The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[Mugshot]

You've also got the way they look, I have mentioned this before but helmets do generally look ridiculous and generally youths and in particular young women do not like to look ridiculous, whether due to compulsion or perception helmet wearing has a devastating effect on the number of young adults riding.

 

[Mugshot]

You're clearly entitled to your opinion, It's a shame you have such a small audience then, comparatively speaking (on here).

I'm not quite sure what you're saying here, but there are a number of posters across many of these threads that now view helmets in a different light (yourself included) thanks to the efforts of TMN and others, the hope from that is that they take that knowledge back to the people that they know and the message spreads. It's not just who's here it's who they tell and influence, directly and indirectly.

 

[Mugshot]

Here's a rather lovely picture of some girls on bikes, the one on the far right is Millie and you may notice she is on a unicycle. She has just completed or is about to start her Sweat Pledge for Kajsa Tylens Year in the Saddle record. She acheived her 3 miles in one go, up hill, down hill and round corners. This despite a number of falls, but she got back on and went at it again, well done Millie!!
But take a closer look at MIllie and compare her to the rest of the children she's riding with, isn't that odd?

 

[Poacher]

Ok, where was that?

In 2004, Eric Martlew MP, supported by the ridiculous Alan Meale MP, introduced a private members' bill to make cycle helmets compulsory in the whole of the UK for cyclists aged under 16. More details here.

After that attempt was rebuffed, Lord Swinfen made a sneaky attempt to amend the Road Safety Bill to insert a new clause....http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/government-whip-slaps-down-helmet-compulsion-bid

 

[hatler]

And the truly wonderful bonkersness of Jersey's rule is that Millie would not be breaking the law (were she to be there), because it only applies to those under 14 on 'two or more'-wheeled human powered machines.

 

[hatler]

And that definition includes balance bikes.

 

[hatless]

I wonder why we all think as we do about helmets? What influenced us?

Many people, I imagine, initially thought that helmets would make you safer. They are intended as a safety measure. Blows to the head might well be reduced. At first sight they are a good idea. Then you read a few arguments and statistics and find that the evidence surprisingly points in the counter intuitive direction.

Now if you're like me, who just loves to have a bit of surprising truth tucked up my sleeve, this is great. I'm like this in other areas of life, too. I just love all things counter-intuitive, and I love telling them to people. They are not always quite as delighted as I am.

Other people put a high emphasis on authority. If something is said by someone 'official' they prefer to accept it. Because many legislatures and regulatory bodies are in favour of helmets, they are inclined to follow suit. There are voices on both sides of the debate, so they choose by deciding which voices seem more reputable. This isn't an easy judgement to make, but politicians, newspapers and public opinion all point to wearing helmets. Not only may helmets make you safer, but siding with the majority and with the high status voices is the 'safer' stance in this confusing debate.

So I'm suggesting that character traits dispose us towards pro and anti positions. Broadly, conformism versus rebellion.

What I'm a bit more intrigued by is the large number of people who will say they are certain their helmet saved their life. Why the claim to certainty? It is often made rather aggressively. They may resent anyone who questions it. They were there. They alone know what happened. Their experience is not offered as a particular anecdotal bit of evidence, but as something that, for them at least, closes the debate down. 'And that is why I always wear a helmet and make sure everyone in my family does, too.'

 

[SavageHoutkop]

No but it is a different place with different road conditions, different cultures, how can you compare riding there or Amsterdam with riding in congested GB?

May I object to claiming that all roads in GB are the same as well? There are places which are safer to ride, due to road conditions, driver behaviour etc and there are places which aren't.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

May I object to claiming that all roads in GB are the same as well? There are places which are safer to ride, due to road conditions, driver behaviour etc and there are places which aren't.

I second this, most of the roads I ride seem far far less congested than I've experienced in Other countries, try Medan or Jakarta.

 

[2IT]

You're right. It's much easier to go along doing what you are told. When you don't do what you are told you are not viewed as an independent free thinker but an outlaw. Thus societies are badly governed by leaders and sheepish people. We have so many mandates and regulations that ruts are being made in the road of life.

I wonder why we all think as we do about helmets? What influenced us?

Many people, I imagine, initially thought that helmets would make you safer. They are intended as a safety measure. Blows to the head might well be reduced. At first sight they are a good idea. Then you read a few arguments and statistics and find that the evidence surprisingly points in the counter intuitive direction.

Now if you're like me, who just loves to have a bit of surprising truth tucked up my sleeve, this is great. I'm like this in other areas of life, too. I just love all things counter-intuitive, and I love telling them to people. They are not always quite as delighted as I am.

Other people put a high emphasis on authority. If something is said by someone 'official' they prefer to accept it. Because many legislatures and regulatory bodies are in favour of helmets, they are inclined to follow suit. There are voices on both sides of the debate, so they choose by deciding which voices seem more reputable. This isn't an easy judgement to make, but politicians, newspapers and public opinion all point to wearing helmets. Not only may helmets make you safer, but siding with the majority and with the high status voices is the 'safer' stance in this confusing debate.

So I'm suggesting that character traits dispose us towards pro and anti positions. Broadly, conformism versus rebellion.

What I'm a bit more intrigued by is the large number of people who will say they are certain their helmet saved their life. Why the claim to certainty? It is often made rather aggressively. They may resent anyone who questions it. They were there. They alone know what happened. Their experience is not offered as a particular anecdotal bit of evidence, but as something that, for them at least, closes the debate down. 'And that is why I always wear a helmet and make sure everyone in my family does, too.'

 

[doog]

There are a significant number of serious injuries amongst cyclists in Amsterdam each year, so the assumption that ' no one comes to grief ' might be a little wide of the mark.

I think that anyone who's cycled in both countries would say there really is no comparison (on the whole). My only issue with cycling in the NL and Germany are the scooter or moped riders who are allowed to use the cycle paths, that's an issue that needs addressing.

 

[MarkF]

I second this, most of the roads I ride seem far far less congested than I've experienced in Other countries, try Medan or Jakarta.

Congestion never bothers me. I always feel less safe out in the Dales than in Leeds or Bradford, at least I can see what's going on and drivers can always (hopefully) see me.

 

[glenn forger]

There are a significant number of serious injuries amongst cyclists in Amsterdam each year.

Statistical innumeracy. Without acknowledging the rate of cycling this is at best a misleading claim.

 

[doog]

Statistical innumeracy. Without acknowledging the rate of cycling this is at best a misleading claim.

I was replying to a post that said 'no one comes to grief'...no mention of how many multi million cyclists there are just the term...plain and simple.

 

[doog]

Care to quantify and contextualise that assertion?

It wasnt an assertion..its a fact. Im struggling to see how you cant 'quantify and contextualise' the fact that 'no one comes to grief' whilst cycling in Amsterdam is incorrect.