Today my Helmet has saved me a Headache

[flecc]

Just the word we use "accident" says it all (An event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause.)

Mistaken attitude to start with. Most of what are called accidents are really caused and even when two or more are involved and one party is clearly the major cause, it does not completely exonerate the other.

I've explained this in meticulous detail a couple of times before, but in essence I was involved in three minor accidents in the early years of my driving career. In all three the other party readily accepted they'd caused it. But after that third one I got to thinking why, in more years of motorcycling I hadn't had any accidents. To cut a long story short I concluded from all the examined facts that I was an inadvertant contributor to those accidents. In motorcycling, and indeed even longer cycling, perhaps because of my vulnerability, I had avoided being in the accident positions despite being on the same roads with all the same people. If that was possible on two wheels, it should be on four and that changed my thinking and future behaviour for the next 60 plus years. The result, not a mark on me or others, a permanently clean licence and full no claims bonuses.

You have far more control than you might think.

the black ice caught me out, and I suppose I could have avoided the chance of it by staying inside, staying on the main roads, or even going on the bus and while I accept that you can do many things to avoid being in that situation in the first place you cant avoid everything!

Quite right, and I don't avoid everything either. Three years ago approaching a mini roundabout downhill to turn left with the road moist from drizzle, the bike suddenly slid from under me so I just sat down onto its seat tube to rear wheel area as it fell into the lowside. Then I got up, found it was a diesel spill masked by the damp surface that had caused the slide. I just got back on completely unharmed and continued my trip to the supermarket. Of course if I'd been riding like an idiot, head down at speed on the approach it might have been very different since there were cars entering the roundabout just ahead.

If you can't understand the moral of that story, I can't help you.

I have had a few knocks in my life including motorcycle and car crashes, but never broken a bone whilst others have broken many so what does that mean?

You should be able to work out the possible reasons for that, and what can be done about them.
.

 

[Gubbins]

Anyway.. Helmet or not.. Who cares! I am just saying it saved me a knock to my head and always wear mine even for the short 2 miles run to the post office, which is where I had been on the Morning in question.
I recently read of a suggestion that a Helmet and High Vis Tabard should be compulsory which would be almost worth it to see the peletonites all wearing bright yellow vests flapping in the breeze..

 

[flecc]

Anyway.. Helmet or not.. Who cares! I am just saying it saved me a knock to my head and always wear mine even for the short 2 miles run to the post office, which is where I had been on the Morning in question.

I'd just been to the post office too but think I'd have looked stupid wearing a cycle helmet.

I was driving the car.

I recently read of a suggestion that a Helmet and High Vis Tabard should be compulsory which would be almost worth it to see the peletonites all wearing bright yellow vests flapping in the breeze..

. Such compulsions will never happen of course. Since the world saw how those places that introduced compulsion suffered large falls in cycling rates, our governments wanting many more to cycle won't take the risk. They even killed a bill to introduce helmets for children.
.

 

[Trevormonty]

I don't have problem with local compulsory helmet law but some regulations are just over top. Friend is child care worker, the children have to wear highviz vests for walks, even though they are on footpaths, parks and beaches.

 

[flecc]

the children have to wear highviz vests for walks, even though they are on footpaths, parks and beaches.

There's so much inconsistency too. The Netherlands is famous for almost universally cycling without helmets but I've been informed they have regulations insisting that children wear hi viz vests when being walked by schools etc. Strange variation in attitudes.

Life was so much simpler a few decades ago before m/c helmets, cycle helmets, lycra, hi viz vests and seat belts were invented. One just dressed in the morning and what one wore sufficed for every activity.
.

 

[Nealh]

My snowboarding dudes helmet saved me a bashed head today, I always wear it on my leisure rides. Today being no exception esp in the very raw and cold./icy condition's. Twice on my 44.5 mile ride I came off. First off was a front low sider at about 8mph and I just gently eased off on to the ground nr Horsted rail station, 2nd in the Chelwood area was a head banger as the rear just disappeared sideways and I landed on my back and my head hit the ground square on at the back.

 

[topographer]

Thanks to flecc for finding a name for something I've always been aware of but struggled to explain, namely primary safety vs secondary safety. They say drivers are more likely to die than flyers. But what they really mean is average drivers. You don't have to be an average driver. I'd guess that you're in control of more than ninety percent of your safety when driving a car. Flier? Close to zero percent.

