Who wears a helmet?

[Little yellow Brompton]

Anecdote- or personal experience, which you choose to dismiss because it doesn't suit your point of view?

.

No dismissed, because, the anecdotes fly in the face of physics, engineering and recorded statistics.

The most stringent test for cycle helmets, tests them to a max of 100 Joules. Grab a fag packet and even allowing for no other vehicle involved , work out how many joules are involved in you coming off at say 7mph ?

Or maybe, try to explain why in Australia the rate of head injuries hasn't fallen as sharply as the no of cyclists?

Or possibly do some research into how many Joules it takes to fracture a skull ( we can discuss brain injuries from contra-coup later)

All of the above are data, anecdotes are stories, and lots of anecdotes don't make data, they just make lots of stories.

 

[Davidc]

LYB has said most of what I'd have replied to mattsr.

All I'd add to reply to mattsr is that ALL evidence (that's real, mathematical statistical evidence) shows that there is NO benefit or disbenefit from using a cycling helmet. Anecdotes (and not all are in the pro helmet camp) are of no value whatsoever.

Whether helmets have any effect doesn't change the simple fact that cycling is so safe that they'd still be a waste of time if they were 100% effective at preventing all head injuries. Worry about walking first.

 

[gavroche]

Right until last christmas, I have never worn an helmet when cycling but my son bought me one for christmas so I feel obliged to wear it now. Must admit that I don't feel any safer with it on. I feel just the same as before.

 

[mattsr]

LYB has said most of what I'd have replied to mattsr.

All I'd add to reply to mattsr is that ALL evidence (that's real, mathematical statistical evidence) shows that there is NO benefit or disbenefit from using a cycling helmet. Anecdotes (and not all are in the pro helmet camp) are of no value whatsoever.

Whether helmets have any effect doesn't change the simple fact that cycling is so safe that they'd still be a waste of time if they were 100% effective at preventing all head injuries. Worry about walking first.

OK, you may dismiss it as a worthless anecdote, but I am quite confident that my helmet saved me from a nasty head injury, as I explained earlier in this thread. And that's good enough for me.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

OK, you may dismiss it as a worthless anecdote, but I am quite confident that my helmet saved me from a nasty head injury, as I explained earlier in this thread. And that's good enough for me.

Errrr , you didn't answer the question, what does your fag packet calculation tell you?

 

[Brandane]

I own 2, but hardly ever wear one. The more people try to nag me into wearing one, the more determined I am NOT to wear a helmet. Soon enough the H&S gestapo will make it compulsory, and then I will decide whether to wear one or stop cycling. Until that time I will enjoy the freedom of choice.

 

[Davidc]

OK, you may dismiss it as a worthless anecdote, but I am quite confident that my helmet saved me from a nasty head injury, as I explained earlier in this thread. And that's good enough for me.

And I'm sure my head would have been torn from my body in 1972 if they'd existed and I'd been wearing one. Still an anecdote and worthless, despite the supporting view of the chief police road safety officer.

ALL evidence shows that cycle helmets have NO safety benefit or disbenefit.

 

[mattsr]

Errrr , you didn't answer the question, what does your fag packet calculation tell you?

I came off on black ice. My head impacted the tarmac with considerable force. The helmet absorbed most of the impact. I walked away with a damaged bike helmet but an undamaged skull and brain.

I don't need a fag packet to work out the alternative outcome.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

I came off on black ice. My head impacted the tarmac with considerable force. The helmet absorbed most of the impact. I walked away with a damaged bike helmet but an undamaged skull and brain.

I don't need a fag packet to work out the alternative outcome.

You can do the calculation, can't you?

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

And I'm sure my head would have been torn from my body in 1972 if they'd existed and I'd been wearing one. Still an anecdote and worthless, despite the supporting view of the chief police road safety officer.

ALL evidence shows that cycle helmets have NO safety benefit or disbenefit.

Evidence denies faith, faith is a requirement of all religions.

 

[ufkacbln]

I came off on black ice. My head impacted the tarmac with considerable force. The helmet absorbed most of the impact. I walked away with a damaged bike helmet but an undamaged skull and brain.

I don't need a fag packet to work out the alternative outcome.

Yep - falls on ice can cause head injuries

Could a helmet have helped in this case?

 

[martint235]

I came off on black ice. My head impacted the tarmac with considerable force. The helmet absorbed most of the impact. I walked away with a damaged bike helmet but an undamaged skull and brain.

I don't need a fag packet to work out the alternative outcome.

This is the problem with the helmet evangelista. Prove the error in this scenario: "I came off on black ice. My head impacted the tarmac with considerable force. My skull absorbed all the impact. I walked away."

 

[StuartG]

No.

Not wasted if it prevents a fractured skull, as mine did a few years ago. Came off on some ice, head flicked back onto tarmac, helmet cracked. Skull didn't.

Oh dear, AFAIR it takes around 10 times the force to crack a skull than crack a helmet. And if you crack a good helmet you are unlikely to have benefitted from that 10% cushion. Go figure ...

 

[mattsr]

Oh dear, AFAIR it takes around 10 times the force to crack a skull than crack a helmet. And if you crack a good helmet you are unlikely to have benefitted from that 10% cushion. Go figure ...

Well, you can't beat a good theory theory, can you? My actual experience all means nothing, because the Prof says it's bollocks.

Perhaps I dreamed it all? The skid on the ice, the backward fall off the bike, and the flick of the head smashing into the road surface. And then walking away none the worse for wear, despite the damage to my helmet.

Yes, that must be it. All a figment of my imagination.

 

[martint235]

Well, you can't beat a good theory theory, can you? My actual experience all means nothing, because the Prof says it's bollocks.

Perhaps I dreamed it all? The skid on the ice, the backward fall off the bike, and the flick of the head smashing into the road surface. And then walking away none the worse for wear, despite the damage to my helmet.

Yes, that must be it. All a figment of my imagination.

You just don't seem to get the point. The accident happened, we know that. The helmet however may have been entirely irrelevant. You may have banged your helmetless head and walked away. I did with the dumper truck.