A week without a helmet.

[ufkacbln]

Well if you insist on comparing apples with lemons (British roads ain't the same as continental roads, both in concentration / types of traffic, provision of proper cycle facilities, driver attitudes, etc.etc.etc.) to try and 'win' an unwinable argument then you just carry on. I frequently cycle big miles on the continent, it's like a different world for a cyclist over there. However if you choose to ride without a lid, that's your choice and if / when you or yours have a big off, then that's your problem. The beauty of this is, if you have a big to do, and end up in a bad way / dead, where a lid would have helped, you won't be able to post about it, because corpses can't type.

Whereas pedestrian corpses can?

Pure emotive tripe

 

[Dave Davenport]

This is one of the few times that a helmet thread has been useful to me (or anyone else, I suspect); I'm a sometimes lid wearer, whilst I never wear one touring or going to the shops etc. I almost always do when going on a 'proper' ride or club run. This discussion has made me question why I'm happy to hurtle down an alpine descent with only a cloth cap on the old noggin but wear a helmet at other times.
I've read a fair bit on the subject but It was racing roadkill's posts that settled the matter for me. I now intend to dispense with a cycle helmet for the majority of the time. I can't chuck it in the bin as I'm contractually required to wear one whilst delivering cycle training with the Bikeability scheme I currently work for, but apart from that a cap will be my head covering of choice from now on.
I shall now be perusing the interweb for some stylish, medium weight, peaked head wear for the winter.

 

[totallyfixed]

I am beginning to get an insight in to why you chose that name. So you believe that all bike accidents are caused by a third party? I have news for you. I leave it to others to carry on. Best of luck folks but I rather think you are wasting your time with this one.

 

[MarkF]

Those who read my Spain North to South blog might recall that I never wear a helmet. My cousin and co-rider, Chris, wore one 100% of the time that he was riding, even in 40c+! Early one morning (early mornings and late nights being the only times he was helmet-less) in Baños de Montemayor, he fell in a bathroom and cut his temple badly.....................

(was v.funny )

 

[Hugh Manatee]

My poor father was recently injured in a bike accident and a helmet may have helped. It is impossible to prove either way I suppose as I don't think he will want to recreate the incident whilst wearing one.

He was in his own garage looking for a tin of GT85 I think when my mum's late 80s Giant Granite fell off the wall and landed on his head. My mum learnt some new words that day! If ever a bike was well named then that bike is the Giant Granite!

I had told him most accidents happen in the home but would he listen? Don't let this happen to you.

PS He was OK and quite liked the young locum doctor who insisted on washing the oil from the wound. Surprisingly she didn't even ask whether or not he was wearing a helmet at the time of the bike accident.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

To get back on to subject, I actually did wear a helmet for the first time in eons yesterday. I was mountain biking on a machine a good bit older than all the young kids seemed to be up on Cannock Chase yesterday. I figured the chances of me coming a cropper at relatively low speed were high enough to warrant digging out all the crap at the bottom of the wardrobe where it sulks.

I didn't get the inverse feeling of increased confidence and invulnerability that the OP mentioned way back when! I went as quickly as I could but still bottled the black sections.

Anyway, the plastic hat will now return to the wardrobe from hell and if the weather permits I'll be out for a ride at the weekend.

 

[ufkacbln]

This is one of the few times that a helmet thread has been useful to me (or anyone else, I suspect); I'm a sometimes lid wearer, whilst I never wear one touring or going to the shops etc. I almost always do when going on a 'proper' ride or club run. This discussion has made me question why I'm happy to hurtle down an alpine descent with only a cloth cap on the old noggin but wear a helmet at other times.
I've read a fair bit on the subject but It was racing roadkill's posts that settled the matter for me. I now intend to dispense with a cycle helmet for the majority of the time. I can't chuck it in the bin as I'm contractually required to wear one whilst delivering cycle training with the Bikeability scheme I currently work for, but apart from that a cap will be my head covering of choice from now on.
I shall now be perusing the interweb for some stylish, medium weight, peaked head wear for the winter.

