Stopped wearing a helmet?
- Thread starter slow horse
- Start date
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Rusty Nails
We remember
- Location
- Living in the slow lane
I must be the only person who doesn't find a bike helmet uncomfortable when riding. I have one that fits and is easily adjustable for wearing a merino hat underneath it in the very cold weather. Once or twice I have forgotten it when going out for a ride and didn't notice until I tried to take it off.
Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
I briefly had one because a number of organisers of sportives started making them compulsory, but couldn't stand the things and instead stopped riding events where one was required. Interestingly enough, the last sportive I road, sometime around 2010 Myself and one other were the only ones without helmets, he because he had forgotten his and myself because I chose not to - and guess what, In was thew only rider to have an off. Climbing a slow grind of a hill on an unclassified road I put my front wheel on a patch of mud, went 90 degrees across the road and fell on my side down the hill, a classic case one would think where a helmet would come in useful. Except My head never made contact with the ground, as is usual in such falls I took the impact from my shoulder downwards, hard enough to make me abandon the ride within a few miles of getting back on the bike.
I have no doubt that if I had been wearing a helmet the increased bulk and weight would have caused it to touch down and shatter, giving me the perfect excuse to come on here and post a "Helmet saved my life" thread. I've been cycling and racing long enough to have seen that deaths from head injuries alone have always been very rare among cyclists, I don't know of any myself though I have known of a few deaths of riders I competed with. Go back to pre compulsion in pro racing and see how many head injury deaths there were among the riders and you'll struggle to make a statistic that would amount to a tenth of a percent, and these guys crash regularly as an occupational hazard.
I have no doubt that if I had been wearing a helmet the increased bulk and weight would have caused it to touch down and shatter, giving me the perfect excuse to come on here and post a "Helmet saved my life" thread. I've been cycling and racing long enough to have seen that deaths from head injuries alone have always been very rare among cyclists, I don't know of any myself though I have known of a few deaths of riders I competed with. Go back to pre compulsion in pro racing and see how many head injury deaths there were among the riders and you'll struggle to make a statistic that would amount to a tenth of a percent, and these guys crash regularly as an occupational hazard.
And yet I have a car insurance company saying I was negligent due to my lack of helmet yet the driver would still have hit me and I would still have broken my ankle no matter what I had put on my head.
Why don't they ask their customer why he decided to slow down on the approach to a junction and then accelerate straight into a cyclist that was right in front of them?
Why don't they ask their customer why he decided to slow down on the approach to a junction and then accelerate straight into a cyclist that was right in front of them?
Seevio
Guru
- Location
- South Glos
I used to wear a helmet when I could still cycle to work. While this was possibly the least effective use case In terms of impact prevention, said helmet was covered in reflective coating which I valued for those dark rides home.
welsh dragon
Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
I have one but I've never worn it. Mr WD bought it for me. Its in a cupboard somewhere covered in dust I suspect.
Manufacturers never ever claim that their helmet will save your life or even prevent injuries in an accident and there's a reason for that.
Manufacturers never ever claim that their helmet will save your life or even prevent injuries in an accident and there's a reason for that.
oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
My conclusion from watching Laurel and Hardy films when I was growing up is that a Bowler hat protects you from bangs on the head.
Wear a Bowler when cycling
Bowler were worn by gaffers in shipyards and probably also construction sites in case any disgruntled worker “accidentally” dropped an object from a height.
That was certainly the case in John Brown’s yard in Clydebank.
Because that isn't their job at this point. Based on what you have said, I suspect that they have conceded liability. The discussion now is about how much compensation you are due. That falls into two parts, compensation for your injury and compensation for any losses as a result of your accident.
Depending on what was in your medical report and the damages claim from your Solicitor they will be trying to reduce the compensation claim. If your solicitor has claimed anything about your head from minor cuts to concussion, they will be arguing that they don't have to compensate you for that because you weren't wearing a helmet. It doesn't matter whether it's nonsense, or whether it's true or whether the latest helmet research substantiates it. What matters is that they will adjust their offer based on it. Your solicitor will happily fight them over it, but every time you refuse the settlement and go back to them for more money, they will balance any increase in compensation around what they think they can get away with in court if it goes before a Judge.
Ultimately, if you don't settle and go before the Court, if the Judge thinks that the offer made was sufficient then costs will be awarded to the insurance company - meaning that all the costs of going before the Court get paid by you, out of your compensation. Of course they will take the p*ss with their costs. It's all part of the game. Your solicitor will do the same. That's why they bill for every minute spent on your case, every phone call etc.
From the Insurance company's point of view they want to offer you enough that you will settle but not enough so much that they have to pay a penny more. - and to persuade you that the amount is right by explaining why you aren't deserving of more cash due to your terrible negligence in failing to wear a helmet, padding, body armour and early warning system etc. Your solicitor will be looking at the offer and advising you of the likely risk if you continue.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Stopped wearing one in the 90s, after a brief flirtation with them. Picked one up one day and realised how pathetically ineffectual it would be in the kind of accident likely to cause serious injury, plus I find most of them very uncomfortable. Early 90s Giros were fine (I had an Air Blast which I quite liked) but the current shape pinches my head.
In the interests of balance, my mate had a heavy crash while blatantly showing off on a fixie about three years ago. Landed on his head and everything else, lost skin from almost every surface of his body, which made sleeping difficult for a fortnight. He was confused for about 1 minute but was coherent long before the meat wagon turned up to take him to A&E. He was wearing a helmet and it crushed quite nicely at the temple, so I'm happy that it mitigated the impact to some extent. But he should never have crashed in the first place.
In the interests of balance, my mate had a heavy crash while blatantly showing off on a fixie about three years ago. Landed on his head and everything else, lost skin from almost every surface of his body, which made sleeping difficult for a fortnight. He was confused for about 1 minute but was coherent long before the meat wagon turned up to take him to A&E. He was wearing a helmet and it crushed quite nicely at the temple, so I'm happy that it mitigated the impact to some extent. But he should never have crashed in the first place.
HeinrichManouvre
Member
- Location
- London
What an interesting thread. It reminds me of the helmet vs non-helmet discussions when skiing too.
As for me, I very briefly tried riding with a helmet. The sweat and discomfort was very distracting, and removed a lot of the "pleasure" of cycling (if cycling on London main roads can ever be viewed as a "pleasure").
So I stopped. As in many things in life, it all comes down to probabilities. I've had a few occasions where I've come off my bike, but (perhaps famous last words) I've never received any injuries to my head.
As for me, I very briefly tried riding with a helmet. The sweat and discomfort was very distracting, and removed a lot of the "pleasure" of cycling (if cycling on London main roads can ever be viewed as a "pleasure").
So I stopped. As in many things in life, it all comes down to probabilities. I've had a few occasions where I've come off my bike, but (perhaps famous last words) I've never received any injuries to my head.
Indeed. I don't doubt that a helmet will likely afford some protection, however personally I dislike wearing them (which is significant to me as cycling is pretty much the only thing in life that comes close to giving me joy) and as such I believe the reward is sufficient to justify the (arguably) elevated risk.
Maybe this is objectively legitmate, maybe not. Eveyones' circumstances and attitudes are different so it's always going to come down to subjective personal choice rather than a clear, universal yes/no answer.
