Do you wear a helmet?

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Irenaeus, I don't know if your question was meant to be funny, but wearing a downhill full face helmet in summer temps will fry your brain. They are meant for people who ride chairlifts uphill and can "ride" all day without a chain.

Having just read this entire thread I'm left perplexed by the general level of vitriol that comes from the helmet always side of the story. You guys are angry. I have a helmet and don't always wear it. I do not get upset when I see someone else without a helmet, even when I'm wearing mine.

Maybe, statistically speaking, I shouldn't ride without one. But then, statistically speaking, I shouldn't rock climb, I shouldn't go back country skiing by myself, and I shouldn't drink beer. I shouldn't hike in bear country, I shouldn't go out after dark and I probably shouldn't even drive.

There are times when riding without my helmet does not exceed my personal comfort level with perceived risk. Whether or not my perceived risk matches reality is another question all together, but if I'm helmet-free and somebody wants to chase me down and ask me why, that's the answer so save your energy and smugly dismiss me from your field of interest. Please.

On a different but related note, one thing I've noticed is that very few riders out my way seem to ride defensively. I'm always checking out what's coming up behind me on the road. I don't trust drivers at all as far as my safety is concerned so I'm always glancing about. I usually find other cyclists completely surprised to have me come up on them. Take a quick glance over your shoulder once in a awhile. If you want to.

Peace.

Absolutely right! There's a group here that talks about helmet wearing like religious fanatics. They're basically like the Iranian morality police, or the Taliban wanting to push some stupid Sharia-like helmet wearing laws, OR ELSE you'll get yours. Dumb! I also question the bike handling ability of these people that have low speed crashes, and the utter fear mongering that goes along with all this. Funniest thing I heard was on another thread, something about even wearing a helmet to get the mail from the mailbox at the end of the driveway.

 

[philcrisp]

Not sure I understand "back door compulsion". I see it as taking responsibility for your actions. I decide not to wear a helmet... I crash and sustain massive head injuries... why should the rest of society be compelled to pay the cost of my stupidity? Member of a society have a responisbility to the other members. You can't refuse to wear a helmet, and then refuse to pay the consequences. That if front door hypocrisy.

When the rest of the English speaking world starts taking cyclist's safety seriously, and when the statistical evidence stacks up, you may have a point. However the leading cause of death or serious injury among cyclists is collisions with motorized vehicles not head injuries and the statistical evidence is, at best, cloudy. Until that changes any action to encourage or coerce cyclists to use helmets is rank hypocrisy. Removing health cover has that effect.

If you want to discuss the cost to society of helmet use and promotion I suggest you read this http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1368064 . You could also try looking around some of these blogs http://www.copenhagenize.com/ http://www.copenhagenize.com/ http://realcycling.blogspot.com/ http://realcycling.blogspot.com/ for ideas on improving cycling safety.

 

[elapid]

Absolutely right! There's a group here that talks about helmet wearing like religious fanatics. They're basically like the Iranian morality police, or the Taliban wanting to push some stupid Sharia-like helmet wearing laws, OR ELSE you'll get yours. Dumb! I also question the bike handling ability of these people that have low speed crashes, and the utter fear mongering that goes along with all this. Funniest thing I heard was on another thread, something about even wearing a helmet to get the mail from the mailbox at the end of the driveway.

While I agree with you, there are fanatics on both sides of the helmet argument. Ultimately it should come down to a personal choice. If you chose to not wear a helmet, then you should be responsible for the consequences of your actions if you do sustain head injuries. Unfortunately that is not the case in countries like Australia where the government via the TAC will be responsible for footing your medical bills.

 

[elapid]

When the rest of the English speaking world starts taking cyclist's safety seriously, and when the statistical evidence stacks up, you may have a point. However the leading cause of death or serious injury among cyclists is collisions with motorized vehicles not head injuries and the statistical evidence is, at best, cloudy. Until that changes any action to encourage or coerce cyclists to use helmets is rank hypocrisy. Removing health cover has that effect.

A friend of mine was hit by a car last week. He was T-boned by a car turning on to a main road and he was wearing a helmet. He is still in intensive care on a ventilator, but he will pull through. He suffered numerous facial fractures. Imagine if he was not wearing a helmet - his facial fractures would have also been skull fractures, brain damage and probable death.

Just because collisions with motor vehicles is the leading cause of death with cyclists does not mean that cyclists should not wear helmets. That's like saying the leading cause of death is your heart stops beating. Yes being hit by a car may kill you, but it is the damage the car does to you that kills you. As you well know from reading all the studies that have been cited in this thread, head injuries as a result of being hit by a car are the leading cause of death in that group ahead of chest injuries. A helmet may not prevent dying as a result of head injuries, but, as with my friend, it has a better chance than not wearing a helmet.

 

[Martin318is]

The arguements for wearing a helmet massively outweigh the arguements for not wearing one. In my opinion, if you are riding on the road, whether racing, training, commuting, or just heading to the shops, you are a bit of an idiot if you are not wearing one.

That said, if you want to be an idiot, then it is your right to be one
- no government should be allowed to tell an adult that they MUST wear a helmet. In fact I don't really think that its their right to say you MUST wear a seatbelt. It is sufficient to say that anyone under 18 years old must wear a helmet or must wear a seatbelt as that protects the safety of minors.

