Has your helmet saved your life poll

[Pedrosanchezo]

I don't, comparative risk tells me so too but I do assess the consequence of the risk to be greater, after all, my centre of gravity is higher and I'm moving four or five times faster. But is my actual risk mitigated by wearing a helmet?

Comparative risk also tells me I shouldn't take up cave diving, very useful, comparative risk.

Comparative risk may change the way you personally look at the potential dangers. That is up to the individual.
A stunt man may think cyclists who wear helmets are total pussies but for some people cycling might be the only activity considered dangerous in their opinion. Still comes back to risk assessment for the individual.
Why people keep questioning this is beyond me. If someone in the pro helmet camp kept on like this there would be an uproar!

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

The driver was also there, one presumes if the car is moving, and has the same real life experience - shame the two interpretations are polar opposites!

What does the passenger represent in my situation? At best it could be someone cycling with me. Most certainly not people chatting to me on this forum or a statistician.[/quote]

The point is that it demonstrates that the person evaluating their own risk is not always the best person if they already have preconceptions or are inherent risk takers.[/quote]

I can agree in part. A second or third opinion is no bad thing. A couple of members from your club, a few friends with good experience who know you well. People on a forum cannot give valid advice without ALL of the relevant information. At which point they could make an informed decision. I know you know this as you have said much the same a few pages back.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

One of the disappointments of life is people are generally less exceptional than they imagine.

I mean you just might be a eunuch but otherwise I'd bet on a quack's estimate of your prostate cancer risks than your good self. It isn't that they just know the averages but the pertinent factors to ask which would significantly move you away from the median. Same applies to actuaries assessing your car or bike crash chances. You misunderstand if you think I'm telling you what these chances are. Only that you are probably not the best judge on your own ...

If i tell them nothing about my lifestyle then i will be far more accurate. For example i may already have prostate cancer and therefor their odds won't be very accurate will they??

 

[Crackle]

Comparative risk may change the way you personally look at the potential dangers. That is up to the individual.
A stunt man may think cyclists who wear helmets are total pussies but for some people cycling might be the only activity considered dangerous in their opinion. Still comes back to risk assessment for the individual.
Why people keep questioning this is beyond me. If someone in the pro helmet camp kept on like this there would be an uproar!

I'm in neither camp.. I'm in the 'make as objective a decision as you can camp'. I'm against compulsion and irritated at the focus helmets get to the detriment of the general cyclist's safety debate.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I'm in neither camp.. I'm in the 'make as objective a decision as you can camp'. I'm against compulsion and irritated at the focus helmets get to the detriment of the general cyclist's safety debate.

No doubt cyclists can hurt themselves in many ways. The helmet at this point is merely an option for those who believe it will help protect, to some extent.
I do not favour compulsion. I am also interested, sincerely, as to what people think would happen to cycling in the long term after the law passes (assuming it does).

 

[green1]

I am also interested, sincerely, as to what people think would happen to cycling in the long term after the law passes (assuming it does).

I'd probably end up in court.

 

[StuartG]

I'd probably end up in court.

I may become a Sikh

 

[Crackle]

No doubt cyclists can hurt themselves in many ways. The helmet at this point is merely an option for those who believe it will help protect, to some extent.
I do not favour compulsion. I am also interested, sincerely, as to what people think would happen to cycling in the long term after the law passes (assuming it does).

As said, the answer is already available. On a personal level it would make no odds to me, besides deeply saddening me for a while. And if such a law had existed, I would probably not have two children who cycled as much as they now do.

 

[defy-one]

I may become a Sikh

i am Sikh!

 

[StuartG]

You are not wrong but I feel it would be foolish to take our collective eye off the ball.

You are not wrong either but the greater danger is 'creeping compulsion'. In Croydon you can't get bicycle training without a helmet. Charity rides are mostly compulsory. You can't even do a FNRttC without some plod asking what you are not wearing one. It has the same effect as a law but dodges the difficult questions.

 

[Crackle]

i am Sikh!

Sikh of helmet debates?

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Sometimes no matter what measures you take you still get maniacs on the road!!


Then look at some of the comments below.

 

[StuartG]

Bob has never asked me that

Last Bognor ride. Bob wasn't there. That was the problem!

 

[StuartG]

There was the fact that we were a bit undisciplined, both in being all over the road and in loads of people talking at once.

Absolutely agree - but the point was to concentrate on the real errors and dangers - not (in this context) something totally irrelevant and a distraction.

 

[ufkacbln]

You are not wrong either but the greater danger is 'creeping compulsion'. In Croydon you can't get bicycle training without a helmet. Charity rides are mostly compulsory. You can't even do a FNRttC without some plod asking what you are not wearing one. It has the same effect as a law but dodges the difficult questions.

Norwich was similar.

Compulsory helmets for children on training courses saw a big drop in attendance, particularly in lower income houeholds.

Sadly this group is already over represented in casualty figures and the 50) reduction quoted by RoSPA in accidents that results from training has not happened.

So the helmet compulsion has resulted in a lower attendance rate and more injuries to children.


What a good idea that was!