Pro-helmet article on BBC One Show right now

[Dan B]

The jury's out after Brighton, mind...

But I don't want to go on the cart ...

 

[ianrauk]

Who is ignorant?

The living dead

 

[SO8]

I didn't see the article but having dealt - at work - with two pedal cyclists involved in low speed collisions where both were brain damaged - one severely ... I am more comfortable wearing a helmet !

Both the collisions were minor enough that I am more than confident a helmet would have stopped the terrible injury they suffered. The HEMS Doctor who treated the more serious one said he doubted it would have been any more than minor grazes and an exchange of details.

That said, my wife was nearly killed years back whilst cycling and really hates wearing a helmet, even though she had a terrible collision. Each to their own I suppose

 

[screenman]

Barriers and facilitators to cycle helmet use
The 2004 DfT cycle helmet review identified a series of barriers and facilitators associated with cycle helmet ownership and use, including:
• age (teenagers report and are observed having lower rates of helmet use)
• social background (helmet use and ownership are positively associated with income and educational achievement)
• geographical background (helmet use is greater in urban compared to rural areas)
• cost
• discomfort.

I found this interesting reading.

 

[screenman]

www.rospa.com/roadsafety/info/cycle_helmets.pdf

This made an interesting read.

 

[snorri]

Who is ignorant?

Perhaps not a general ignorance, but there is a clear lack of awareness on this thread of scientific data and statistical evidence related to cycle helmet usage.

 

[buddha]

I suppose I'm 'pro' helmet. But the numpty, in his thirties, on the white GT, riding up and down the pavement outside West Wickham Sainsbury's this morning, in a full-face helmet was taking things a bit far, and looked daft.

 

[Roadkill]

My concern is the continuing subtext of legislation.

From what I remember of the piece all of the people who had been saved by their helmets had been victims of poor driving.

Criminalising victims for not protecting themselves would be extremely poor law.

 

[Jezston]

My concern is the continuing subtext of legislation.

From what I remember of the piece all of the people who had been saved by their helmets had been victims of poor driving.

Criminalising victims for not protecting themselves would be extremely poor law.

Quite.

Fellow cyclists supporting such measures is particularly upsetting.

 

[Red Light]

i was amazed when i received a new helmet and a letter informing me that the damage to my helmet almost certainly saved my life as they do some sort of damage analysis that occurred to the helmet and they can work out the force impact to the helmet due to the type of crack in the polystyrene.

They're good at marketing aren't they

 

[abo]

Each to their own. I probably wouldn't wear a helmet on the road other than the fact that SWMBO moans if I don't. She doesn't ride a bike; yet... I'm picking up an old Peugeot for her to ride, (not seen it yet, might be a bit of a project...) so maybe when she realises that her hair will get messed up when she has to wear one to ride her bike she might relax a bit
In the meantime I wear a Giro Section BMX helmet...

 

[Red Light]

I didn't see the article but having dealt - at work - with two pedal cyclists involved in low speed collisions where both were brain damaged - one severely ... I am more comfortable wearing a helmet !

Both the collisions were minor enough that I am more than confident a helmet would have stopped the terrible injury they suffered. The HEMS Doctor who treated the more serious one said he doubted it would have been any more than minor grazes and an exchange of details.

Assuming you work in the medical arena, how many pedestrians and drivers have you had to deal with with head injuries. And would you and the HEMS doctor even consider suggesting to them or their families that their injuries could have been less if they'd been wearing a helmet? Only your HEMS doctor certainly will see about twenty times as many pedestrian and driver head injuries as cyclist.

 

[screenman]

Red light, do you trust anything you read? Maybe the company was giving an opinion and honest one at that.

 

[pshore]

"It's selfish of anyone not to wear a helmet"....
true true

If you get injured, its not just you who's going to bear the weight but as well as your loved ones...

It's a strange statement from James Cracknell.

He has been selfish by taking on this challenge in the first place. By not doing the challenge, there is no risk. What about his rowing across the Atlantic - utterly pointless. His race to the pole - utterly pointless. Surely three very selfish acts that risked leaving loved ones behind.

If he was smart (and still wanted to do the cycle challenge), he could have significantly lowered his chances of being in an accident by not cycling on a main road. That choice might well have saved him a hospital trip in the first place.

 

[SO8]

Assuming you work in the medical arena, how many pedestrians and drivers have you had to deal with with head injuries. And would you and the HEMS doctor even consider suggesting to them or their families that their injuries could have been less if they'd been wearing a helmet? Only your HEMS doctor certainly will see about twenty times as many pedestrian and driver head injuries as cyclist.

I don't work in the medical area. I am a traffic policeman whose job is specifically to go out and manage the investigation into serious road traffic collisions.

My comments are based on my views given what I do - and have done for 10 years - and as a keen cyclist. I see many head injuries - but this is a cycling forum and I posted my views as a cyclist.

I would not tell a family anything relating to a helmet and whether it is likely to have helped unless a Doctor has told me they felt it would/would not have helped or the family ask - and then I relay literally what I am told by a Doctor.

If a Doctor wants to tell a family something themselves at the hospital that is up to them. My experience is they do share their views but would state it is their opinion.