 

[topographer]

I landed on my back and my head hit the ground square on at the back.

Gulp 

You didn't pick a good day for it.

 

[soundwave]

Thanks to flecc for finding a name for something I've always been aware of but struggled to explain, namely primary safety vs secondary safety. They say drivers are more likely to die than flyers. But what they really mean is average drivers. You don't have to be an average driver. I'd guess that you're in control of more than ninety percent of your safety when driving a car. Flier? Close to zero percent.

id give it a go if you buy me one

 

[topographer]

id give it a go if you buy me one

Who ate all the pies?

 

[topographer]

I do worry about reactions and dexterity decreasing with age though.

 

[soundwave]

seems he can eat a hole cow lol

 

[Gubbins]

Thanks to flecc for finding a name for something I've always been aware of but struggled to explain, namely primary safety vs secondary safety. They say drivers are more likely to die than flyers. But what they really mean is average drivers. You don't have to be an average driver. I'd guess that you're in control of more than ninety percent of your safety when driving a car. Flier? Close to zero percent.

Mmm. Does that mean that whilst driving you are also in charge of 90% of the safety of other road users around you?
I was thinking of the so called butterfly effect.
I was once hit hard from behind by a bus when I stopped at some traffic lights, and all it needed was for one person who didn't get on at one of the stops to get on or vice versa and maybe it wouldn't have happened.
But as flecc pointed out that although not my fault, my actions caused an unstoppable chain of events which resulted in this collision.
I pulled out in front of a bus, not close enough to make him brake, but close enough, so I could have waited. Up the road the lights changed.. I stopped, the bus didn't.. he thought I was going to run the amber light and got close to follow me through.. Yes I saw it coming, but the lights were a crossing and some kids were about to step out ..
This was a long time ago, before I passed my boy racer exams..

 

[soundwave]

in 20 years time or even less all cars will drive them self anyway till the shite hits the fan and this happens.

 

[Gubbins]

in 20 years time or even less all cars will drive them self anyway till the shite hits the fan and this happens.

The rise of the machines? I wonder if we would be able to send our cars out to get some milk?

 

[soundwave]

well yes as when it all can drive it self on one system or another why have ur car sat there doing nothing.

use it as a taxi with uber ect to make money when you are not using it and as will all have cctv any damage will be recorded you could even limit the use of the boot and monitor it all in real time over the net sat at home.

 

[topographer]

Does that mean that whilst driving you are also in charge of 90% of the safety of other road users around you?

No.

 

[MikelBikel]

There's so much inconsistency too. The Netherlands is famous for almost universally cycling without helmets but I've been informed they have regulations insisting that children wear hi viz vests when being walked by schools etc. Strange variation in attitudes.

Probably just a requirement for their Public Liability insurance re Duty of Care, etc. And rather than safety, it helps teacher see if any of their charges are wandering.

When i went on a Amsterdam cycle tours with Yellow bike, it helped me follow the others, after separated at lights, coz the brightly coloured bikes stood out. No compulsory helmets or hi-viz for riders tho.

Re clothing: didn't Billy Connolly say "there's no such thing as the 'wrong' weather, just the wrong clothes".. And if its warm enough.. Fig leaves, in retroreflective flourescent green of course
Mikel

 

[Gubbins]

No.

No? Why not? Just one person doing something stupid has caused carnage in the past, especially on Motorways where there is little room to escape, or even where a vehicle has been used as a weapon..
I used to think I was in complete control of my life...

 

[Gubbins]

well yes as when it all can drive it self on one system or another why have ur car sat there doing nothing.

use it as a taxi with uber ect to make money when you are not using it and as will all have cctv any damage will be recorded you could even limit the use of the boot and monitor it all in real time over the net sat at home.

I feel sorry for the youth of today who may never experience the thrill of driving ..
I remember when the roads were mostly empty and every day could be a track day.. Cars didn't go so fast but were usophisticated which made driving them great fun.
We used to drive to Whitby for tea (90 miles) no real worry about speed limits, flat out whenever possible.
Global warming hadn't been invented, police would give you a good telling off if they caught you, insurance companies werent so picky and the unlimited speed sign was exactly that.