The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[GrumpyGregry]

I was going to say that but thought it would be picky

Guilty as charged.

 

[mjr]

Why were you
a) cycling indoors
b) wearing a helmet indoors. It's unlucky.

I've never had an indoor shed. Have you?

 

[snorri]

Amsterdamized ‏@amsterdamized 10h10 hours ago

Amsterdamized Retweeted Sara Stace

Sales rep US bike helmet company: "NL market [potential] is awesome. If only the Dutch were more scared of cycling."

I spotted the above Tweet this morning, had to .

 

[Profpointy]

I've never had an indoor shed. Have you?

wouldn't an outdoor shed simply be a yard?

 

[steveindenmark]

I have three helmets in my shed.

Up until August I had four. I went to work very early one morning and picked up a helmet just before I left as it had lights attached to it. On the way home I came off and ended up in hospital with a broken finger and bad gravel rash on my arms. 4 months later you can still see the gravel rash scars.

Up until August I only wore a helmet occasionally and I am of the opinion that we are adults. Its not for me to decide if you wear one.

I now wear a helmet on every trip. Did the helmet save my life? I dont know, maybe, maybe not. I will never know. But what I do know was as I slid down the road on my face, I could hear and feel the visor being scrapes away by the road surface. The front of the helmet and visor were so badly damaged that I had to throw the helmet away.

All that damage would have been on my, forehead and face. There is no doubt at all about that. I tell people that I was lucky. I was lucky I stopped for a nano second and picked up my helmet for the first time in weeks.

There is a good chance that my damaged finger will be amputated in the Spring. But it could have been so much worse, much, much worse. I could be losing a finger but I could have lost my face.

I dont like helmets. They can move about and be hot. Generally, they are a PIA but I will continue to wear one. People banging on about them will not make other people wear them. I learnt from experience and it was the only way I could have learnt. Maybe my story will make you think too. But its your choice.

This was my first big off in over 50 years of riding. Its a surprise to learn your not invinceable.

 

[totallyfixed]

I have three helmets in my shed.

Up until August I had four. I went to work very early one morning and picked up a helmet just before I left as it had lights attached to it. On the way home I came off and ended up in hospital with a broken finger and bad gravel rash on my arms. 4 months later you can still see the gravel rash scars.

Up until August I only wore a helmet occasionally and I am of the opinion that we are adults. Its not for me to decide if you wear one.

I now wear a helmet on every trip. Did the helmet save my life? I dont know, maybe, maybe not. I will never know. But what I do know was as I slid down the road on my face, I could hear and feel the visor being scrapes away by the road surface. The front of the helmet and visor were so badly damaged that I had to throw the helmet away.

All that damage would have been on my, forehead and face. There is no doubt at all about that. I tell people that I was lucky. I was lucky I stopped for a nano second and picked up my helmet for the first time in weeks.

There is a good chance that my damaged finger will be amputated in the Spring. But it could have been so much worse, much, much worse. I could be losing a finger but I could have lost my face.

I dont like helmets. They can move about and be hot. Generally, they are a PIA but I will continue to wear one. People banging on about them will not make other people wear them. I learnt from experience and it was the only way I could have learnt. Maybe my story will make you think too. But its your choice.

This was my first big off in over 50 years of riding. Its a surprise to learn your not invinceable.

No offence intended but this is yet another story of how a helmet saved someone form possibly a much worse outcome. Now we need anecdotes from non helmet wearers who would have possibly suffered more severe injuries had they been wearing a helmet. Just to address the balance a little. Still very odd how we don't seem to crash as much as the helmeted lot and when we do there is no head injury.

 

[mjr]

This is interesting. Why is that what you leant from that experience @steveindenmark? Why didn't you learn instead that helmet wearers crash more?

My first big off in 20 years was on the first ride in months when I had worn a helmet. Reviewing that decision, I learnt that I should have used ice tyres rather than a 6helmet or gone out after the ice had melted a few hours later.

 

[ianrauk]

So helmets should have visors? As opposed to the little peaks that can snap off and cause injuries themselves? How about the young man who landed on his jaw and lost all his teeth (featured in another thread on CC somewhere)? Maybe cycling helmets should have cages like cricketing ones as well.

I do think that if cyclists are to wear helmets then they should wear one of these at least that may give much better all round protection. Not one of those half arsed mushroom jobbies.
@w00hoo_kent wears one,

 

[ianrauk]

Just to emphasise how incredibly risky and dangerous cycling is, I suppose. No thanks.

You would look dandy in one of those

 

[Origamist]

There is a good chance that my damaged finger will be amputated in the Spring. But it could have been so much worse, much, much worse. I could be losing a finger but I could have lost my face.

I dont like helmets. They can move about and be hot. Generally, they are a PIA but I will continue to wear one. People banging on about them will not make other people wear them. I learnt from experience and it was the only way I could have learnt. Maybe my story will make you think too. But its your choice.

This was my first big off in over 50 years of riding. Its a surprise to learn your not invinceable.

Without wanting to sound rude about your off, maybe you should also be examining your bike handling and forward planning when cycling around bends - as well as the need for PPE?

I hope your finger can be saved.

 

[Mugshot]

This was my first big off in over 50 years of riding. Its a surprise to learn your not invinceable.

As stated above I am in no way making light of your off. However 1 big off in 50 years suggests to me that your chances of having one are pretty slim, the odds of not having a big off seem pretty stacked in your favour.

 

[steveindenmark]

As stated above I am in no way making light of your off. However 1 big off in 50 years suggests to me that your chances of having one are pretty slim, the odds of not having a big off seem pretty stacked in your favour.

I totally agree. But when you have one like this it makes you think. Plus the fact I have just bought a Carbon road bike which is a bit quicker than my touring bike on which I had the accident.

The sound of that visor and helmet scraping down the road will stay with me for some time.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I do think that if cyclists are to wear helmets then they should wear one of these at least that may give much better all round protection. Not one of those half arsed mushroom jobbies.
@w00hoo_kent wears one,

I used to own one like that. Some trail parks insist on them, as in they won't et you on the uplift without a full face. I left mine behind by accident the last time I was in Wales.

 

[steveindenmark]

This is interesting. Why is that what you leant from that experience @steveindenmark? Why didn't you learn instead that helmet wearers crash more?

Now I wish I had known this earlier.

If I wear a helmet there is more chance of me crashing. Presumably, because I subconciously think I am safe in my little polystyrene bubble and dont take as much care as I do when I wear my Buff.

What a crock...

 

[Mugshot]

I totally agree. But when you have one like this it makes you think. Plus the fact I have just bought a Carbon road bike which is a bit quicker than my touring bike on which I had the accident.

The sound of that visor and helmet scraping down the road will stay with me for some time.

I'm sure it will.
Best of luck with the finger