I feel the same by not wearing one.
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I feel the same by not wearing one.
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
Have moved my reply to the appropriate thread as this one is in danger of being locked/moved!
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ooops sorry.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Protest by stopping a few yards before the finish line, in sight of the finish marshals, and make a big show of taking it off to cross the line? Then if they disqualify you, you've done most of the ride anyway and can have the argument about the pointlessness of helmets and how most of those event organisers do almost nothing effective to improve rider safety.
ObTopic: does anyone else feel that the helmet usage % temporarily increases after one of those events has been in the area? Might not be so noticeable in a big city. I wonder if it's people unconsciously imitating the "expert" example or simply that a load of people will have bought potties to take part in the event and then think they might as well use them.
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I'm out.I'm derailing the thread and I don't want this thread moved/locked because I posted a comment inappropriate to the thread.
Cheers.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
In putting together the latest edition of Arrivée, I noted that very few of the submitted pictures showed people riding without helmets. I find this interesting because audax is commonly regarded as one of the last bastions of resistance against the normalisation of helmet wearing (it is, of course, one of the few types of cycling event from the sportier end of the spectrum where helmet wearing remains optional - time trials being the other significant example). This is hardly a scientific analysis though, and I suspect that on the longer events that attract the more hardcore element of the audax community, you might see a lower proportion of helmeted heads than on the shorter events that attract bigger numbers. But I'm just guessing.
It's doubly interesting in light of the OP's observation that helmet wearing appears to be decreasing proportionally among utility cyclists. My conclusion from this would be that cycling itself is becoming a normal, everyday form of transport for which people don't feel they need special equipment, which would be excellent news, regardless of what you may think about helmets. Sportives and audaxes are different because they are cycling as an end in itself, and for many people taking part in these events, a helmet is likely to be regarded simply as part of the uniform - you wear a helmet for much the same reason you wear lycra and shave your legs, ie it's part of the look. If any consideration is given to the safety angle, it's likely to be cursory at best.
I can't say I've observed this phenomenon but then we don't get many big cycling events down my way.
Racing roadkill
Guru
Yes, I spend a lot more time riding my bike, than trying to make troll posts on forums.
Racing roadkill
Guru
But back on topic. I've seen a lot of folk who I know were more biased towards longer distance / road riding, and exposing themselves to the added risks involved in such riding, have had enough of it, and only 'leisure / utility' ride now. A lot of them no longer think that the risks they are now exposed to, warrant wearing a lid.
Racing roadkill
Guru
And purposely expose yourself to the riskiest / most likely place to end up in a heap, and thus add weight to the organisers arguements?
That's a genius idea. Yes, everybody do this, I implore you to do this.
Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
Yep, it's a 50 mile fun ride. Or at least it will be a fun ride for me - cake stops interrupted by cycling. No doubt the RR's of this world will see it otherwise and are welcome to knock themselves out.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
That's an interesting guess. I would have guessed self-censorship by the photographers because of the increasing number of publications which prefer to print photographs showing only or mostly helmetted riders. If you look at press coverage, even cycling press, it's easy to forget that helmet users are in the minority.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Actually, there's something in RR's words: at Ride London, the announcers were encouraging people to cross the finish line no-handed, which I suspect does make crashes more likely (especially with those speed bump timing mats at RL?). That's the only sportive I've seen/heard that, though - more often, any announcer is concentrating on getting/keeping the crowd applauding the finishers.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
I received pics of the start of one event that showed only one bare head in the entire field. Photographers can only shoot what's in front of them.
Spinney
Bimbleur extraordinaire
- Location
- Back up north
Mod note: as some of you have realised, this thread is wandering very, very close to a helmet debate, and hence to being locked or merged with the main thread. I've removed a few posts from this page that were discussing head injuries, although I haven't gone back pages to remove others.
If you want to continue discussing how many people wear helmets, please try a little harder to avoid discussing whether or not they do any good!
If you want to continue discussing how many people wear helmets, please try a little harder to avoid discussing whether or not they do any good!
