Wear a helmet folks

[peasjam]

I've had a helmet for a good few years but only started using it daily since I electrified my bike. The higher speeds I'm doing make it a sensible thing to do. I cycled for years without one though. If you're doing 15mph or so on tarmac the risks are relatively low depending on traffic conditions. As the risk increases either through speed, traffic or terrain (mountain biking for example) then there comes a point where it's prudent to wear extra protection.

Incidentally I have, personally, noticed no difference at all in the behaviour of drivers around me with/without a helmet.

 

[flecc]

And we all trust Fox News, don't we?

That post from eclectic bike amused me too. Even "The Simpsons" take the mickey out of Fox News!

 

[eclectic_bike]

That post from eclectic bike amused me too. Even "The Simpsons" take the mickey out of Fox News!

Fox News is a media outlet pumping out right-wing prejudices as news, like most of the Murdoch empire.

The point is that hundreds of millions think that it's opinions are sensible and factual. They will now think the same about helmet use, which is ironic as they now appear to be supporting a health and safety culture so normally despised by Murdoch's press.

 

[flecc]

Fox News is a media outlet pumping out right-wing prejudices as news, like most of the Murdoch empire.

The point is that hundreds of millions think that it's opinions are sensible and factual. They will now think the same about helmet use

Very true, and why I've always ridiculed the notion that the press is the guardian of our freedoms.

When it comes to the public actually adopting helmets though, apathy will rule as ever. It's one thing to actually think something, quite another for them to actually do something about the thought!

 

[steveindenmark]

I don`t know about motorists giving you a wide berth when not wearing a helmet , but with a helmet and reflective waistcoat ,they give you such a wide berth that they would rather crash into something on the opposite carriageway . Perhaps it`s the polite drivers here in South Wales .

I think you are correct with this Roger.

I live in Denmark and ride motorbikes and bikes. I wear a helmet for both, out of choice. Once I started wearing a vis vest on the motorbike the difference in other drivers reaction was astounding. They could see me at last and keep well out of the way. I wear a vis vest for both motorcycling and cycling.

I don`t insist everyone else wears vis vests and helmets, that is their choice. But I find it does work for me.

Steve

 

[timidtom]

Very true, and why I've always ridiculed the notion that the press is the guardian of our freedoms.

The freedon of the press is the power to supress ...
Tom

 

[Cyclezee]

I wear a helmet for 2 reasons

What other people do is entirely up to them, however, I would hate a potential Cyclezee customer to get injured

 

[Scimitar]

I hadn't worn a helmet (apart from m'bike) for decades (my folks bought me a horrible red plastic monstrosity as a kid, and I did wear it) but recently I've taken to wearing a skaterboi helmet instead of the dorky-looking things that pass for cycling headgear. I made this decision when I realised I was routinely going much faster on the electrified bike than I went when it was pedal power only [1].
That, combined with the crappy road surfaces around here means the likelihood of a tumble is increased, so it seemed a sensible precaution.
Having had a few head injuries over the years, it's not so much the prospect of saving my brain, it's the sheer inconvenience of blood streaming from a head cut that annoys me. For many of the glancing accidents/incidents that would have resulted in an open wound the helmet will work and even if there's a more serious impact, it will at least mitigate some of the force.

[1] Slow down? What's the fun in that? Gerraway.

 

[steveindenmark]

Just to put things into prospective.

I had a motorcycle accident in 1991 where I was wearing a full face helmet. I was travelling atabout 25mph when a guy in a car decided to pull out on me.

I broke both my arms and right leg. My head smashed his windscreen taking out most of my top front teeth, even with a full face helmet. If I had not had the helmet on I am quite sure I would not be writing this letter.

My 8 year career with the police came to an end because of the accident.

I often travel in excess of 25mph on my Tonaro. Usually in shorts and t shirt and always with a helmet. I am not sure what good a cycle helmet would do me in an accident but I am a gambling man and my gamble here is that it would do me some good and that is why I wear one.

You do not have to be travelling fast to be badly injured.

Steve

 

[oigoi]

Having experienced a bike accident (not involving any other persons or vehicles) where I came off my bike, hit my head and suffered two weeks of concussion where I struggled to eat or drink anything without throwing it up again I now wear a helmet always, I have learned the hard and painful way the consequences of having an accident without a helmet on.

Ultimately it's your head and its up to you what you do with it, but if by writing this I save one person from experiencing what I did then its worth saying

 

[lemmy]

The advice to 2 wheeler riders has alway been to wear hand, arm and leg protection. Much more common injury than head and anyone who has ever seen someone who has bowled up the road as the skin is ripped from their arms legs, knees and so on could not disagree.

Statistically, the risk of head injury in a bicycle accident is about the same as to a pedestrian falling over so anyone who really wanted to be safe would wear the helmet when walking too. I cannot see the argument against this.

The big risk of head of head injury statistically is in the home so they really ought to be worn there. And also, car drivers suffer many head injuries, so they should wear them too.

I wonder why there is this fixation with cyclists, one of the lower risk groups wearing them

 

[Willin']

And there is a report in"The Times" I think where doctors have come out strongly against making the wearing of helmets compulsory as this would lead to a fall( haha) in the numbers riding cycles and therefore this would outweigh the health benefits of doing so.

