The Great Helmet Debate

[alfablue]

I agree to an extent, however I think the bigggest disgreements occur because quite a few of the pro helmeteers move from this assumption to compulsion which is really an altogether different argument.

I see very few proposing compulsion, are there examples on this forum that I have missed? I suspect that it is more the case that the anti's fear that this is an inevitable consequence of the helmet effectiveness argument being won in favour of the pro's, when in fact I reckon most pro's want personal choice in the matter. Of course this is just conjecture, but is informed by online debates such as this.

 

[snorri]

I think helmet debates should be restricted to one page and only permitted when there is an h in the month.

 

[Chris James]

I see very few proposing compulsion, are there examples on this forum that I have missed?

Yes, there have been. Also on C+ before here.

Perhaps not in this thread (to be honest, I skipped the first umpteen pages as we have all read it before)

Edit - a good example is Spin City on the 42 page epic 'No Helmet' thread.

 

[Niall Estick]

Additionally children also have a less develeloped cranium. The arguments for adults and children are totally different in this aspect and cannot / should not be interposed.

Having said that.............

The only crossover point is the perspective that cycling is dangerous enough to wear a helmet when the more common causes for head injuries are considered a fair risk.


If you look at the cause of head injuries in children only 20% are cycling related - why are all the iresponsible parents not making their children wear helmets during the activities causingthe other 80%?

(Figures from NHS Direct)

As for shopping...................

link


In the States 17,300 children under 5 suffer head injuries in falls froom shopping carts - do we see helmets having a contribution here?

Will yur child be wearing a helmet nexttime you o to Tesco / Morrisons / Safeway?

They shouldn't be in the cart in the first place. Tesco's tell you off if you have your kid in the cart. They should be strapped in the chair on the cart.

You argument is fatuous.

 

[thomas]

I always choose to wear a helmet. It does give you a false confidence but I do believe that it would slightly cushion any fall. Anything is better than nothing.

 

[ufkacbln]

Which is perfectly true for playing children....

 

[mumbo jumbo]

I posted my views / experience on helmets in another thread:

Best comment yet

I had a nasty accident a couple of years ago and during the weeks I had to have off work I had plenty of time to ponder what had happened and look into what new helmet to get. I scoured the forums, looked at loads of info on helmet safety generally, checked out Snell's site, emailed various people, talked to Mrs MJ and my consultant and ended up concluding that I really couldn't be sure if my helmet had saved me from much worse injury or actually caused the neck injury which (among others) was keeping me out of the office!

I became completely agnostic about helmet wearing (having previously been fairly evangelical about it) but Mrs MJ was keen that I should have another helmet. As matrimonial harmony was at stake, I took the view that if I was going to have a helmet it had to be fit for purpose. That made it quite simple really - it had to be Snell certified - and I got a Spesh Aurora, about £55 at the time. I still wear it (most of the time).

mj

I was wondering if there's any evidence (anecdoatal or otherwise) about helmet cams causing rotational injury which would not otherwise have happened as it seems that several posters wear their helmet purely to put a camera on it! (I have a (currently mothballed) helmet cam BTW).

mj

 

[jax67]

I used to ware one - but it always aggrivated my eczema and i'd end up with a rash that weeped. It also aggrivated the arthritis in my neck by adding instability as I looked over my shoulder, and it also caused pain due to this, and pain when waring my glasses as the helmet interfered with the rim of my glasses on my nose. in the end I gave up waring one.
Every bike accident Ive ever had has never injured my head, but has broken ribs, injured my back, injured my pelvis and injured my legs.. a broken rib can easily kill as it can puncture the heart or aorta..Most other cyclists i have spoken to have also mainly had rib, back or leg injuries - But they don't try to enforce us to ware padded clothing - as we would over heat and die of heat stroke then!.
personally i think helmets should be voluntary and upto personal choice

 

[jax67]

helmets

Yes - a helmet can affect rotation. if you Have cervical spondalosis (osteoarthritis of the neck) your neck rotation is affected - as is your vision, and you get headaches if any pressure is put on the neck or the head. Ive found helmets cause a clamping sensation on the skull due to the nerve compression in the neck vertabrai and the added compression of the helmet and straps causes immense pain in the back of the head and in the neck and shoulders, causes numbness and tingling down the arms and into the hands, and also round into the jaw - dangerous in other words as it then affects balance and vision and concentration -

 

[Dave5N]

>The Great Helmet Debate

I like a good helmet debate most fridays and some nights in the week with the girlfriend...

So you debate on your own most Fridays.

Some nights in the week with the girlfriend...

Do you ever find any time to have a mass debate?

 

[Tony]

So you debate on your own most Fridays.

Some nights in the week with the girlfriend...

Do you ever find any time to have a mass debate?