearing an incorrectly fitted helmet in an accident, as it will not do the job it is intended to and may very well cause consequences that it isn't intended to like choking or rotational neck injuries.

 

[livpoksoc]

If that is how you feel, then by all means wear a helmet. They are available and like any other item of clothing then you can decide what you want. As long as you enjoy cycling then who cares what you have on your head?

What has got people to react is the presumption that they are safer and that it is irresponsible not to promote them. I note you say you understand that you are better off with a helmet if you bang your head. I'm not sure the evidence is there but if you believe that you would be better off then fine, it's your head after all. Helmets are not as definable a quantity as we would like, and as well as the dangers that they protect against they also introduce other dangers in themselves. Where people sit on where the benefit or not of wearing a helmet should be determined individually by assessing the available evidence. I sometimes wear mine and sometimes don't.

When addressing children on the matter, IMHO it would be better to explain how helmets work if they want them, but not to tell them that they should or shouldn't wear one. The worst case would be for a child to be wearing an incorrectly fitted helmet in an accident, as it will not do the job it is intended to and may very well cause consequences that it isn't intended to like choking or rotational neck injuries.

Fair enough, I accept that & will gladly redress my presentation based on information provided above.

Again, apologies to those who are annoyed by my ignorance, I was led by one source who I will now speak with about the contrary evidence.