DefBref
Über Member
- Location
- Whitehaven
I'm sorry Adrian, I don't understand your question. Could you elaborate?
Why are UK cyclists fixated on helmets
- Thread starter steveindenmark
- Start date
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jarlrmai
Veteran
Why do I wear a helmet?
1. My girlfriend makes me.
2. I just know if I get squashed by a truck it will be bought up even though it doesn't matter a jot, I feel the pressure from society "to have done all I could have done" it's wrong but it's there and we see it bought up every time a cyclist is hit.
3. My hat cracked in my accident, I like to think it absorbed some of the energy that might have gone into my head, I feel that if I have a small clipless moment or something I might prevent a gash on my head.
4. Handy vents to put my sunglasses in.
5. Rain visor helps in the rain.
6. The camera fits nicely on.
1. My girlfriend makes me.
2. I just know if I get squashed by a truck it will be bought up even though it doesn't matter a jot, I feel the pressure from society "to have done all I could have done" it's wrong but it's there and we see it bought up every time a cyclist is hit.
3. My hat cracked in my accident, I like to think it absorbed some of the energy that might have gone into my head, I feel that if I have a small clipless moment or something I might prevent a gash on my head.
4. Handy vents to put my sunglasses in.
5. Rain visor helps in the rain.
6. The camera fits nicely on.
AND as a short haired old fart it keeps the sun off me bonce....
I love the sun on my head, who wants a bonce like a Sunderland shirt?
Take up bowls or something, I am 51 and haven't even fallen off a bike yet.
I thought these helmet threads were banned in here these days? 
When I was a kid we were constantly falling off bikes, falling out of trees and falling off home made trolleys (remember them?) in massed crashes. We would be covered in cuts, bruises and scabs, especially on knees and elbows, but I can't remember anyone ever having even a light head injury.
When I see little kids out pootling about on little bikes wearing helmets I find it so feckin sad and depressing.
When I was a kid we were constantly falling off bikes, falling out of trees and falling off home made trolleys (remember them?) in massed crashes. We would be covered in cuts, bruises and scabs, especially on knees and elbows, but I can't remember anyone ever having even a light head injury.
When I see little kids out pootling about on little bikes wearing helmets I find it so feckin sad and depressing.
DefBref
Über Member
- Location
- Whitehaven
mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
Common sense! Yay!
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
I pointed it out and the claim fell short of what they would consider pursuing , the main fact that makes me wear a helmet is i would get more of a ear bashing off swmbo than i would smacking into a vehicle if i didnt .
Colin B
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Manchester
I don't wear one all the time but on the road yes I do and the reason is not only for safety its because if some numpty knocks me off my bike and we end up in court the first thing some parasite solicitor will say is "so Mr B at the time of the accident were you wearing a safety helmet" and it'll go downhill from there .I thought these helmet threads were banned in here these days?
When I was a kid we were constantly falling off bikes, falling out of trees and falling off home made trolleys (remember them?) in massed crashes. We would be covered in cuts, bruises and scabs, especially on knees and elbows, but I can't remember anyone ever having even a light head injury.
When I see little kids out pootling about on little bikes wearing helmets I find it so feckin sad and depressing.
Personally I don't get involved in the should you shouldn't you debate its your choice wear one don't wear one the choice is a personal one
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
There is a very, as in VERY, determined helmet lobby in the UK.
I've posted this before but it's worth a re-post.
I was working in my shed when I pulled a pair of pedals from a hook under the shelf. They were tied together and the second one snagged and then sprung free, catching me above the eyebrow. It beld profusely and within seconds I was blinded by blood running into both eyes.
I felt my way into the house and found the phoned my wife, who was out shopping, and she came home and ran me to the hospital.
The A&E nurse treated me, super-gluing the gash above my eyes and washing off the blood, then
filled in an accident form.
Q. How did it happen?
A. I hit my head with a cycle pedal.
Q. Were you wearing a helmet?
A. No! I was in my shed and pulled it onto my head!
Nurse fills in form with 'Cycling accident-No helmet.'
Me. Hang on it wasn't a cycling accident, the pedal wasn't on a bike, I was in my shed and why the **** should I wear a cycling helmet in the shed?
The row escalates and the A&E Sister turns up in the cubicle.
Sister. What's the problem?
Nurse. He hit his head with a bike pedal.
Sister, That's a cycling accident, was he wearing a helmet?
Me. I was in my shed why should I wear a helmet???
etc. etc. etc.
End result? They put it down as a head injury due to cycling and I was not wearing a helmet!
Does anyone think that if I'd pulled a carburettor onto my head it would have been a motoring accident, with no seatbelt? Or pulling an aircraft radar unit onto my head it would have been an air accident?
