The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[Justinslow]

1) Why is it that helmet compulsion doesn't bring any discernible benefit when assessed across a whole population?

No idea, but as I know of people who have had severe accidents in this country where we live, where their head has been protected by a helmet I prefer to carry on wearing a helmet.

2) What is special about cyclist head injuries compared to those that occur in other firms of transport that we care about the former out of all proportion?

I actually do wear a helmet sometimes in my profession and riding a motorcycle (law). Other forms of transport - vehicle, I have seat belts, wind screen, air bags, metal surrounding me. As a pedestrian I believe it is mainly the senior citizens who are falling over therefore when I am old maybe I will choose to wear one!

And who is really worried about these questions anyway outside of this thread? Do many people really think that hard about it.
This argument has nothing to do with whether a helmet is any good or not and everything to do with compulsion.

 

[martint235]

No idea, but as I know of people who have had severe accidents in this country where we live, where their head has been protected by a helmet I prefer to carry on wearing a helmet.
.

Due to the lack of scientific backup, that should be re-worded to "I know of people who have had severe accidents in this country where we live and they did not damage their heads. Coincidentally they were wearing helmets but there is absolutely no way of knowing if this helped in any way or not"

 

[Mugshot]

I know of people who have had severe accidents in this country where we live

You seem quite keen on pointing out that this country where we live is not that country where other people live, do you think our tarmac is harder?

 

[Justinslow]

As another "ex Police Officer", I can only relate my one and only memory of attending an accident involving a cyclist. He was wearing a helmet, a car hit him from behind, he did not survive. Therefore the logical conclusion is that in my professional experience, helmets are ineffective.

Would anything have been effective?

 

[srw]

Would anything have been effective?

The car avoiding him.

 

[Brandane]

Would anything have been effective?

Hard to guess. Perhaps a helmet which offers some realistic degree of protection, rather than a thin piece of polystyrene with a coating of plastic?

 

[theclaud]

I realise you want to ride this little hobby horse around for a while and that unfortunately glenn has muddied the waters and given you an easy thread diversion tool.

Or, alternatively, provided the odd laugh in a thread otherwise doomed to circle for ever in Justin's loop of inexhaustible ignorance.

 

[Justinslow]

Or, alternatively, provided the odd laugh in a thread otherwise doomed to circle for ever in Justin's loop of inexhaustible ignorance.

You're the one coming out with cretinous arguments......

 

[Mugshot]

Or, alternatively, provided the odd laugh in a thread otherwise doomed to circle for ever in Justin's loop of inexhaustible ignorance.

Yeah, that too.

 

[Justinslow]

Hard to guess. Perhaps a helmet which offers some realistic degree of protection, rather than a thin piece of polystyrene with a coating of plastic?

Yes it probably is hard to guess isn't it, just like its hard to guess whether a helmet may have helped in other accidents. Obviously in this case it didn't but that may be due to injuries to other parts of the body.

 

[Justinslow]

The car avoiding him.

How do we stop cars hitting people then?

 

[Justinslow]

That is fine on both counts, we all understand that you know nothing about the subject and prefer to wear a helmet. The only thing I don't understand is why you need to keep telling everyone

Well why not you come out with the same old lines time and time again.......,

 

[Justinslow]

Going back to mountain bike riders, why does no one question their desire to wear a helmet? I was on a mtb ride yesterday where 3 riders fell off, were they all bonkers to be wearing helmets?

 

[theclaud]

You're the one coming out with cretinous arguments......

Doesn't take much prodding for the affable veneer to crack, does it?

 

[mjr]

Certainly livened up this old chestnut of a debate hasn't it!!!!

Not really. It looks like another helmet-pusher who can't be bothered to research their subject has posted the same old bad arguments. Bottom line is that it seem if you wear a helmet, you're more likely to be in a collision and traumatise your loved ones, so if you love your family, don't add minimally-effective armour.

In which case you will know that the European standard is considered inadequate in the US and not allowed to be used in many events in the US.

Hasn't the US relaxed its standard to be as weak as the European one since @gds58's helmet 20+ years ago? Then it would probably have been a B95 or B90 helmet, now it would be CPSC.

Not scientific just simple hard fact. The bottom line is do whatever you want.

If it's ain't scientific, it ain't the whole facts! But "do whatever you want" reminds me: over in another discussion, someone said everyone should wear a helmet but they are pro-choice because no-one has to ride so you have a choice not to wear a helmet. So now I'm wondering, who here thinks that is "pro-choice"?

That would have been a bit eccentric. I was just walking down the garden.

Almost as eccentric as wearing body armour to pootle to the post office!

How do we stop cars hitting people then?

space4cycling and RoadJustice.