The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

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Shaun

Founder
Moderator
Bell introduced the modern polystyrene cycling helmet in 1975 (before then bike racers, rugby players, aeronauts and mountaineers wore protective leather caps).

First constructed to protect the skull by crushing on impact, there has been little aesthetic or material innovation in their design over the years but as the marketing (and wearing) of helmets increased so has the conversation about whether they are an effective "safety" device (none of the manufacturers sell them as safety helmets or mention safety on their websites or marking materials) and whether wearing them should be made compulsory.

In cycling forums, blogs, magazines, cafes and elsewhere cyclists continue to debate the efficacy of the modern-day cycling helmet as a safety device, with strong opinions about the usefulness (or not) of helmets and equally about whether everyone who cycles should be made to wear one.

Interestingly, despite the many years that helmets have been manufactured, marketed, sold and worn, there is no clear scientific evidence to prove (or disprove) their effectiveness as a safety device.

Manufacturers do not appear to be interested in clearly establishing the safety worth of their helmets either, since they don't sell them as safety devices (the safety aspect is assumed by cyclists and/or their influencers), so we are unlikely to see any of them helping to resolve the debate anytime soon.

Therefore, amongst members of cycling communities and groups the world over the discussion about the effectiveness of helmets as a safety device and the mandatory wearing of them (enforced by law) continues apace.

This thread is CycleChat's contribution to that discussion, and since the efficacy of helmets as a safety device is directly linked with the discussion about whether wearing them should be made mandatory, both of these components are up for discussion in the helmet discussions sub-forum.

Moderation

Due to years of continued arguments and personal differences that have cost untold hours of moderation time for the team, this forum is now fully moderated. Your post will go into a queue and will be reviewed by a moderator before appearing. If the team feel your post does not add anything useful or substantial to the discussion it will not be approved; as such it may take time for your replies to appear.

Please be respectful of other people's opinions and choices and be considerate in your replies.

Thanks,
Shaun
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
I wear one in London. I'm off to Holland on Tuesday night for a few days. Nobody wears one over there, I won't either. I'm not sure why I do over here in London. It isn't a big deal. A St Christopher medallion might be as much good. Just don't preach to me.
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
Can I be the first to point out that although anecdote is of interest psychologically it can't tell you anything about either component of the helmet debate as @Shaun has outlined them? For that you do need evidence, collected reasonably systematically and examined dispassionately.
 

BSRU

A Human Being
Location
Swindon
When I used to race, along time ago, I was the only person who wore a Bell polystyrene hat:wacko:, I looked like a right nobber:tongue:. I didn't see the point of those crappy leather hats:rolleyes: plus I "was" an awkward bar steward:whistle:.
Now I wear a cycling cap to stop my head from being sun burnt:sun:.
 

winjim

Smash the cistern
Do we really need another one of these threads?

This had been done to death. Wear it. Don't wear it.
Consolidate all your pointless helmet threads into one pointless uberthread. The bickering could be quite fun.
I for one am looking forward to some perverted voyeurism over the hopefully very draconian enforcement of the rules. Can there be a list published of who's been threadbanned and why?
 

swansonj

Guru
Can I be the first to point out that although anecdote is of interest psychologically it can't tell you anything about either component of the helmet debate as @Shaun has outlined them? For that you do need evidence, collected reasonably systematically and examined dispassionately.
I'm assuming we are not barred from pointing out that a given observation by another member is anecdote not evidence - but that, having pointed that out, we are then barred from making ten successive posts saying "I'm sill waiting for the evidence..." Seems reasonable enough to me, indeed, a principle that would benefit several other threads. ^_^
 

winjim

Smash the cistern
I'm assuming we are not barred from pointing out that a given observation by another member is anecdote not evidence - but that, having pointed that out, we are then barred from making ten successive posts saying "I'm sill waiting for the evidence..." Seems reasonable enough to me, indeed, a principle that would benefit several other threads. ^_^
There is such a thing as anecdotal evidence though.
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
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hairnet_1.jpg
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Wanna look like a prat - get one of these only $19 from La Bicicletta in Toronto.
 
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