Theory.
The statistics are being fiddled and the helmet lobby are part of it.
Conclusion.
That's something that my experience reinforces and the net result has been that I no longer wear a helmet. What's more, I'm quite prepared to ignore any future law mandating helmets. If they want to cheat the statistics, I'm up for challenging the law.
I've posted this before but it's worth a re-post.
I was working in my shed when I pulled a pair of pedals from a hook under the shelf. They were tied together and the second one snagged and then sprung free, catching me above the eyebrow. It beld profusely and within seconds I was blinded by blood running into both eyes.
I felt my way into the house and found the phoned my wife, who was out shopping, and she came home and ran me to the hospital.
The A&E nurse treated me, super-gluing the gash above my eyes and washing off the blood, then
filled in an accident form.
Q. How did it happen?
A. I hit my head with a cycle pedal.
Q. Were you wearing a helmet?
A. No! I was in my shed and pulled it onto my head!
Nurse fills in form with 'Cycling accident-No helmet.'
Me. Hang on it wasn't a cycling accident, the pedal wasn't on a bike, I was in my shed and why the **** should I wear a cycling helmet in the shed?
The row escalates and the A&E Sister turns up in the cubicle.
Sister. What's the problem?
Nurse. He hit his head with a bike pedal.
Sister, That's a cycling accident, was he wearing a helmet?
Me. I was in my shed why should I wear a helmet???
etc. etc. etc.
End result? They put it down as a head injury due to cycling and I was not wearing a helmet!
Does anyone think that if I'd pulled a carburettor onto my head it would have been a motoring accident, with no seatbelt? Or pulling an aircraft radar unit onto my head it would have been an air accident?
Theory.
The statistics are being fiddled and the helmet lobby are part of it.
Conclusion.
That's something that my experience reinforces and the net result has been that I no longer wear a helmet. What's more, I'm quite prepared to ignore any future law mandating helmets. If they want to cheat the statistics, I'm up for challenging the law.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Given fabio casartelli`s death i doubt the uci will repeal the ruling they made regarding helmets and arent the new helmet more aero than caps these days so i doubt the pro teams will drop them given the marginal gains that seem to be in lately.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Fair enough wise old elf .
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
The helmets the pros wear are hideously non aero. They have highly aero alternatives but are fiercly conservative.
Big Nick
Senior Member
Isn't the recommendation in most pastimes that involve a modicum of speed that wearing a helmet is desirable to protect your head. I've been off road motorcycling, paragliding, skiing, go karting, and probably a few other things that you could crash fairly heavily doing and always been given a helmet to wear and been glad of it despite legally not needing one.
A similar argument was no doubt raised when the idea of compulsory motorcycle helmet wearing was mooted re freedom not to wear one etc ( I'm not suggesting cycle helmets are made compulsory btw!)
I will always wear a helmet cycling as I've crashed heavily and concussed myself with one on so wouldn't like to think of that impact on my unprotected head.
Its nothing to do with being brainwashed rather fear of being brain damaged and how I can minimise that possibility however small the chance of it may be
Most day to day activities carry an element of risk, it's largely up to the individual how they perceive and mitigate that risk. I respect the decision of those who choose not to wear one as their perception is clearly different from mine, it's doesn't make either of us wrong just different.
A similar argument was no doubt raised when the idea of compulsory motorcycle helmet wearing was mooted re freedom not to wear one etc ( I'm not suggesting cycle helmets are made compulsory btw!)
I will always wear a helmet cycling as I've crashed heavily and concussed myself with one on so wouldn't like to think of that impact on my unprotected head.
Its nothing to do with being brainwashed rather fear of being brain damaged and how I can minimise that possibility however small the chance of it may be
Most day to day activities carry an element of risk, it's largely up to the individual how they perceive and mitigate that risk. I respect the decision of those who choose not to wear one as their perception is clearly different from mine, it's doesn't make either of us wrong just different.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Can I just say...
"Would you prefer to be shot in the head whilst wearing a cycling helmet or whilst not wearing one?"
Please feel free to explain your answers using maths and physics, referencing the transfer of kinetic energy and the effect of rapid deceleration on the human brain rather than anecdata.
"Would you prefer to be shot in the head whilst wearing a cycling helmet or whilst not wearing one?"
Please feel free to explain your answers using maths and physics, referencing the transfer of kinetic energy and the effect of rapid deceleration on the human brain rather than anecdata.
RedRider
Pulling through
- Location
- Location Embrocation
A cap does the job nicely. Sometimes I take one off and my hair looks way better than before the ride!they are good for covering your bad hair do on the way to work
