We do seem to have a teeny image problem

[Spinney]

Hmm, @Sara_H, doing that on a desktop computer gets this:

 

[Sara_H]

Hmm, @Sara_H, doing that on a desktop computer gets this:
View attachment 34030

Yebbut - all the negativity is overcome by us making better lovers - FACT!

 

[Gravity Aided]

any more time
His opening sentence puts me off a bit, the first paragraph puts me off completely, I don't want to read anymore.

Precis
As with all writings, getting past the throwaway sensationalist introduction makes for better reading. The writer goes on to explain affect heuristics, and that drivers, as a group, are given the impression of all cyclists being horses patoots because a few are. And he goes on to give the example of this impressiveness theory by asking the readers which kills more in America, asthma or tornadoes. Most people think tornadoes, because of the impression they make, yet asthma kills 20 times more people than tornadoes in America., but the impressiveness of the storm creates this affect heuristic, in defiance of logic and the facts. Same is true for drivers v. cyclists.

 

[gilespargiter]

Precis
As with all writings, getting past the throwaway sensationalist introduction makes for better reading. The writer goes on to explain affect heuristics, and that drivers, as a group, are given the impression of all cyclists being horses patoots because a few are. And he goes on to give the example of this impressiveness theory by asking the readers which kills more in America, asthma or tornadoes. Most people think tornadoes, because of the impression they make, yet asthma kills 20 times more people than tornadoes in America., but the impressiveness of the storm creates this affect heuristic, in defiance of logic and the facts. Same is true for drivers v. cyclists.

In exactly the same way that many cyclists think cycling is dangerous because many wear helmets, when in fact car riders suffer far more head injuries.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I personally do not think cycling is dangerous, but falling off certainly is. And failure to properly diagnose a concussion, now that we have the proper tools.

 

[gilespargiter]

I personally do not think cycling is dangerous, but falling off certainly is. And failure to properly diagnose a concussion, now that we have the proper tools.

Quite so Gravity aided, you obviously first find out the evidence and then work on that basis. As I'am sure you have discerned, the link that you have given such a succinct precis of tends to indicate that most humans in fact, make paranoid emotion based risk assessments and that this paranoia is contagious, ie, we are a bunch of highly excitable neurotic, paranoid monkeys who often delude ourselves that we are making logical decisions(trouble with democracy- the ignorant vote equally with the informed).
As cyclists the evidence shows that we have about an equal risk as a pedestrian of serious head injury and less than a person riding in a car. As a "normal" person going about "usual" life the time when you are most likely to have a serious head injury is when you are getting in and out of the bath or shower. So I hope everyone has a crash helmet in their bathroom!
This of course indicates that all those responsible for making the rules for cycle races which require helmets should be displaced in favour of those who do actually make evidence based risk assessments. As clearly the insistence on helmet wearing (apparently mostly not even conforming to the minimal standards required of them even if so marked) is based on nothing more than delusions and paranoia.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Here is the list of bicycle helmet standards in America, with links to the Australian standards as well. To race or even ride in many events in America, one has to have a Snell or ANSI certified helmet. They also contribute to survivability in tornadoes, especially for children. But we all survived cycling for the 100 years of it before effective helmets were introduced.
http://www.bhsi.org/standard.htm

 

[gilespargiter]

Oops - your list of standards for helmets doesn’t seem to be attached Gravity Aided.

For myself I already have detailed specifications for them listed - but not on this computer. In the EU they have to comply with an EU standard which is lower than the Snell one.

I didn't really intend this thread to turn into a so called "helmet debate". It is just that this so called "debate" is clearly a very good example of the way that affect heuristics work, to anyone that has actually investigated the empiric evidence concerning so called "cycle" helmets and cyclist injuries and injury rates compared to other sports or everyday activities.

It has not been established;
A) That cyclists have a higher serious head injury rate than anyone else in ordinary life (in fact it seems quite the contrary compared to many everyday activities) let alone other sports (accepting that many cycle as a transport solution rather than for sport reasons).
B) That they offer significant protection in most of the main circumstances that cyclists receive serious head injuries (head on with oncoming vehicles).

However it has been established that; cyclists suffer considerably less than others from many medical problems - obesity being an outstanding one. Also that on average regular cyclists live longer than the general population.

As I say I unfortunately do not have the range of research papers I have used to investigate this or links to them on this computer.

My personal overview has come to be, that cycling is a particularly safe activity to undertake. That the constant pushing and supplying of "cycle" helmets comes from empirically baseless superstition - the result of affect heuristics or and commercial interest. That bicycle suppliers and anyone else who wishes to promote cycling are shooting themselves in the foot by having anything to do with promoting them. As the benefits of cycling on many different levels far outweigh the rare incidence of serious head injury.
This is not to say that their are not occasional deadly hazards to cyclists, but helmet wearing has incredibly little to do with them.

I used to have a neutral view on whether others should wear helmets or not. However I now take the view that a person that wears a helmet is actually reducing their own safety and that of others by continuing to support the myth that cycling is unusually hazardous. Thus reducing the number of people that may be tempted to cycle. It has been shown that one of the best things to reduce the hazards that do occur while cycling is to have more cyclists.
Accordingly I do now think that those who insist on helmet wearing during cycling events should be displaced in favour of those who are capable of making an evidence based risk assessment.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I wear a helmet and gloves when cycling, so I do not bash my head again, or skin up my hands in a fall. If someone wishes not to, that should be their choice. I think we are making a statement as to image among motorists when we behave safely and follow traffic laws, not whether we wear gear of one sort or another or not.

 

[gilespargiter]

I entirely agree that we should behave properly and follow the traffic laws and this does effect our image. I think one of the problems here in the UK is that many motorists and indeed cyclists do not actually properly know the "Highway code" (A government published code which embodies a code for good practice as well as some traffic law requirements).
However as mentioned, if you wish to consistently apply safety measures concerning head injury, then you should also wear a helmet as a pedestrian and without fail while riding in a car or taking a bath.

 

[crazyjoe101]

 

[Scoosh]

Moderator's Warning Caution: Please keep away from the Helmet debate, it's a very large can of worms - so large, in fact, that it has its own section of CC.

Thank you.

 

[snorri]

I think we are making a statement as to image among motorists when we behave safely and follow traffic laws, not whether we wear gear of one sort or another or not.

Wearing cycle specific clothing including "safety" equipment, ensures we will be part of an out group regardless of our respect for the law.

 

[Milzy]

Even our friends in New Zealand are getting in on the act.
http://runstreak.blogspot.com/2012/10/imo-top-6-reasons-most-cyclists-are.html

Interesting, I'm both a runner & cyclist.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I used to do both, and cannot see the conflict between the two, nor that these conditions would be any more extant in NZ.