I love helmets

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Big_Dave

The unlikely Cyclist
You should care @Big_Dave and it should bother you. If we look at compulsion in other countries, Australia for example, there is no question that following the introduction of a helmet law the amount of people cycling dropped. The very simple fact is that the more people there are cycling the safer it is for cyclists, the less people there are cycling the less safe it is and that applies to whether you wear a helmet or not. Quite simply if helmets were made compulsory in the UK it is very likely that cycling would become a more dangerous pastime for YOU, and that's why it should bother you.

I can see you are passionate about this, the fact remains that in the uk the majority already wear a helmet so it is unlikely to have a significant effect here, I've rode motorcycles all my adult life and so I am used to wearing a helmet. Cycling in the uk at the moment quite fashionable, I cycled since childhood and a good proportion of my adult life, way before it was fashionable and no doubt will continue long after the fashion fad brigade find another obsession to rave about.
 

Mugshot

Cracking a solo.
I can see you are passionate about this, the fact remains that in the uk the majority already wear a helmet so it is unlikely to have a significant effect here, I've rode motorcycles all my adult life and so I am used to wearing a helmet. Cycling in the uk at the moment quite fashionable, I cycled since childhood and a good proportion of my adult life, way before it was fashionable and no doubt will continue long after the fashion fad brigade find another obsession to rave about.
Please don't think that I am in anyway suggesting you do not wear a helemt, that decision is for the individual. It is important however that it remains that way, that includes from both compulsion and peer pressure. The amount of people cycling affects the experience for those that cycle in a number of ways, the obvious one is motorised traffic are more used to seeing cyclists and one would hope they become a little more aware of how to act around them and maybe look out for them a litte more, but it also affects infrastructure, as you say cycling at the moment is pretty big business and councils are spending money on installing cycle lanes and paths and on their upkeep. Whether the infrastructure being put in place is always what is best for the cyclist is perhaps another debate, but what is certain is that without the increasing volume of cyclists to cater for the councils would not be spending. If cycling numbers decrease it affects not just your safety (and mine) it may also affect that nice cycle path you use when you go for a spin on a Sunday afternoon with the family.
 

Big_Dave

The unlikely Cyclist
Lets just say, If you where lobbying against helmet law, and the law came in, the majority said right we are no longer going to cycle and gave it up, would you continue to cycle and wear a helmet to save cycling or give it up on principal along with the majority. Don't get me wrong, it's a great debate, but if it stays as we are with no law then everyone's happy:thumbsup:
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
Lets just say, If you where lobbying against helmet law, and the law came in, the majority said right we are no longer going to cycle and gave it up, would you continue to cycle and wear a helmet to save cycling or give it up on principal along with the majority. Don't get me wrong, it's a great debate, but if it stays as we are with no law then everyone's happy:thumbsup:


Continue to cycle without one.
 

Wobblers

Euthermic
Location
Minkowski Space
No reason. apart from suffering a bad head injury.

@broadway Sorry I think should have explained better my post, builder wears hard hats as to protect from falling objects from above or bang head on scaffolding not as in a fall, but wears no protection against falling off a ladder

@Mugshot Most will follow what pro's wear whatever the sport, having personally suffered head injuries made my decision for wearing one, I'm not a dedicated follower of fashion, never have been..

Guys, everyone has a right to their own opinion albiet whoever is right or wrong, just because there are 2 sides to an argument doesn't make either side right or wrong, it's a complex debate and each accident has it's own variables as to if, what, how or could have been. You do at the moment have the right to choose to wear or not to wear, if it ever became law then yes you could kick a stink up about it if you were that against it. move on:thumbsup:


When it comes to my safety, I am not interested in anyone's opinion. I am interested in facts. And the facts are:
  1. Despite research spanning over 2 decades, there is no undisputed evidence to support the idea that helmets reduce injury rates. Quite the reverse: the best evidence we have suggests no benefit whatsoever.
  2. Helmet compulsion results in an increase in risk. There has been no example where the introduction of mandatory helmet law has reduced the probability of injury or death per unit distance. Quite the reverse: in every instance, the KSI risk has increased. It therefore is very obvious that helmet compulsion does the opposite of what common sense would suggest: it decreases the safety of cyclists.
This is why you will find that while no one here is anti-helmet (despite the lazy claims of one person) there are plenty of people, who after examining the evidence, have concluded that compulsion is a very bad thing for their health. Wear your helmet! No one is going to condemn you for it (funny how that never seems to work the other way, but oh well... ).
 

Big_Dave

The unlikely Cyclist
We've discussed this before. I would carry on cycling without a helmet.

I still don't understand why those for whom such a law would make no difference make such a fuss about this issue. If you want to wear a helmet, go ahead. Just shut up with the preaching to other people who would be affected if the position changed.
We've discussed this before. I would carry on cycling without a helmet.

I still don't understand why those for whom such a law would make no difference make such a fuss about this issue. If you want to wear a helmet, go ahead. Just shut up with the preaching to other people who would be affected if the position changed.
I got slated earlier for wearing on helmet, for no reason other than the fact they don't like wearing helmets in their way of thinking is more dangerous, personally I wear one because I want to, I don't think any less of someone who doesn't, it doesn't bother me in the slightest, this thread is the for and (mainly) against the protection of a cycle helmet in an accident, admittedly it went a little off topic, just because someone who has different view and you don't like doesn't make them preaching about it, it is freedom of speech whether you agree with the subject or not!!
 

Drago

Legendary Member
On the loo.
 

Big_Dave

The unlikely Cyclist
You don't get people writing "if you wear a helmet, you are an idiot".
That is a fair comment which personally think is a little unfair, everyone of a certain age has cycled without a helmet in their life, myself included even as a child because cycle helmets didn't exist.
 

Big_Dave

The unlikely Cyclist
Sorry, I don't understand how that answers my point, which is that the criticism, campaigning, lobbying etc is all one way. There is no campaign looking to stop people from wearing helmets, to outlaw helmets etc. There isn't even any pointing and laughing, except for instances of putting a hi-viz cover on top of a helmet because, face facts, they look like radioactive mushrooms.
can't argue with that :laugh:
 

Big Nick

Senior Member
Firstly it is not a concession. We are not negotiating anything here.

Here, with a tiny amount of searching helmet threads for me using the words "no one", I find you:

Example One

Example Two

I don't believe a concession has to be in a 'negotiation' to qualify as such but I stand to be corrected.

The impression I have formed from reading the posts I have seen of yours would suggest to me, on first reading, a contrary position to the one now made clear hence my comment.

Unfortunately I haven't had chance to read every thread on here and Example One is such a thread

Unfortunately Example Two is a bad link so I cannot see it
 

Big Nick

Senior Member
What tends to be missed or ignored is that the likelyhood of it happening is rather similar to several other everyday activities, walking for example.

Sorry but in my opinion that is utterly ridiculous and devalues the rest of your post
 
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