This is NOT a dig at Bikeability or your contribution to safe cycling

The problem was that the scheme was excluding children on helmet grounds

It was shown that the helmetless children were from the lower wage groups, which ironically suffered proportionally higher injuries

Given that the training programmes are (unlike helmets) proven to be beneficial it is ironic that the greater benefit is excluded by the lesser


The evidence:

RoSPA showed that children without cycle training are twice as likely to suffer a cycling accident than their peers with training

 

[Dave Davenport]

This is NOT a dig at Bikeability or your contribution to safe cycling

The problem was that the scheme was excluding children on helmet grounds

It was shown that the helmetless children were from the lower wage groups, which ironically suffered proportionally higher injuries

Given that the training programmes are (unlike helmets) proven to be beneficial it is ironic that the greater benefit is excluded by the lesser


The evidence:

RoSPA showed that children without cycle training are twice as likely to suffer a cycling accident than their peers with training

The scheme I work for provides loan helmets (and bikes) to anyone who needs one, they even provide specialist bikes for children with special needs.

On the first day the first question I ask is 'what can keep us safe when we're riding our bikes?' you can just about guarantee that one of them will say 'helmets!', which gives me a chance to discuss how much use a helmet is if they pull out of a junction without looking when there's a lorry coming.

We have enough problems with over protective parents as it is (one came in and complained last week because little Jonny had to ride up a hill), it would probably cause hassle, waste loads of time and probably end up with fewer kids doing the training if helmets were optional. I just try and make the best of it by explaining that they're not a panacea and focusing on the real issues of riding safely on the road.

 

[MarkF]

The scheme I work for provides loan helmets
.

Yes, but my daughter was excluded from her school "cycling day" for not wanting to wear one, one was offered, she refused and (as I have posted before) she is still the only girl to cycle to school each day, just as she was pre school "cycling day".

 

[dellzeqq]

The sooner the law changes to compulsory helmets the better. The roads are a very different place now than they were 100 years ago.

indeed. Fatalities are well down.

 

[summerdays]

indeed. Fatalities are well down.

I can't remember the exact year but somewhere about 1934 was the worst year.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Yes, but my daughter was excluded from her school "cycling day" for not wanting to wear one, one was offered, she refused and (as I have posted before) she is still the only girl to cycle to school each day, just as she was pre school "cycling day".

That's a shame.
Given the choice I have, which is to comply with the schemes helmet requirement or not be an instructor, I make the best of it I can.

 

[MarkF]

That's a shame.
Given the choice I have, which is to comply with the schemes helmet requirement or not be an instructor, I make the best of it I can.

I'd have preferred her to wear one, just to enjoy the day, but why would/should she? She has never worn one previously in her 12 (at the time) years, tbh I suspect it was not wanting to mess her hair that mostly made her dig her heels in. Still, she's the only girl daily cyclist, crazy world!

 

[Wobblers]

Well if you insist on comparing apples with lemons (British roads ain't the same as continental roads, both in concentration / types of traffic, provision of proper cycle facilities, driver attitudes, etc.etc.etc.) to try and 'win' an unwinable argument then you just carry on. I frequently cycle big miles on the continent, it's like a different world for a cyclist over there. However if you choose to ride without a lid, that's your choice and if / when you or yours have a big off, then that's your problem. The beauty of this is, if you have a big to do, and end up in a bad way / dead, where a lid would have helped, you won't be able to post about it, because corpses can't type.

Out of casual curiosity, exactly how does wishing someone dead in a nasty accident fit in with the CC tag line: "a fun and friendly online cycling community"?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Yes, but my daughter was excluded from her school "cycling day" for not wanting to wear one, one was offered, she refused and (as I have posted before) she is still the only girl to cycle to school each day, just as she was pre school "cycling day".

Hooray for Miss F!