The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[Mugshot]

My previous comment has been deleted as the threads were merged, but I'd like to try to post it again. The OP of the merged thread, this one;

I had a really bad fall off my bike last weekend. It was my own fault, I was daydreaming and drifted towards the side of the road where there was a wall. By the time I realised and my brain told me to correct myself, my bike hit the wall and knocked me sideways onto the road. I scraped the outside of my right thigh, cut my knee but, worse of all, I banged my head on the road – I shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn’t been wearing a helmet (the helmet I was wearing was a cheap one I had bought from Aldi). Anyway, the next day I went out and treated myself to a new helmet (you can’t be too careful) – this one:


https://www.evanscycles.com/bell-stratus-helmet-EV290993

has nothing to do with discussing a new helmet, it is extolling the virtues of wearing a helmet. If posters are to be allowed to post such opinions then others should be allowed to challenge them. Had the opinions in the OP not been challenged I suspect that the thread would not have been moved giving an implied agreement with the views posted.

 

[Glasgow44]

Glad you are ok @Glasgow44 Sorry about my post...I was in a silly mood and yes I do wear a helmet on the bike.

No need to apologise - its ok.

 

[BoldonLad]

At this point, 393 "pages" of posts, obviously a contentious subject!

I wear a helmet, when cycling.

I do not feel a need to compel others to do so.

Once upon a time, no-one wore a seatbelt when travelling in a car, no-one wore a safety helmet when riding a motorcycle. Both, have now become compulsory.

Personally, I do not feel comfortable travelling in a car, without fastening my seatbelt, similarly, I would not feel comfortable riding my motorcycle without my safety helmet.

However, I feel no such discomfort if travelling in a bus, or, indeed, on a train, without a seatbelt.

Interesting how we can become conditioned to behaving in a certain way?

 

[Racing roadkill]

I risk asses the journeys I do on the bike, by type. If thecrisk assessment says wear a lid, I do, if it doesn’t I don’t. The fact that the realisation of the risk doesn’t always materialise, is neither here nor there. The risk exists, that’s what I work on.

 

[Profpointy]

At this point, 393 "pages" of posts, obviously a contentious subject!

I wear a helmet, when cycling.

I do not feel a need to compel others to do so.

Once upon a time, no-one wore a seatbelt when travelling in a car, no-one wore a safety helmet when riding a motorcycle. Both, have now become compulsory.

Personally, I do not feel comfortable travelling in a car, without fastening my seatbelt, similarly, I would not feel comfortable riding my motorcycle without my safety helmet.

However, I feel no such discomfort if travelling in a bus, or, indeed, on a train, without a seatbelt.

Interesting how we can become conditioned to behaving in a certain way?

Although I stopped wearing a cycle helmet some 15 or so years back, I admit I do still get that vulnerable feeling you described. Having been an early adopter before many people wore them, ended up swayed by the evidence and dispensed with the thing.

 

[mjr]

Although I stopped wearing a cycle helmet some 15 or so years back, I admit I do still get that vulnerable feeling you described. Having been an early adopter before many people wore them, ended up swayed by the evidence and dispensed with the thing.

Do you think more scientists were early adopters before the flaws in the notorious 88% claim were thoroughly exposed?

 

[Profpointy]

Do you think more scientists were early adopters before the flaws in the notorious 88% claim were thoroughly exposed?

I don't know. Whilst from a science background myself I wasn't swayed by any particular claim, and hadn't heard the notorious claims at that point. I just stuck my (caving) helmet on as it would obviously protect my head. It's quite subtle the notion that it might in fact be counter-productive, or at least ineffective on average.

 

[snorri]

A lid, is the easiest way to mitigate the risk.

This is just so wrong, inexperienced cyclists could be dangerously misled by such statements.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Having seen what flimsy bits of expanded foam and polystyrene are actually used to make up a cycling helmet, I'm bemused that anyone would think that such a device could actually provide much protection.

 

[Racing roadkill]

This is just so wrong, inexperienced cyclists could be dangerously misled by such statements.

‘Experiences cyclists’ wouldn’t , I despair. Idiots with sod all experience of actual cycling might be misled, but not anyone with a single iota of actual experience.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Having seen what flimsy bits of expanded foam and polystyrene are actually used to make up a cycling helmet, I'm bemused that anyone would think that such a device could actually provide much protection.

If you actually spend the money your head ‘should’ warrant, you might see the point.

 

[mjr]

If you actually spend the money your head ‘should’ warrant, you might see the point.

And strangely the expensive ones still only meet the same near-irrelevant standards...

 

[jefmcg]

And strangely the expensive ones still only meet the same near-irrelevant standards...

Who needs standards when you can tell just by looking that a helmet will protect your brain?

 

[Racing roadkill]

Who needs standards when you can tell just by looking that a helmet will protect your brain?

Oh look, another remark, from someone who’s ‘possibly’ never had the misfortune to have come off, with both a cheap, and expensive lid, so ‘maybe’ isn’t in a position to comment on the relative merits, in a real world example. There’s a surprise.

 

[Profpointy]

Oh look, another remark, from someone who’s ‘possibly’ never had the misfortune to have come off, with both a cheap, and expensive lid, so ‘maybe’ isn’t in a position to comment on the relative merits, in a real world example. There’s a surprise.

I think you might have missed a tiny smidgin of sarcasm in the post you're replying to