The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[ufkacbln]

Maybe they've had a personal experience where someone has been tragically injured on a bike.

I once scanned a patient with a head injury

They had been hit by a book dropped from the upper floor of an open plan library

Should that stop children reading?

 

[Justinslow]

I once scanned a patient with a head injury

They had been hit by a book dropped from the upper floor of an open plan library

Should that stop children reading?

That was close for a minute j thought you were going to say "Maybe we should wear helmets in open plan libraries".

 

[Justinslow]

I think it does to some extent. My brother and I grew up playing on our bikes, we were reckless, we wanted to be stuntmen when we grew up and we fell off loads, but that didn't matter, we simply had loads of fun on our bikes. My brother became a father and insisted that his kids wore helmets whenever they used their bikes and they seldom use them (the bikes). My sister on the other hand doesn't have an issue with her daughters riding their bikes sans helmet and the girls often play on their bikes... of course this is just my family and just my observation, so will likely be dismissed as an irrelevant anecdote.

No it's not dismissed, are they too lazy to put them on?

 

[Justinslow]

The issue for me here is that you are using an example of NOT falling off to try to prove the point that IF you had fallen off and IF you had bumped your head as a consequence then a helmet MAY have helped. You didn't fall off and you didn't bump your head, so your helmet was of zero use.

Ok so when I'm at work should i not use any PPE for any task? For instance if I use my chain saw should I stop wearing protective trousers? I mean, I haven't sawn my leg off yet, so it's cool to stop using the trousers right?

 

[MontyVeda]

No it's not dismissed, are they too lazy to put them on?

Are you too lazy to put yours on? After all, you don't always wear it.

 

[Justinslow]

Are you too lazy to put yours on? After all, you don't always wear it.

Yes sometimes.

 

[MontyVeda]

Yes sometimes.

bit reckless... don't you think?

 

[SavageHoutkop]

[QUOTE 3943586, member: 45"]We got funding to install bike shelters in my boys' primary school. The Head said that she would put something together to make sure that the riders wore helmets. We ignored her. Some kids did, some kids didn't. The factor that got the children riding (the shelter was full within a week and they had to put another one in) wasn't whether or not they had to wear a helmet but having the facilities at the school. It was as if parents had never considered their children cycling in before.[/QUOTE]
Do they cycle on their own, or do parents cycle with them? I'm curious as to whether or not uptake of cycling by parents may have been a side effect (or if you have just got those who already cycled to cycle to school as well).

 

[classic33]

Perhaps a little light hearted but the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute in the US (Pro helmet , but with a grasp of
reality)came up with some work on concussion and designed this helmet:

What speed is designed for?

 

[Justinslow]

You choose a pejorative when considering their choice not to wear one. Perhaps it is for other, more positive, reasons.

Well I know what my kids can be like.......

 

[Hip Priest]

That is one conclusion. Another is that the contact was in fact no biggie but the sight of a trashed helmet has magnified it in his mind.

I split my helmet after a crash on my commute. I can guarantee that had I not been wearing my helmet, then I wouldn't have cracked it. Please like & share for awareness.

 

[ufkacbln]

It was an example where during my ride we achieved relatively high speeds, tell me where pedestrians achieve over 15 mph average for over 30 miles?
Some of you keep banging on about how cycling is similar to walking or drinking beer I think you are wrong.
And by the way it's not "willy waving" most of the riders I know and ride with ride this way.

So having shown that it is possible for pedestrians to reach the speeds you are claiming the rules have changed again to sustaining that speed for long distances. Tragically once again you are disproving your own theory in your desperation

Yes I could have an accident at any point in any of my rides which is why I choose to mostly wear a helmet, as one day it may prevent a head injury. Walking down the street or drinking beer however possible an accident may happen is for me extremely unlikely.

As you say accidents can happen at any point, so if both pedestrian and cyclist are at the same speed at that point, surely even you must admit that both should wear a helmet at that point (or not)

 

[ufkacbln]

What speed is designed for?

I think it was designed for impact forces which vary independently of speed

 

[ufkacbln]

Ok so when I'm at work should i not use any PPE for any task? For instance if I use my chain saw should I stop wearing protective trousers? I mean, I haven't sawn my leg off yet, so it's cool to stop using the trousers right?

So you are now arguing that you can prevent accidents, despite claiming that you can't prevent accidents

You really need to make up your mind

 

[classic33]

Ok so when I'm at work should i not use any PPE for any task? For instance if I use my chain saw should I stop wearing protective trousers? I mean, I haven't sawn my leg off yet, so it's cool to stop using the trousers right?

Never wore the trousers yet when using a chainsaw. And I've still got both legs. No other parts missing either though using one.