Why is the first question always "were you wearing a helmet?"

[the reluctant cyclist]

Went for a medical report on Tuesday about my PI claim - it's only been 3 years next week - really running along nice and fast isn't it?!

The doctor asked me briefly what happened and I explained that somebody opened the car door on me - he straight away said "were you wearing a helmet?" - I so wanted to say - "actually it's not a requirement of law etc etc blah blah blah" but instead just sighed and said "yes, I was wearing a helmet"!

This doctor must have been well up on his highway code etc etc too because after that he had a long debate with me about whether or not I was undertaking the car! He only shut up when I said that the other side had actually admitted 85% liability!!!

Surely these experts should know stuff like this or just stick to what sort of injuries you have sustained?!

Wonder if he would have written up that I wasn't wearing a helmet and then the other side would have deduced that I was an "irresponsible cyclist" becuase of it! LOL

 

[Davidc]

The correct answers are: "Yes, and it made my injuries far worse than they would otherwise have been", or "Yes, if I hadn't been I'd have been uninjured", or "Yes, but it didn't stop me from breaking my arm*/ leg*/ wrist*/ pelvis*/ insert other part of my skeleton". (* delete as appropriate)

 

[Jezston]

Doctors understandably believe that wearing a helmet protects your head. The science around cycling helmets isn't their field.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Yes - head and helmet I can understand but this was a consultation about my hand! If he had asked me if I was wearing gloves it would have made more sense!

 

[thomas]

I think it's just one of those stock questions people ask.

 

[Bollo]

I had this from the Ambo driver when I was hit in 2007. The frustrating thing is that I doubt he goes around asking alcoholics why they feel so thirsty all the time or overweight heart attack victims if they might reconsider their fondness for cake.

The problem is that there isn't a really effective snappy one-liner that puts the question to bed. As soon as you challenge people's perceptions with crazy terms such as 'evidence' and 'risk', they reach for the off switch.

 

[classic33]

Same question asked when I was hit in 2005,by everyone involved in an official capaicity. From the Officer who attended/didn't attend the incident through to his superiors at police HQ. The fact that I'd been made remove it to allow the police to take the report didn't matter.

The head being the one part of the body with no actual injury. Neck yes, head no. The site of impact being the left leg.

There was at one stage a box to be ticked on the paperwork at the A&E for cyclists involved in accidents. This being more or less a straight copy of the one used for motor cyclists.

TRC, three years ain't that long.

 

[arallsopp]

I got asked this by the (otherwise lovely) Police accompanying me in the ambulance after my recent off. Given I had a broken leg and no injuries to my head I guess Thomas is probably right.


When they 'tskkd' in response to my answer (no), I remember getting a little ruffled, and believe I came back with "Would you say my not wearing a helmet was a contributory factor in the van driver's decision not to look before driving into me?"

Well, that's what I said in my world. To their ears it probably came out as mumblemumblebritiuritymumbledurrrsuddr. To be fair, I wasn't in a great state

 

[Chilternrides]

To play devil's advocate for a moment...


Follwing a fall, even though there is no obvious head injury, there is always a risk that you have banged your nut so the question may just be part of the "any other injuries?" routine.

Having said that, I did find it amusing to watch the ambulance man flushing all the grit out of me leg and asking wher my helmet was.

 

[classic33]

To play devil's advocate for a moment...


Follwing a fall, even though there is no obvious head injury, there is always a risk that you have banged your nut so the question may just be part of the "any other injuries?" routine.

Having said that, I did find it amusing to watch the ambulance man flushing all the grit out of me leg and asking wher my helmet was.

Normal question. Main reason for asking is usually so they have everything that is yours with them, but if they had your helmet any impact damage to it could be used for assessing head injury, amongst other things.

 

[Chilternrides]

Normal question. Main reason for asking is usually so they have everything that is yours with them, but if they had your helmet any impact damage to it could be used for assessing head injury, amongst other things.

Makes sense.

 

[fossyant]

I've had the same as well - my claim is running at 2.5 years so far, and 1 opertaion. Fortunately I did have a helmet on as I landed on my head and shoulder - not nice hearing the helmet scrape along the road - saved me from a bit of road rash - main damage was my shoulder.

Awaiting my next 'independant consultants' appointment following my repair work.

The 'experts' should stick to the areas injured

 

[Norm]

Makes sense.

For attending officers or paramedics, maybe. A little less obvious how it would be relevant for a doctor assessing a limb injury 3 years later, I think.

As for the come-back line, I just ask 'Why?'. Make the other person do a little bit of thinking. If they don't get it, help them along a little with '... Would it have prevented or reduced the injury?'

 

[mumbo jumbo]

The correct answers are: "Yes, and it made my injuries far worse than they would otherwise have been", or "Yes, if I hadn't been I'd have been uninjured", or "Yes, but it didn't stop me from breaking my arm*/ leg*/ wrist*/ pelvis*/ insert other part of my skeleton". (* delete as appropriate)

+1

My accident was in 2005. Landed on (helmeted) head / shoulder. Knocked out, broken collar bone, road rash - the usual. Over time, as I understood my injuries better I came round to thinking that my helmet had not "saved my life" but had probably caused the longest running of all the injuries I suffered - a rotational neck injury. [I'm not pro compulsion by the way and still choose to wear a helmet. At the very least, it's a convenient place to mount a camera!]

 

[GrasB]

In A&E after being knocked off my bike having a broken leg & other injuries from the chest down (no injuries to body parts above my shoulders or my upper arms) the doctor told me I should have been wearing a helmet... a rather less than than impressed response a long the lines of "that would have prevented a broken leg wouldn't it" was conveyed.