I have my mind changed about helmets!

[threebikesmcginty]

Mr Kohl is my favourite Helmut.

 

[ianrauk]

I like Cheese... do you like my cheeseboard

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I like Cheese... do you like my cheeseboard

Your crackers...

 

[mumbo jumbo]

Well, I normally keep out of helmet threads... but what the heck.... Of course it is a personal choice. My opinion, for what it is worth is this:

1. helmets are not magical, and I strongly believe they provide less protection than many people think.
2. having said that, they provide some protection (which is why I choose to wear one probably 99% of the time, except in really hot weather or when I'm just testing a bike quickly for 5 minutes on my local road where traffic is almost non-existent and very slow anyway)
3. often there is a disconnect between people who seem to be highly charged to declare others should wear a helmet (e.g. my wife's friend took me to task for not wearing a helmet. My response? Do you wear a helmet when you go downhill skiing? She did not!)
4. there's also the issue of drawing the line, which is different for every person -for example, and assuming appropriate types of helmets:

should you wear a helmet motorcycling? (for me, yes)
should you wear a helmet mountain biking (for me, yes)

now approaching the line:

should you wear a helmet riding on the road (for me, mostly yes, but I don't believe they have to be all the time)
should you wear a helmet when you are batting in cricket? (for me, it would depend on the bowler!)

crossing the line?

should you wear a helmet running? (for me no, but what if you are running and trip over? Or run on the pavement and have to cross the road where you are exposed to cars -a helmet offers some protection, yes?)
or should you wear a helmet crossing the road as a pedestrian (for me, no, but hey, they do offer some protection, right?)

The bottom line for me is that a suitable well designed helmet is going to offer some measure of protection. But so does a bullet proof vest if you are shot at, and an asbestos suit will also protect you against fire too -and don't forget a riot shield will offer you protection from an object thrown at you or something falling off a roof. Well, unless you happen to be shot in the head, be in a blast furnace or a car drops on your head from a multi-storey car park.....

You just have to make a personal choice that best mitigates the risks (goodness, you just can't eliminate all of them from life!) for you and your lifestyle. Me? I always wear a helmet off roading, and as I said, almost always wear a helmet when I ride on the road -again, as I said, I do think helmets offer some protection.

However, as long as it's legal, I'm not about to criticize or take to task people who choose to not do so -I figure they just have a different level of risk mitigation from me. And I respect that.

+1
Spot on this. I'm for informed choice. Trouble is, for the uninitiated, the information is such a mess!

 

[schlafsack]

I like Cheese... do you like my cheeseboard

I do. And now I'm hungry. Damn yer eyes.

 

[Panter]

I like Cheese... do you like my cheeseboard

I do, I love cheese

Is one of those crackers going spare by any chance 3BM?

 

[400bhp]

Helmet's saves lives [sup]TM[/sup] User3143

Just the one?

 

[ianrauk]

Just the one?

Damn those wayward apostrophe's

 

[Davidc]

I like Cheese... do you like my cheeseboard

No point in wearing a helmet then. The saturated fats will (probably) get you long before a bike accident does!

And it was good to see 2 people riding bikes WITHOUT helmets being shown on the cover of the latest Cycle magazine. I wonder if they eat cheese?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

No point in wearing a helmet then. The saturated fats will (probably) get you long before a bike accident does!

Reminds me, thought those crackers looked a bit dry. Butter anyone?

 

[Davidc]

Reminds me, thought those crackers looked a bit dry. Butter anyone?

Just follow it up with a cream tea. Butter scones, loads of sugar rich strawberry jam, then as thick a layer of clotted cream as will stay on the top without falling off*

*Just make sure the cream's wearing a helmet in case it hits the floor.

 

[ianrauk]

No point in wearing a helmet then. The saturated fats will (probably) get you long before a bike accident does!

And it was good to see 2 people riding bikes WITHOUT helmets being shown on the cover of the latest Cycle magazine. I wonder if they eat cheese?

Evidence please...

 

[J4CKO]

How different is that from falling whilst walking and hitting your head on a kerb?

I know its a typical answer, but it shows a piont - someone fell and hit their head - there are so many places this could happen.

Also it doesnt seem that kid was doing 30 plus mph

Its just a question of kinetic energy, you go faster on a bike and are subject to more hazards, sure you can fall over when walking but thats 3/4 mph, not 15/20/25/30, more chance to react on foot and more chance to slow down. I managed to slip in a hotel bathroom and royally bang my head, not advocating helmets for greasy hotel shower usage but I think it woul dhave been a whole lot less painful.

"That kid" was not doing 30 but the coroner did say a helmet would probably have saved his life, a smiley was probably inappropriate at the end of that sentence really.

I really dont hold that much store in helmets, but a simple test is to knock your head on something hard first, with, then without one and report your findings, add in the fact it has a nice visor that keeps sun and water out of my eyes, convinces motorists and my wife I am a safety concious cyclist and I can mount lites and cameras on it its a no brainer, plus, it feels really naughty and deviant when I occasionally ride without one.

 

[schlafsack]

Steak Tartare!

 

[J4CKO]

I do obviously take onboard evidence to the contrary,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/5334208.stm

Worst justification of dressing as a woman and riding a bicycle ever !