The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[growingvegetables]

... I did not find statistics which related specifically to cyclists.

They can be found - although it takes some digging. And there are ALL sorts of caveats about the data, their interpretation, and the identification of significant factors.
Index page
Latest annual report

Around 2013, there were a number of maps like this - I haven't found a more recent one .

Bottom line - cycling is safe (albeit with risks attached). And safer than gardening!

 

[snorri]

For myself, I looked at the statistics, and compared them with when I was a kid, and certainly deaths overall on the road, had fallen by 75%.

And yet, whilst factually correct, this 75% figure is not a good measure of comparative road safety.
One reason for a reduction in deaths and injury is due to vulnerable road users having all but stopped using some roads due to an increase in perceived or real danger. I seldom see child cyclists on roads which my parents allowed me to use freely as a youngster.
It's all quite complicated.

 

[EnPassant]

Yes, it certainly is interesting when you open your eyes. It's actually really quite difficult to look at it objectively, due to, as you say, the hyperbole, marketing etc, which I guess really does have the effect of brainwashing.

Certainly wearing a helmet seems to give a reassurance, or comfort factor, and I can buy into the idea that this, in itself is a danger (as a comparison I believe it's been proven that people drive more cautiously when not wearing seat belts).

I think my position has changed to accepting that helmet use may well be unnecessary. So far though, I'm not sure I can buy the jump to believing that it can be actively counter productive, at least in terms of safety. I'm not really convinced that it affects people perception of danger in terms of whether or not they would ride either. I may be wrong of course, it just feels to me, like we tend to believe that the roads are more dangerous than they are. For myself, I looked at the statistics, and compared them with when I was a kid, and certainly deaths overall on the road, had fallen by 75%. I did not find statistics which related specifically to cyclists.

Just so.
I still occasionally find myself thinking it must be safer with a plastic hat, it just must be, so I go through the whole intellectual exercise internally one more time to prove to myself that my intuition has no factual basis and then finally go out leaving the thing in the cupboard.

Even then the intuition is so strong I'm never entirely comfortable, sometimes I just have to liken it to being in an aeroplane rather than a car, 30,000 feet is just never going to feel natural even if every single statistic says it's safer than the M25/M4 used to get there.

 

[bozmandb9]

And yet, whilst factually correct, this 75% figure is not a good measure of comparative road safety.
One reason for a reduction in deaths and injury is due to vulnerable road users having all but stopped using some roads due to an increase in perceived or real danger. I seldom see child cyclists on roads which my parents allowed me to use freely as a youngster.
It's all quite complicated.

Very true, and conversely, I find myself very reluctant to allow my son to roam free on the local roads (he's 13), really, before long, I'll need to allow him to ride alone whenever he likes, since he's at the stage where he will begin to be held back by my on training rides before long.

I used to roam pretty freely from the age of 9/10 locally, so it seems bizarre to feel so protective over a 13 year old! I think I'll relax more when I feel 100% about his road sense.

 

[mjr]

So there's a great, succinct, compelling argument as to why wearing helmets is less safe than not wearing them. But I, and any new members of cyclechat forum, or anybody else who wishes to know, will have to read two hundred and fifty six pages of thread to discover it.

If you have javascript, the search tool has a "search this thread" option which should help to find if your spin on it has been debunked before. Like the banging a head on a brick wall argument: in short, it's better to avoid banging your head at all than to pad it.

 

[MontyVeda]

Yes, it certainly is interesting when you open your eyes. It's actually really quite difficult to look at it objectively, due to, as you say, the hyperbole, marketing etc, which I guess really does have the effect of brainwashing.

Certainly wearing a helmet seems to give a reassurance, or comfort factor, and I can buy into the idea that this, in itself is a danger (as a comparison I believe it's been proven that people drive more cautiously when not wearing seat belts).

I think my position has changed to accepting that helmet use may well be unnecessary. So far though, I'm not sure I can buy the jump to believing that it can be actively counter productive, at least in terms of safety. I'm not really convinced that it affects people perception of danger in terms of whether or not they would ride either. I may be wrong of course, it just feels to me, like we tend to believe that the roads are more dangerous than they are. For myself, I looked at the statistics, and compared them with when I was a kid, and certainly deaths overall on the road, had fallen by 75%. I did not find statistics which related specifically to cyclists.

Good post... although one of my cousins did tell me that she doesn't ride her bike because "we're supposed to wear helmets these days". So that's one person who's grown up riding lidless and no longer rides and cited helmet wearing as a reason. I didn't ask if it was simply because she doesn't have a helmet, or would feel a bit of a numpty wearing one, or feels that the roads are more dangerous these days. (my argumentative streak is something i try* to keep a lid on). (*and often fail)

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Ok here is my 2p worth on why you should wear a helmet

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...ause-he-did-not-want-to-mess-up-his-hair.html

Read that, look at the picture and then decide if you want to RISK your life by not wearing one.

Even cycling around your garden could result in you falling and hitting your head and not knowing how to do the basics in life or worse. It doesn't have to be a bad crash to impact your life or end it.

Common sense would make helmet wearing the law,

 

[Mugshot]

Even cycling around your garden could result in you falling and hitting your head and not knowing how to do the basics in life or worse. It doesn't have to be a bad crash to impact your life or end it.

Replace cycling with walking or running if you prefer or gardening maybe.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Replace cycling with walking or running if you prefer or gardening maybe.

Haha, unfortunately too many hazards, paving stones, washing lines. Less dangerous on the road than my garden

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Read the thread.

257 pages, no thanks.

For me its not a debate, its common sense.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

You wear one all the time them?

If I'm on the bike then yes I do.

 

[Mugshot]

Haha, unfortunately too many hazards, paving stones, washing lines. Less dangerous on the road than my garden

As @User has suggested, you wear one at all times in your garden due to the perceived risk I assume?

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Unfortunately, you are wrong.

No I'm not. If your cycling you should wear a helmet. If you fall its going to decrease the chances of injury.

 

[Mugshot]

No I'm not. If your cycling you should wear a helmet. If you fall its going to decrease the chances of injury.

No

 

[Kevin Alexander]

As @User has suggested, you wear one at all times in your garden due to the perceived risk I assume?

I don't cycle in my garden, what I was aiming to get across is that you don't have to be on a busy road to have an accident. It can be as innocent as cycling round your garden.