I'm new to cycling (6 months) and often use this forum for 'hints and tips' and I respect the views of the cyclists that come on here and post their thoughts!
BUT BUT!! man what is ongoing with the debate about the pros and cons of wearing a helmet or not? This is p***ing me off. I see the thread/subject has been active for a while now.
We all know that we see these seasoned bikers riding around parading in some pseudo retro Italian cloth cap. Looks cool? I don't think so! Is this image telling kids (and other confused folk) that it's acceptable NOT to wear a helmet? It kinda does, doesn't it!? If he can, I can!?
I cant give out much advice about cycling, but one thing I can advise on is wearing a helmet. I work for the NHS, in and around one of the six major trauma centres in London, ....yes we get all kind of head injuries (some bloke painting the O2 falls off his ladder bang he lands on his head). Closer to home, earlier in the week we had a 32 year old male, established biker, commutes to work, on his usual route and approaching a mini-roundabout an elderly gentleman in his car pulls out on the cyclist <bang> the bike hits the car head on (no swerve or reaction time possible) the momentum has flipped the cyclist into the air who then lands full on to his helmet and shoulder, his helmet took the full impact. The car had a massive dent in the bonnet (I was told by the ambulance team). His helmet (high end MET) split into three pieces (it looked nasty) and his skull was cracked in a C shape. So he was rushed into the trauma unit to initially stem and relieve the internal bleeding and to, bottom-line, save his life! Spine ok?
Now we normally just get on with the job, but you only come to realise how lucky this bloke was making the choice of wearing a helmet when you see the relief in his wife's eyes when she realises that her husband was still alive. Then ..the tough subject surfaces, 'we're not too sure at this stage if your husband will be brain damaged' or suffer any other neurological effects. Hmmm.
So what I'm trying to say is, yes its OK for you to make the choice yes or no. But when you make that call, also remember close family and friends who might be left with a brain damaged partner! Will they (and you) be happy to spoon feed you during the recovery period!?
Honestly, I am trying to take on board the alternative view about not wearing a helmet. But let me once again take this this back to the trauma unit I can not think of one occasion where I thought the patient would have been ''better off'' [ROFL] without a helmet no matter what the scenario. I cant even paint one in my head never mind dealing with the reality.
Yeah sorry, I'm feeling hot under the collar about this. I suppose I'm just dumbfounded that the cycling community are not 100% united in a single message. That's life I suppose!
So just for me ...please! if you're planning to get the bike out of the garage this weekend and you have a quick sexy look at that cloth cap ....leave it where it is and proudly stick on your helmet. For those who do ponce around in a cloth caps - get yourself down to Truama when you can.....it may just help.
Rant over!!
But why would a driver wear a helmet in his home, so the obvious thing would be if he was sat in his car, which you said earlier, get a campaign going for helmets in cars, your words.
