Benefits of wearing a helmet

[threebikesmcginty]

.........sponsored by a company making cycling caps

Nice caps mind

 

[Dan B]

Which would you rather: 400 or 300 joules energy impacting on your skull.

It'll take about 700 before it fractures (at least, most will - I haven't measured my own). So frankly in the vast majority of cases it's not going to make that much difference either way

 

[Bollo]

I wonder if the £220 one makes someone look 27.5 times more twattish?

But twatishness increases as the square of cost, so you actually look 756.25 more of a front bum.

 

[MacB]

But twatishness increases as the square of cost, so you actually look 756.25 more of a front bum.

so is twattish twatish double or single t?

 

[Bollo]

so is twattish twatish double or single t?

The second 't' is silent, like the 'ck' in Bollo.

 

[ufkacbln]

Which would you rather: 400 or 300 joules energy impacting on your skull. Nobody (sensible) is saying that they prevent death on every occasion. Even if they only prevent 10-15% of deaths a lot of people will think that is a worthwhile thing to have.

A pedestrian and a cyclist both get struck by the same vehicle at the same speed, is it worthwhile both of them wearing a helmet, or is there some magic that saves the pedestrian and makes a helmet unnecessary?

After all if a helmet saved 10 - 15% of pedestrian deaths that would be a far greater societal benefit than cyclists wearing them.

 

[MacB]

The second 't' is silent, like the 'ck' in Bollo.

I had you down as an 'x' rather than a 'ck' at the end, should have remembered you weren't that modern

 

[StuartG]

[QUOTE 1152813"]Remember this though - HELMETS SAVE LIVES.
[/quote]
Source?

 

[Fnaar]

I have a helmet, but I don't wear it much! But I always keep my helmet clean!

 

[dondare]

yes you are right. I should take safety advice from a cartoon.

The cartoon is a bit of fun. The point is valid.

 

[dondare]

I'm not travelling at 25-30mph when I'm crossing the road.

The vehicle that hits you might be going a lot faster than that.

 

[cannondale boy]

Why do bike motorists wear a helmet?

Don't answer by its compulsory, or because its speed, because a cyclist can exceed 40 mph plus and still fall off just like a motorist!

I choose to wear one because i am that minority that does cycle faster than the usual cyclist...and if i were to fall off at least i have a chance of surviving.

 

[dondare]

Given that on a bike;
you are travelling at anything from 3-ish to 7-ish times faster than a ped
you are in the road with traffic which is at best indifferent, at worst aggressively antagonistic to cyclists
you are on a machine which is subject to mechanical failure and to potholes and other road imperfections as well as geasy roads, ice etc.

I'd love to know how you think being a ped is more dangerous than being on a bike.

Today, while on the bike:
I suffered an attempted left hook as a car tried to turn, without indicating, in an otherwise quiet road, having never got further past me than his passenger door.
I had two pedestrians step out on me without looking both of whom were only avoided by my vigilance.
I failed to get hit by someone opening a car door on me by dint of cycling outside the door zone. This, of course infuriated the driver behind me who squeezed past me with minimal clearnce just as the door was opening.
A fairly standard day on the bike then.
I cannot remember the last time I felt endangered as a pedestrian

In 2008; 115 cyclists were killed as opposed to 572 peds. I don't know where you live but in Edinburgh there are considerably more than 5 peds to each cyclist. Statistics, as ever, can be made to say what you want them to say, but if you really think that your daily cycling experience is safer than being on foot, I for one will come and join you.

I live and work in London and I suspect that Edinburgh is less cycle friendly.
Statistics don't have to be misleading. The fact is that in spite of all the arguments why cycling is dangerous and walking is safe, cyclists usually continue to live and pedestrians sometimes get killed. The accident rate per person per mile is higher for peds than for cyclists, although not by much.

 

[dondare]

Why do bike motorists wear a helmet?

Don't answer by its compulsory, or because its speed, because a cyclist can exceed 40 mph plus and still fall off just like a motorist!

I choose to wear one because i am that minority that does cycle faster than the usual cyclist...and if i were to fall off at least i have a chance of surviving.

Motorcyclists wear helmets and still get killed at ten times the rate of everyone else.

 

[cannondale boy]

Motorcyclists wear helmets and still get killed at ten times the rate of everyone else.

Show me the stats and i'll agree...its probably right but between a car and a bike, the car will always have more protection than the cyclist or non-cyclist.