The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[Racing roadkill]

Sorry to hear about your crash, but 40mph when a person is within striking distance, really? It sounds a bit like you're playing injury roulette, as it's beyond the testing of most helmets (both in the temple being outside the test zone and the speed being higher), plus they only protect from impacts to the head, not concussions or the rest of the body. Anyway, GWS.

He appeared on a blind left bend, I was well into the middle of the road, he was just very very lucky, I wasn't a car. I was very impressed at how the lid took the hit, and my brain didn't end up slammed all over the inside of my skull. Casco make a big deal of how their high end lids are constructed, with aerospace materials, and high impact foam, layered in a way that reduces the severity of the deceleration of the brain. I thought it was mostly marketing guff, but looking at the lid closely afterwards, showed that it had behaved like they said it would. I didn't suffer any concussion at all.

 

[theclaud]

The thought had crossed my mind, but it's hard to check someone, when they've disappeared.

But not for long enough to warrant a mention of how he fared after being hit by a cyclist travelling at nearly 40mph?

 

[theclaud]

He appeared on a blind left bend, I was well into the middle of the road, he was just very very lucky, I wasn't a car. I was very impressed at how the lid took the hit, and my brain didn't end up slammed all over the inside of my skull. Casco make a big deal of how their high end lids are constructed, with aerospace materials, and high impact foam, layered in a way that reduces the severity of the deceleration of the brain. I thought it was mostly marketing guff, but looking at the lid closely afterwards, showed that it had behaved like they said it would. I didn't suffer any concussion at all.

So you were going way too fast, essentially.

 

[theclaud]

I was very impressed at how the lid took the hit, and my brain didn't end up slammed all over the inside of my skull.

I know I'm over-quoting you, but what exactly does this fancy lid claim to do about the effect of rapid deceleration on the slamming of brain against skull?

 

[RedRider]

He appeared on a blind left bend, I was well into the middle of the road, he was just very very lucky, I wasn't a car. I was very impressed at how the lid took the hit, and my brain didn't end up slammed all over the inside of my skull. Casco make a big deal of how their high end lids are constructed, with aerospace materials, and high impact foam, layered in a way that reduces the severity of the deceleration of the brain. I thought it was mostly marketing guff, but looking at the lid closely afterwards, showed that it had behaved like they said it would. I didn't suffer any concussion at all.

How would we tell?
From what you say you were careless throughout this episode and now you want to transfer responsibility to the more vulnerable, 'lucky' road user who you skittled. What you take away is a worrying sense of your own invincibility. Not impressed.

 

[Racing roadkill]

So you were going way too fast, essentially.

I was on a push bike, on a dual carriageway, with cars all around, so no not really, the cars were going a lot quicker than me.

 

[Racing roadkill]

How would we tell?
From what you say you were careless throughout this episode and now you want to transfer responsibility to the more vulnerable, 'lucky' road user who you skittled. What you take away is a worrying sense of your own invincibility. Not impressed.

He walked onto a dual carriageway, having vaulted a barrier, which was there to separate him from the dual carriageway without looking, who's the careless one? I was on the brakes as hard as I could be, and did mostly miss him. If I'd had hit him square on, I wouldn't think the outcome would have been so favourable.

 

[Racing roadkill]

But not for long enough to warrant a mention of how he fared after being hit by a cyclist travelling at nearly 40mph?

I had other things to concern me. given as I was skidding down a D.C. on my head, surrounded by several tonnes of metal, going way faster that I was.

 

[growingvegetables]

Just a fly-by thought - why does that nasty "ear-worm" phrase, "risk compensation", occur to me?

 

[Racing roadkill]

Just a fly-by thought - why does that nasty "ear-worm" phrase, "risk compensation", occur to me?

Yes and no. Would I be riding at that speed, on a dual carriageway without a lid? Nope. Does the lid afford me more protection, if I do come a cropper in those circumstances? I believe so. So if I know I'm going to get the hammer down, on a risky road, I'm going to do all I can to mitigate the increased level of risk. So not a case of 'I'm going to go quicker because I have a lid on, and I'll be shielded by my wings of steel', but I'm going to be going quicker than usual, so I'll wear a lid, to limit any consequences of something unusual happening.

 

[growingvegetables]

Yes and no. Would I be riding at that speed, on a dual carriageway without a lid? Nope. Does the lid afford me more protection, if I do come a cropper in those circumstances? I believe so. So if I know I'm going to get the hammer down, on a risky road, I'm going to do all I can to mitigate the increased level of risk. So not a case of 'I'm going to go quicker because I have a lid on, and I'll be shielded by my wings of steel', but I'm going to be going quicker than usual, so I'll wear a lid, to limit any consequences of something unusual happening.

Wow. Just wow. A classic definition of risk compensation, surely?

 

[Racing roadkill]

Wow. Just wow. A classic definition of risk compensation, surely?

Not at all, Risk compensation, is "I have a ( insert safety device ) so I can extract the urine". Not "I need more protection than I would usually, based on my assessment of the increased risk involved, in the activity I'm about to undertake, in a different way than I would normally".

 

[martint235]

But there's absolutely nothing to suggest that a helmet will help at higher speeds, there's not a great deal of evidence for low speed crashes.

And I'm not suggesting you become a crash test dummy, I'm suggesting that the manufacturers use some of their R&D to design, test and evidence how helmets can be beneficial in a crash

And it's up to you but I'd suggest 40mph into any kind of blind bend is a touch reckless.

 

[Racing roadkill]

But there's absolutely nothing to suggest that a helmet will help at higher speeds, there's not a great deal of evidence for low speed crashes.

And I'm not suggesting you become a crash test dummy, I'm suggesting that the manufacturers use some of their R&D to design, test and evidence how helmets can be beneficial in a crash

And it's up to you but I'd suggest 40mph into any kind of blind bend is a touch reckless.

It wasn't blind from my perspective, my position meant I could see round it. The kamikaze pilot couldn't have seen what was coming from his position.

 

[ianrauk]

You've shown us a pic of your before helmet, can you put up an after pic? Interested in what damage it sustained