The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[martint235]

I'm on holiday at the moment so limited access but I'll post a picture of my scar when I get back, caused by slipping on black ice and hitting my temple/ eyebrow on the road.

I had the same accident again a few years back now and no scar or blood was spilled.

People on this thread will swear bilnd the helmet had nothing to do with the better outcome of the second accident but personally I believe it did.

The point about the collision I saw with another rider hitting a car window head on I suppose you could say unless he tried it again helmet-less you couldn't prove the helmet made a difference. All I can say is there was no blood spilled on that occasion either..

Out of interest did the helmet split? And you replaced it anyway right?

 

[srw]

It's been said recently but it's odd. Odd that I know personally a couple of cyclists that have fallen and claim to have been saved from worse injury by a helmet or that claim to have had their life saved by one, more than that all the cyclists I know claim to know yet another circle of cyclists that have also been saved in some way by wearing a helmet, even some of the non cyclists I know claim to know someone or know someone that knows someone that's had their life saved by wearing a helmet, that's an awful lot of people. But there is not one story, not first, second, third or any other hand story that has been shared with me that involves any unhelmetted rider hitting their head and suffering any sort of injury at all, nada, zilch and so on and so forth.
Now of course that doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but there's something odd going on. Better bike handling? Less risk taking? Maybe a little bit of exaggerating? Judging by the posts of certain person on these boards that seems to claim they've smashed yet another helmet every month or so I suspect there's some efforts to justify the choices being made. I dunno, like I say, odd.

Paging @GrumpyGregry .....

(Riding fixed, on Buckinghamshire's shoddy roads - specifically a fast downhill with a revoltingly messy road "repair" half way down).

But you're right, there does seem to be a lot of pushing the envelope among people who believe themselves protected. Which probably goes a long way towards explaining why the statistical picture is so messy.

 

[doog]

Judging by the posts of certain person on these boards that seems to claim they've smashed yet another helmet every month or so I suspect there's some efforts to justify the choices being made. I dunno, like I say, odd.

Can you give a link to these people smashing a helmet every month or so ?

 

[screenman]

I must say when I took a hammer to an old helmet it took a lot of hard whacks before much happened.

 

[doog]

I must say when I took a hammer to an old helmet it took a lot of hard whacks before much happened.

Surely not....hard whacks and a helmet don't go hand in hand...they're made of cheese don't you know.......

 

[screenman]

Surely not....hard whacks and a helmet don't go hand in hand...they're made of cheese don't you know.......

Tough old lump of cheese is all I can say.

 

[mjr]

Tough old lump of cheese is all I can say.

Wrong sort of hammer on the toughest bit of the helmet? A machinist's hammer on the mid section of a long strip between vents soon snaps it!

 

[Mugshot]

Can you give a link to these people smashing a helmet every month or so ?

People?

 

[screenman]

Wrong sort of hammer on the toughest bit of the helmet? A machinist's hammer on the mid section of a long strip between vents soon snaps it!

I did try that, not as easy as it seems. I take it when you tried you had it supported inside.

 

[Brandane]

Moved from the "Helmet watch" thread, to try and delay it's closure...........

In fact the self righteous attitude on this forum makes me feel I want to wear the lid even more.

Conversely, it's the same self righteous attitude (not necessarily on this forum) combined with evidence about it's lack of protective abilities, that has made me decide to NOT wear a helmet.

 

[ianrauk]

Went for a walk in Greenwich. Spotted this nice car..and a wrong way round plastic hat.

 

[Lonestar]

Conversely, it's the same self righteous attitude (not necessarily on this forum) combined with evidence about it's lack of protective abilities, that has made me decide to NOT wear a helmet.

I don't look on it as any sort of protection or fashion statement but I just feel happier with it on.A bit like wearing my baseball hat down the high street.I couldn't give a monkies whether other cyclists wear it or not and I wouldn't try to persuade or dissuade them to wear a helmet either based on my opinions.What concerns me is how safely and responsibly they cycle.

 

[keithmac]

Out of interest did the helmet split? And you replaced it anyway right?

No the helmet didn't split but I did replace it (with exactly the same model). It was a MET if it makes any difference?.

The bloke wearing one backwards, well what can you say...

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Went for a walk in Greenwich. Spotted this nice car..and a wrong way round plastic hat.

View attachment 138640

Maybe he cycles backwards...

GC

 

[Profpointy]

No the helmet didn't split but I did replace it (with exactly the same model). It was a MET if it makes any difference?.

The bloke wearing one backwards, well what can you say...

To be fair, maybe the risk of being hit by cars behind is greater than falling off forwards.
Not so silly after all !