Has your helmet saved your life poll

[ufkacbln]

Concomitant educational programs
and public awareness campaigns may
account for some of the positive effects of enacting
helmet legislation.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Haha, no amount of evidence, rider experience of even random opinion would have even the slightest bearing on some of you. That's fair enough. It's your decision!

The fact that the same people keep posting on these debates suggests they would like to impose their views on others.
I would NEVER advise someone to ride without a helmet. To do so would just be negligent.

Now to advise someone to wear a helmet can hardly be detrimental to their health can it?? Until it becomes an issue of legality then whats the point in going over and over the same one liners and rebuttals.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Perhaps you need to answer that one for yourself.

Don't think i need to do anything but thanks for proving my point.
Simply waiting for the ice to thaw a bit before going out on my bike rather than spend all day arguing on forums about helmet safety or their lack of........

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

You had a point?

Yeh you keep proving it with every post. Thanks.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Well do share it with the rest of us, if it is that good.

Off out on the bike. Will leave you to argue with yourself. I try to save my energy for activities of a more productive nature.

 

[ufkacbln]

Now to advise someone to wear a helmet can hardly be detrimental to their health can it?? Until it becomes an issue of legality then whats the point in going over and over the same one liners and rebuttals.

Which is why we should be promoting the Thudguard?

After all it is endorsed as a benefit by both RoSPA who liken it's effectiveness to cycle helmets and also the College of Emergency Medicine

 

[Alun]

I was going to complete the poll but couldn't work out what " It helped but not in a riding related way" meant.
Does anyone have any examples?

 

[Norm]

"The results are consistent with an approximate 3-fold increase in the risk of death from head injuries for people who do not wear helmets compared with those who do"

I tried to interpret the results, but there's a fair amount of jargon in the more detailed report. However, from what I could understand, the study didn't consider the number of miles travelled. If that is the case, an alternative conclusion could be:
"There is a 3-fold decrease in the number of cyclists resulting from the imposition of legislation mandating helmet wearing."

There are very few who would ever advise anyone not to wear a helmet, but a few who are trying to get the evangelists to see potential logical flaws in their positions. For instance...

Now to advise someone to wear a helmet can hardly be detrimental to their health can it??

... the closest I've come to injury on a bike was when a piece of bramble snagged in an air vent as I rode past. Now, whilst there probability of getting whiplash like that might be small, so is the probability of having an accident, let alone one in which a helmet might reduce an injury.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I tried to interpret the results, but there's a fair amount of jargon in the more detailed report. However, from what I could understand, the study didn't consider the number of miles travelled. If that is the case, an alternative conclusion could be:
"There is a 3-fold decrease in the number of cyclists resulting from the imposition of legislation mandating helmet wearing."

There are very few who would ever advise anyone not to wear a helmet, but a few who are trying to get the evangelists to see potential logical flaws in their positions. For instance...

... the closest I've come to injury on a bike was when a piece of bramble snagged in an air vent as I rode past. Now, whilst there probability of getting whiplash like that might be small, so is the probability of having an accident, let alone one in which a helmet might reduce an injury.

I personally believe it comes down to risk assessment Norm.
If there is a chance that i can hurt my head in an accident whilst riding my bike, then in the interest of self preservation, i will wear a helmet. It simply cannot be worse than not wearing a helmet so the only downside would be if i didn't like wearing a helmet. In that case it comes down to simple prioritisation. How much do i think a helmet can help me in the (possibly unlikely) event of an accident versus not wanting to wear one for other reasons not related to safety.

I do hear the "what are the chances" argument quite a lot and, though valid, you cannot measure the future in any way. Therefor to go on past experience is a little short sighted.

For me if wearing a helmet can increase my chances of survival in any cycling related head trauma, then it's a no brainer.
I am more than willing to put up with buying something that, in comparison to what most cyclists spend on bikes and other related accessories, is relatively cheap and most certainly worth paying if there is a chance it could save me from a serious head injury.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Have a good ride. When you come back, answer this. You posted



What is your position on advising people about to walk or drive to the shop, and your rational for each?

An enjoyable ride but very slow ride indeed. Sheet ice everywhere. One of the best safety features a cyclist can have is judgement and mine was poor in this instance. Walking down the verge on a steep, thick ice covered, descent was certainly enough to remind me that cycling safety starts with the noggin.

Now that i mention the noggin.....

Cycling is in no way comparable to walking or driving a car. It is probably closest to riding a moped or low powered bike. Both of which a helmet is a requirement, though this is a little off topic. I assume you are going to say something like "why don't people wear helmets whilst walking or driving a car?"
I would suggest we could debate that all day. Even if i think the answers are bleedin obvious, you may not. For this reason i ask you not to pursue this point and accept a cycling related answer. This is by definition a forum about cycling.

Cyclists can choose not to wear elbow pads, knee pads, safety glasses, body armour, steel toe caps, kevlar body suits or even a cup for the nether regions (you never know when you might need one!). The difference between all of these methods of self protection and a helmet is quite simple, the helmet is the only one that (arguably) protects your head.
You can break bones, drag your skin along gravel infused roads, snap ligaments and even land on the bars in a position you never ever want to land on the bars! Thing is you will walk away from these unfortunate incidents, you might not walk away from a serious head injury.

I bet a head injury whilst cycling is far more likely than winning the national lottery. I also would like to bet that there are plenty of cyclists (even on this forum) who play the lottery every week but don't wear a helmet. Think about it.......

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Which is why we should be promoting the Thudguard?

After all it is endorsed as a benefit by both RoSPA who liken it's effectiveness to cycle helmets and also the College of Emergency Medicine

I dearly hope that parents don't let children, that are too young to make their own adult decisions, ride their bikes without some form of helmet. They are far more likely to fall off and for that reason are a much higher risk.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

And yet pedestrians and occupants of cars pitch up at casualty with exactly the same sort of head injuries as cyclists, ones that could possibly have been prevented had they worn a helmet but still we get this almost hysterical cry telling us not to be so stupid as to ride a bike without one and a matching deafening silence on the same subject for those other groups. Why is that?

And after my asking you not to pursue this point.

Again maybe we should nip over to the "pedestrian for cyclists looking for an excuse not to wear a helmet" forum or my favourite "cyclists who do or do not drive, but think motorists should wear a helmet if cyclists have to" forum.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Are you really so arrogant as to think that you have a right to dictate how others discuss this subject?

I had wondered how long it would take for the troll to become trolled.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Unlike anyone else here I am no troll. You might be but I am quite serious about this. I find the readiness if cyclists to perpetuate the myth that cycling is a dangerous activity most disturbing. When they are nit prepared to contemplate their perception of that danger in relative terms, relative to other everyday transport choices, it becomes worse.
What exactly are you scared of here?

Cycling is a dangerous activity. I have broken my collar bone, broken my wrist and received many cases of road rash. As have the many people i know who are cyclists.
Now i know many pedestrians too and (not even bringing into account the differing frequency) none of them have sustained more injuries whilst out walking in comparison to when cycling. Cycling is more dangerous than walking. I find it hard to believe you are not trolling if you are suggesting otherwise.

A helmet is a preventative measure. No one can argue this point. The debate appears to be how effective this measure is when considering the odds of a head injury whilst cycling. My point remains the same. Since you cannot predict where or how you will have an accident on the bike, wearing your helmet all the time is the only way to consistently take the best available preventative measure.

Or don't wear one and take your chances. Who knows what will happen.

 

[theclaud]

I have broken my collar bone, broken my wrist and received many cases of road rash.

Were you wearing a helmet at the time?