Reasons not to wear helmets

[david k]

Three things. Stopping people forcing helmets on others whether by law or by participation rules, stopping people pedalling misinformation about the effectiveness of helmets and stopping people misrepresenting cycling as a dangerous activity requiring protective head gear.

do you consider somebody wearing a helmet as misrepresenting cycling as a dangerous activity?

 

[Red Light]

do you consider somebody wearing a helmet as misrepresenting cycling as a dangerous activity?

Typically not.

 

[spence]

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/bike-boy-dies-after-deer-collision-1

 

[mickle]

http://news.uk.msn.c...eer-collision-1

And?

 

[Red Light]

http://news.uk.msn.c...eer-collision-1

[url="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=driver+killed+deer"]More......[/url]

 

[ianrauk]

http://news.uk.msn.c...eer-collision-1

Deer as well as Badgers need to be added to the list. Any other animals?

 

[tyred]

I don't wear my helmet because I don't want to damage it. It's sitting safe and sound gathering dust on a shelf in the garage for the past three years

 

[ufkacbln]

You dont want me to wear one, that is removing my freedom of choice, why do you feel you can force me not to wear one, and remember this is the argument placed on me for wearing one.

As cumbolin says it is not possible to remove compulsion from helmet threads, why do you want to make it compulsion not to wear one and take away everyones freedom of choice

Spelling!

 

[spence]

And?

Just thought, head injuries, not wearing a helmet that there might be a connection. That's all. Simple.

Seen (had) enough dented, split, damaged helmets over the years but no damage to the head inside to realise it's a no brainer (pardon the pun) to wear one when riding.

 

[snorri]

Seen (had) enough dented, split, damaged helmets over the years but no damage to the head inside to realise it's a no brainer (pardon the pun) to wear one when riding.

I've never seen any modern helmets(post leather banana style) damaged, and would be interested to know how many you have seen over how many years, and what kind of cycling, sport, leisure, utility, off road?

 

[mickle]

Just thought, head injuries, not wearing a helmet that there might be a connection. That's all. Simple.

Seen (had) enough dented, split, damaged helmets over the years but no damage to the head inside to realise it's a no brainer (pardon the pun) to wear one when riding.

Someone fell off a bike whilst not wearing a helmet and suffered a fatal head injury. It's very sad, but it tells us nothing.

Do we know from that story - in the time between that poor child's death and the death of the next child from cycling accident related head injuries - how many children died from head injuries involving cars? Or garden trampolines? Do we know that a helmet would have saved him/them? No we don't and no we don't.

I know of someone who suffered permanent debilitating brain damage as a result of standing up underneath the corner of a kitchen cabinet door but I don't use this to support my belief that people should wear protective helmets when putting the dishes away.

This is like trying to explain the concept of climate change to someone who is peering at the sky through a letter box.

 

[MontyVeda]

...

This is like trying to explain the concept of climate change to someone who is peering at the sky through a letter box.

perfectly put

 

[Red Light]

Just thought, head injuries, not wearing a helmet that there might be a connection. That's all. Simple.

That was a rather unusual accident but I posted afterwards a page of drivers being killed by hitting deer. Do you think there might be a connection to them not wearing helmets? Do you think drivers should?

 

[ufkacbln]

I for one could not agree more with these sentiments...

On an individual basis I am quite prepared to accept that someone believes a helmet may have been beneficial.

However is it proof that we should all wear them?

In most of these cases exactly the same is true for pedestrians.


However as soon as that happens we get bleating that it is a cycle forum and discussing pedestrians is very naughty!

It is certainly inconvenient and difficult to explain why one is acceptable and one isn't, so I can see why exclusion is attractive

Surely person A stating that a helmet saved them in a cycle accident should cary exactly the same weight as a pedestrian claiming that helmet saved them?

Then we get to the silly "bang your head against a wall" experiment that supposedly illustrates benefits of a helmet.
Does the fact it is conducted on foot not really prove their benefit in pedestrians rather than cyclists?

 

[Davidc]

Deer as well as Badgers need to be added to the list. Any other animals?

perhaps if badgers, foxes, rabbits and hedgehogs all wore helmets you wouldn't have dead ones all over the roads?