Be prepared for an accident

[ebikeerwidnes]

The other point is that if you have an incident which involves a blow to your head while riding your bike
then it is likely to have more force behind it that in the your house
i.e. most likely head impact in your house is banging you head on a joist in the attic = possibly made worse by an old nail you didn;t see
but on a bike the most likely is a slow speed fall where your head hits the floor

the bike problem is generally more forceful and can cause the most damage
and, of course , you are more likely to have a serious head impact when riding the bike as you are moving at much higher speed
in the house, unless you fall from a height, the chances of serious head injury are less - probably not based on stats there so I could be talking rubbish

 

[roubaixtuesday]

The other point is that if you have an incident which involves a blow to your head while riding your bike
then it is likely to have more force behind it that in the your house
i.e. most likely head impact in your house is banging you head on a joist in the attic = possibly made worse by an old nail you didn;t see
but on a bike the most likely is a slow speed fall where your head hits the floor

the bike problem is generally more forceful and can cause the most damage
and, of course , you are more likely to have a serious head impact when riding the bike as you are moving at much higher speed
in the house, unless you fall from a height, the chances of serious head injury are less - probably not based on stats there so I could be talking rubbish

AIUI the spec of a bike helmet is to protect from a fall from head height ie exactly the sort of serious injury you might get in the home.

They're not (unlike motorbike helmets) specced to protect against high speed collisions.

Eg US standard "The CPSC standard uses a lab test drop of 2.0 meters on a flat anvil"

However, I may be mistaken, and would welcome correction if I have this wrong.

 

[Ian H]

Don't think I've ever prepared for an accident in all my years of riding.

I did once. I was on a coaching course and was asked to fall off in the group to test the others reactions.
This was long before helmets were a thing.
No, I wasn't injured.

 

[icowden]

in the house, unless you fall from a height, the chances of serious head injury are less - probably not based on stats there so I could be talking rubbish

You could be, but another factor is that head injuries in the home happen to the whole population, not just cyclists. That population includes a lot of elderly people. The older you are, the higher the risk of a fall, and those falls often come with head injuries. It includes a lot of children who have a propensity for falling off things, running into things etc. So the demographic is much larger and much more varied.

 

[matticus]

You could be, but another factor is that head injuries in the home happen to the whole population, not just cyclists.

One might think that this would lead to greater emphasis - by the media etc - on helmets in the home (than for cycling) as clearly the number of head injuries it might save is much higher.

But here we are ...

 

[matticus]

I did once. I was on a coaching course and was asked to fall off in the group to test the others reactions.
This was long before helmets were a thing.
No, I wasn't injured.

I find this a lot more believable than your Xmas Ostrich story (ED: on another thread), but I genuinely hope they are both true.

 

[Alex321]

One might think that this would lead to greater emphasis - by the media etc - on helmets in the home (than for cycling) as clearly the number of head injuries it might save is much higher.

But here we are ...

As has already been pointed out, the risk-per-hour of injuries in the home is far less than the risk-per-hour when cycling (or doing almost any other outdoor active pursuit).

 

[matticus]

As has already been pointed out, the risk-per-hour of injuries in the home is far less than the risk-per-hour when cycling (or doing almost any other outdoor active pursuit).

Oh sure. But as doesn't need pointing out, we spend more time at home than cycling. So more lives saved by Home Helmets - QED

[alternatively: a helmet at the top of your stairs would be good; pretty sure that stats show stairs to be more dangerous-per-hour than cycling 👍 ]

 

[roubaixtuesday]

As has already been pointed out, the risk-per-hour of injuries in the home is far less than the risk-per-hour when cycling (or doing almost any other outdoor active pursuit).

Actually, I doubt that's true when doing high risk activities like DIY, working at height particularly. These are very close to the top of reported accidents IIRC (sorry, too lazy to check!)

 

[raleighnut]

As has already been pointed out, the risk-per-hour of injuries in the home is far less than the risk-per-hour when cycling (or doing almost any other outdoor active pursuit).

2 of Maz's friends (sisters Sue and Kay) married 'Pro' footballers, both husbands developed 'early onset' Dementia in their early 60's. OK the footballs aren't as heavy as they were in the late 60's-early 70's but now research is showing that repeatedly 'heading' a football is as damaging as boxing.......should footballers wear helmets ?

 

[Profpointy]

As has already been pointed out, the risk-per-hour of injuries in the home is far less than the risk-per-hour when cycling (or doing almost any other outdoor active pursuit).

On the other hand my incident posted above

And what about beer drinking helmets though? Not entirely a joke question, as the relative risk per hour might well be comparable.

In any case, hasn't it been established by the Australian and Ontario statistics (though by no means acknowledged) that on average wearing cycle helmets does little or no good overall

 

[Alex321]

2 of Maz's friends (sisters Sue and Kay) married 'Pro' footballers, both husbands developed 'early onset' Dementia in their early 60's. OK the footballs aren't as heavy as they were in the late 60's-early 70's but now research is showing that repeatedly 'heading' a football is as damaging as boxing.......should footballers wear helmets ?

There have actually been calls to ban heading the ball.

These have been implemented for age group 12 and below.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

2 of Maz's friends (sisters Sue and Kay) married 'Pro' footballers, both husbands developed 'early onset' Dementia in their early 60's. OK the footballs aren't as heavy as they were in the late 60's-early 70's but now research is showing that repeatedly 'heading' a football is as damaging as boxing.......should footballers wear helmets ?

Apparently they are banning heading the ball for kids in schools and organised kids matches for this reason

 

[markemark]

There's two things here. The overall numbers of head injury per activity. And the likelihood of a head injury per activity. Cycling doesn't make top of the list in either.

There are more people in hospital with head injuries as a pedestrian. It is less likely than cycling, but there's much larger numbers. Making pedestrians wear helmets will save more lives than making cyclists.

Being drunk is one of the highest likelihoods for head injuries - it carries a greater risk per person. Making people wear a helmet on the way home from the pub will save more lives than making cyclists.

So if you even go drinking or are ever a pedestrian, it makes more sense to wear a helmet than when you are cycling.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

There's two things here. The overall numbers of head injury per activity. And the likelihood of a head injury per activity. Cycling doesn't make top of the list in either.

There are more people in hospital with head injuries as a pedestrian. It is less likely than cycling, but there's much larger numbers. Making pedestrians wear helmets will save more lives than making cyclists.

Being drunk is one of the highest likelihoods for head injuries - it carries a greater risk per person. Making people wear a helmet on the way home from the pub will save more lives than making cyclists.

So if you even go drinking or are ever a pedestrian, it makes more sense to wear a helmet than when you are cycling.

Thanks - I will write a letter to the Daily Mail and inform their readers of the sensible course of action!!!