I am still going to keep my helmet on when riding (possibly in the house as well given my accident record) but I fully support each individual's choice of whether to wear a helmet or not.

 

[eclectic_bike]

Statistically, the risk of head injury in a bicycle accident is about the same as to a pedestrian falling over so anyone who really wanted to be safe would wear the helmet when walking too. I cannot see the argument against this.

Cyclist can be travelling 15 - 20 mph in traffic. Regardless of risk of injury the potential hazards are bound to be higher when cycling compared to a pedestrian falling over.

 

[flecc]

Cyclist can be travelling 15 - 20 mph in traffic. Regardless of risk of injury the potential hazards are bound to be higher when cycling compared to a pedestrian falling over.

Healthy humans can and do typically run up to around 18 mph, even 26 mph in the case of the Usain Bolt's of this world. Pedestrian's also do risky things that cyclist don't do, such as walking up steep stairs for example. Many pedestrians also seem to enjoy walking out into roads containing fast moving traffic without looking, and crucially, for every cyclist in the UK there are more than 30 pedestrians, so the incidence of these things may be as great as the the incidence of cycling.

 

[eclectic_bike]

,

Healthy humans can and do typically run up to around 18 mph, even 26 mph in the case of the Usain Bolt's of this world. Pedestrian's also do risky things that cyclist don't do, such as walking up steep stairs for example. Many pedestrians also seem to enjoy walking out into roads containing fast moving traffic without looking, and crucially, for every cyclist in the UK there are more than 30 pedestrians, so the incidence of these things may be as great as the the incidence of cycling.

The times I have run at all, never mind at 18 mph, are exceptionally small.

If I walk a certain route and then cycle it, the possible hazards I may encounter whilst cycling are greater than walking and, I believe, so are the risks. As someone who broke his arm in two places when falling off my bike three months ago and hit (my protected) head on the pavement with no head injury I have no doubt of the protection a helmet can offer.

Also, I really don't get the arguments that suggest the risks of walking merit a helmet as well, therefore no need to wear one whilst cycling. There is nobody stopping you wearing a helmet whilst walking if you really believe the hazards and risks are the same. There are many hazardous situations where head protection is advised, such as construction, roller blading, motorcycling etc. Cycling is just another activity with enhanced hazards and risks.

 

[flecc]

,

Also, I really don't get the arguments that suggest the risks of walking merit a helmet as well, therefore no need to wear one whilst cycling. There is nobody stopping you wearing a helmet whilst walking if you really believe the hazards and risks are the same.

I agree, it's not a rational argument, my post was only on the proportionality due to the cyclist to pedestrian ratio in the UK. It wouldn't hold good for the Netherlands where such a high proportion cycle.

And of course a helmet provides some protection whenever it intervenes in an impact between head and obstruction. I just prefer to make my own decision on risks versus convenience and comfort, and dislike the helmet wearing propaganda that suggests that I and others are unfitted to make that decision.

My assessment is that the risks for ME are vanishingly small, and 65 years after starting cycling and never a mark on me show that I was right. Of course it's also relevant for the great majority of that 65 years cycle helmets didn't exist, so wearing one wasn't a possible option.

 

[eclectic_bike]

My assessment is that the risks for ME are vanishingly small, and 65 years after starting cycling and never a mark on me show that I was right. Of course it's also relevant for the great majority of that 65 years cycle helmets didn't exist, so wearing one wasn't a possible option.

Fair enough. My assessment of the risks for me are that, despite being a cautious rider, I am either unlucky or clumsy, but probably both, so a helmet is advisable. If there was such a thing as a full body air bag I would probably wear that as well.

 

[Willin']

As air bags have come up I am pleased that they were fitted to cars without the debate (if indeed they were) that marked other safety related issues - compulsory seat belt wearing, motorcycle helmets etc. If it had been optional to have airbags fitted then I probably wouldn't have bothered on any of my cars - too expensive, been driving nearly forty years, never had an accident of any consequence other than a minor bump or two, not sure if they really work.

Then I was involved in a three car collision in which two cars, including mine were written off. Airbags saved a lot of injury that day as everyone walked away relatively unharmed although I still have a burn scar on my wrist from the airbag deflating. Now if only I had learned some Judo.

Not that I can foresee me or my bike being fitted with such things anytime soon!

 

[flecc]

Fair enough. My assessment of the risks for me are that, despite being a cautious rider, I am either unlucky or clumsy, but probably both, so a helmet is advisable. If there was such a thing as a full body air bag I would probably wear that as well.

I think members of my generation had a double advantage too. With no helmets available when we started cycling and even motorcycling, plus being well aware of the dangers and pain of a head impact, we tended to ride accordingly. Added to that were the very much lighter traffic and much lower vehicle speed capabilities during our earlier years of riding. Therefore by the time traffic levels and speeds had greatly increased we had become very experienced riders, well able to cope with those hazards.

For those starting their riding experience in the UK now, the dangers are very much greater since they must learn and gain experience in very unsuitable conditions.