The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[Justinslow]

Trs: Justin would have been more accurate if he'd said something else.

No, @User mentioned compulsion nobody else did, well not in a "we want helmets to be made compulsory" way, most on here want choice. It seems @User doesn't even want "choice" even though he says he wants "informed choice? Because if we make informed choice and choose to wear a helmet we are still in the wrong because we make cycling look dangerous?
So it's not really "informed choice" - you just don't want people (us) to wear helmets under any circumstances.

 

[Big Andy]

Because they are society. People who don't think in exactly the same way form parliaments and juries.

So what? They spend no time thinking about it because they have no need or reason to be thinking about it. A bit like me spending no time thinking about, oh I don't know, fishing equipment for example. I have no need or reason to think about them.

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about every random inconsequential thing that you have no need or reason to think about? How would you find the time to do anything useful?

 

[Justinslow]

No, you can choose to wear one conscious of the wider picture if you want.

Thanks

 

[Justinslow]

If we thought about the "wider picture" as you put it, I'm sure we'd all top ourselves what with Syria, environmental catastrophes, famines, wars etc, most of us just don't work like that. All the things I've just mentioned are awful but we don't dwell on them, well I try not to anyway, I wear a helmet sometimes, for me, not the "wider picture".

 

[MontyVeda]

These people who think it's a sensible precaution but don't really think about it... they have thought about it, but only (i suspect) as far as "other folk wear cycle helmets so i suppose i should".

 

[Justinslow]

These people who think it's a sensible precaution but don't really think about it... they have thought about it, but only (i suspect) as far as "other folk wear cycle helmets so i suppose i should".

I think there are many like this, so what of it? It's up to them, it's just not a big deal, they like riding bikes they wear a helmet they have a nice time (hopefully) they take their helmet off, repeat repeat etc. They are not criminals.

 

[Big Andy]

If someone asked me about something, I would think about it before replying.

They did think about an appropriate answer which in all cases was it was something they hadn't thought about. (I suspect because until I asked them it wasn't something they needed or had a reason to think about)

Ask me what my thoughts were about a particular super dooper mega wonderful fishing pole and I will think about it for the briefest moment before telling you it was something I hadn't thought about as I have no interest in fishing and therfore have no need or reason to think about it. Now if you asked me my thoughts on something I had looked in to and considered I would think about my answer for longer and give you some considered answers.

Simply normal human behaviour.

 

[mjr]

(I came across about 15 cyclists yesterday on an 8 mile ride, all wearing helmets, or I didn't notice any not wearing a helmet)

Where was the ride? 15 in 8 miles is fairly low unless out in the countryside. Your location seems to be "Huddersfield & Leicester" and neither is all that for cycling AFAICR.

 

[MontyVeda]

I think there are many like this, so what of it? It's up to them, it's just not a big deal, they like riding bikes they wear a helmet they have a nice time (hopefully) they take their helmet off, repeat repeat etc. They are not criminals.

Criminals?

 

[ufkacbln]

really?

Yep really, AA research shows overall that children from a low income family are 5 times as likely to die in a road accident


As I said it is difficult because of confounding factors, but the evidence points that way

 

[Big Andy]

These people who think it's a sensible precaution but don't really think about it... they have thought about it, but only (i suspect) as far as "other folk wear cycle helmets so i suppose i should".

No you are wrong, they weren't cyclists so hadn't given any consideration to wearing a cycling helmet at all, why would they? I didn't ask them to go away and think long and hard about cycle helmets and come back with a considered response, just a quick instant response.

 

[mjr]

These people who think it's a sensible precaution but don't really think about it... they have thought about it, but only (i suspect) as far as "other folk wear cycle helmets so i suppose i should".

And they mainly think that because of grossly irresponsible media coverage showing a majority of helmet users, rather than reality.

I think there are many like this, so what of it? It's up to them, it's just not a big deal, they like riding bikes they wear a helmet they have a nice time (hopefully) they take their helmet off, repeat repeat etc. They are not criminals.

Wearing a helmet reduces the risk...of having a nice time.

 

[Big Andy]

Your reply is perfectly reasonable. Theirs is an unthinking response based on a received wisdom. They are very different.

Well I disagree with you, theres was a response based on simply not having considered cycle helmets.

 

[Big Andy]

Wearing a helmet reduces the risk...of having a nice time.

How? Can't say it has any effect whatsoever on how nice a time I have when cycling.

 

[ufkacbln]

Learning to walk - you'll have to start advocating Thudguards.

Serious accidents can happen to everyone - you'll have to start advocating full time helmet wearing.

RoSPA is on record that Thudguards make a similar contribution to child safety as Cycle Helmets