Why are UK cyclists fixated on helmets

[GrumpyGregry]

At the end of a ride, a helmet can act as a convenient basket in which to carry lights, GPS, gloves and hat. This is not necessary in Holland where every bike is, by law, required to have an enormous wicker basket.

Good point.

I do wish the helmet designers would recognise this crucial function and provide helmets with a flat crest. Every time I fill mine up as described and put it down it topples over and spills everything. Basket case.

 

[classic33]

I would like positive proof that it was the helmet and not the HD Hero that allegedly saved him. Maybe we should all be wearing head cams.

Why did I start this post?

Steve

With the best of intentions on what, on the face of it, was a very simple observation.

 

[classic33]

Actually there is a panicked fight at the moment over this case.

There is increasing evidence that the helmet failed in it's purpose.

The helmet cam is being blamed by the helmet company as the cause for this failure, and the camera company is trying to prove that this is not the case and the helmet was simply not up to the job

Which was part of the reason for the starting of the thread referring to the camera.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Good point.

I do wish the helmet designers would recognise this crucial function and provide helmets with a flat crest. Every time I fill mine up as described and put it down it topples over and spills everything. Basket case.

Put the spuds in first. The weight at the bottom will keep it upright*.

*Or upside down.

 

[GuardTwin]

Well I commute and use the road as part of my training and the reason I wear them is other road users, today I had a white van pulling out on me as I was hitting the hill going around 15mph I had to hit my break but if I did not hit my break at the second I did or if he was over to the right more I would of gone into the van and my head would too, with a helmet it reduces the RISK of injury but does not prevent 100% Any chance of reduce injury on the road we take it.

 

[Profpointy]

Well I commute and use the road as part of my training and the reason I wear them is other road users, today I had a white van pulling out on me as I was hitting the hill going around 15mph I had to hit my break but if I did not hit my break at the second I did or if he was over to the right more I would of gone into the van and my head would too, with a helmet it reduces the RISK of injury but does not prevent 100% Any chance of reduce injury on the road we take it.

whilst superficially what you say sounds sensible - but actually you've simply stated that helmets reduce the risk of injury - but the evidence from (say) Australia & Ontario does not back this up.

"it's obvious innit" is often a good common sense starting point but when the solid evidence says something else, then you need to look again.

 

[GuardTwin]

whilst superficially what you say sounds sensible - but actually you've simply stated that helmets reduce the risk of injury - but the evidence from (say) Australia & Ontario does not back this up.

"it's obvious innit" is often a good common sense starting point but when the solid evidence says something else, then you need to look again.

I should of stated the word "Should reduce risk" which would not left me open. Do you have a link to the "evidence" ? I would love to read it and see how they conducted their research as being a sport science guy

 

[PK99]

????

the investigator is on record as having reviewed the footage from the helmet cam and as having said "completely normal behaviour by a good skier on this terrain". Good skiers tend to be fast skiers.

If he had a sub 80 joule impact on a rock then a Snell certified helmet might have helped but a CE one? Well who knows. European helmets don't have to be Snell certified and the CE test standard is a waste of space.

I skiied the next valley over at the time of his accident and posted here to the effect that snow cover was sparse in many areas and that the between the piste areas were in many cases rocky and dangerous with exposed rocks that would be covered later in the season: Skiing those areas at speed was at best foolish.

Last week I skied the 3 Valleys and specifically on the pistes beside the accident spot. The various TV and press pictures and footage do not give a good impression of the area. Both the Red and Blue slopes bounding the gulley are easy for their Class ie fast for good skiers, a bit like cycling a long straight steady hill as opposed to a steep and twisty descent. the Gulley itself is deep and steep sided from each piste, ie a skier entering is is likely to be accelerating, plus even after a full season's snow rocks were clearly visible. My opinion of skiing at speed into that gulley is unchanged.

Good skiers tend to be fast skiers.

I'm a moderately good skier, from reports Schumacher is a far better skier than I am, and certainly has more adrenaline tolerance!, most skiing days my maximum speed (as logged by skitracks) is between 50 and 80kph - always achieved on empty Blue (ie easy) slopes. On red or occupied pistes of any colour, i am much more cautious.

 

[Profpointy]

I should of stated the word "Should reduce risk" which would not left me open. Do you have a link to the "evidence" ? I would love to read it and see how they conducted their research as being a sport science guy

try www.cyclehelmets.org

Though it is very much " helmet sceptic" I do get the impression it's healthy scepticism rather than "helmet denial" as it were. Has lots of links to seemingly real research. One surprising one was on child strangulations from wearing cycle helmets whilst climbing trees and the like - which common sense (to me as well) would have suggested to be a wise precaution.
Previously a cyclist posted that wearing a cycle helmet whilst doing something else was "abusing" it - so the "bound to help" seemingly only applied to cycling rather than other activities which might lead to a head injury.

For the record, I used to wear one, but no longer do so. In my heart I still find it hard to shake off "it's bound to help" but force myself to accept the evidence. I had an "off" not so long ago landing on my shoulder - missing my head by (presumably) less than the width of a helmet. If I'd been wearing one, and mashed up my hat, presumably I'd have been convinced it had "saved my life".

Also these days,with the threat of compulsion, and the fact that (some of) the pro-helmet lobby are ready to lie to make their case I'm increasingly seeing not wearing one as a political act.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Put the spuds in first. The weight at the bottom will keep it upright*.

*Or upside down.

No way can I get my spds in my helmet!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Well I commute and use the road as part of my training and the reason I wear them is other road users, today I had a white van pulling out on me as I was hitting the hill going around 15mph I had to hit my break but if I did not hit my break at the second I did or if he was over to the right more I would of gone into the van and my head would too, with a helmet it reduces the RISK of injury but does not prevent 100% Any chance of reduce injury on the road we take it.

Same reason as why I wear a St Christopher medal then.

 

[4F]

Same reason as why I wear a St Christopher medal then.

For me its a lucky rabbits foot, however I am not sure the rabbit shares the same sentiment.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I have decided that instead of helmets I will become fixated on the lovely, former spice girl, Mel C's new tattoo.

I suspect this will tip the odds in my favour in the event of an off.

 

[User169]

try cyclehelmets.org

though it is very much " helmet sceptic" I do get the impression One surprising one was on child strangulations from wearing cycle helmets whilst climbing trees and the like - which common sense (to me as well) would have suggest was a wise precaution.

Anecdata alert...

A colleague of mine had his windpipe destroyed by his helmet strap. It was in the context of a crash, but I wonder if the outcome might have been less serious had he not been strangled by his safety device.

 

[Damaged Hero]

Well I am glad I was wearing mine on Sunday !

I rode The Shropshire Devil 85 Mile Sportive and fell off about 60 miles into the ride. I came down hard on my right side,hit my Hand, Elbow, Shoulder, Knee.
My head hit the floor last, but hit hard, I think in trying to stop my head hitting the floor I pulled the muscles in my neck.

I would not like to think how I could have ended up if I had not been wearing it.