After all - the only lives saved by forcing idiot adults to wear safety equipment is the life of the idiot themselves. If you follow the concept of Darwinism (or in fact the Darwin awards) then they are just improving the gene pool by removing themselves.

 

[usedtobefast]

The arguements for wearing a helmet massively outweigh the arguements for not wearing one. In my opinion, if you are riding on the road, whether racing, training, commuting, or just heading to the shops, you are a bit of an idiot if you are not wearing one.

That said, if you want to be an idiot, then it is your right to be one
- no government should be allowed to tell an adult that they MUST wear a helmet. In fact I don't really think that its their right to say you MUST wear a seatbelt. It is sufficient to say that anyone under 18 years old must wear a helmet or must wear a seatbelt as that protects the safety of minors.

After all - the only lives saved by forcing idiot adults to wear safety equipment is the life of the idiot themselves. If you follow the concept of Darwinism (or in fact the Darwin awards) then they are just improving the gene pool by removing themselves.

you forget the trauma we endure seeing someones smashed head splatted across the road. spare me the gruesome vision, if nothing else. brains in the lane, make me wish that it would rain. wear a helmet for the rest of us.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I wore my helmet today commuting for work, but ditched it tonight for the 2km beer run to the liquor store, bike path all the way from my house. Gawd, I hope nobody was watching me, they might think I'm an idiot.

 

[Martin318is]

I wore my helmet today commuting for work, but ditched it tonight for the 2km beer run to the liquor store, bike path all the way from my house. Gawd, I hope nobody was watching me, they might think I'm an idiot.

read my post again... were you on the road? (you say you weren't) so why take my comment so personally.

If an adult rider is in traffic without a helmet on, I really really don't care how much talent they think they have, they are taking an unnecessary risk, that is however ENTIRELY THEIR OWN BUSINESS

So why should you give a rats ar$e about what anyone thinks about you riding on a bike path at night? Its up to you whether you are taking a risk at the time in the circumstances available to you.

 

[philcrisp]

A friend of mine was hit by a car last week. He was T-boned by a car turning on to a main road and he was wearing a helmet. He is still in intensive care on a ventilator, but he will pull through. He suffered numerous facial fractures. Imagine if he was not wearing a helmet - his facial fractures would have also been skull fractures, brain damage and probable death.

Remind me, exactly how do helmets prevent injuries caused by impacts to the face?

Just because collisions with motor vehicles is the leading cause of death with cyclists does not mean that cyclists should not wear helmets. That's like saying the leading cause of death is your heart stops beating. Yes being hit by a car may kill you, but it is the damage the car does to you that kills you. As you well know from reading all the studies that have been cited in this thread, head injuries as a result of being hit by a car are the leading cause of death in that group ahead of chest injuries. A helmet may not prevent dying as a result of head injuries, but, as with my friend, it has a better chance than not wearing a helmet.

Your friend and the rest of us in the English speaking world would have a better chance if the authorities put some real effort into improving cycling safety instead of promoting safety equipment of questionable value. I'll repeat this until the cows come home, countries with good cycling safety records have not promoted helmet use. they have reduced collisions.

 

[philcrisp]

While I agree with you, there are fanatics on both sides of the helmet argument. Ultimately it should come down to a personal choice. If you chose to not wear a helmet, then you should be responsible for the consequences of your actions if you do sustain head injuries. Unfortunately that is not the case in countries like Australia where the government via the TAC will be responsible for footing your medical bills.

You didn't answer this last time I asked, are the Australian health service planning to recharge TAC for the increased costs of obesity associated with the reductions in utility cycling caused by the helmet law? Given Australia's general road safety record, let alone its cycling record, the rest of the developed world would be idiots to take lessons from there.

 

[elapid]

Remind me, exactly how do helmets prevent injuries caused by impacts to the face?

Never said that. What I said was that he sustained facial fractures. If it were not for his helmet, he would have sustained similar trauma to his skull (ie, skull fractures with resultant brain damage). The facial fractures were indicative of the type of trauma sustained to his head and the fact that he was wearing a helmet minimized or prevented intracranial trauma.

Your friend and the rest of us in the English speaking world would have a better chance if the authorities put some real effort into improving cycling safety instead of promoting safety equipment of questionable value. I'll repeat this until the cows come home, countries with good cycling safety records have not promoted helmet use. they have reduced collisions.

I will state until the cows come home as well that your statement that helmets are of questionable value is BS. The vast, vast majority of published papers, which we have argued over ad nauseum at the start of this thread, do not support your position. I do however agree with your comments regarding the need to promote cycling safety.

 

[pedaling squares]

Yes I wear a helmet. Not only because it is the law in BC, but also because I don't want my kids spoon-feeding me soup quite yet. I am a strong believer that helmets can save lives. They cannot perform miracles, they can't do much for your face or torso, but they can protect the majority of your skull. I've seen a cyclist fall at medium speed and knock the back of his head on a utility pole. Not pretty, he went straight to the ICU and I suspect had he worn a helmet he would have been released from the ER that day. I've hit two dogs (their fault), one deer (my fault), and been it by one car (his fault, not that he stopped to say sorry). None of these incidents involved me hitting my head, but it goes to show what can happen even on quiet roads.

Re the governments. Considering what they pay in health and insurance costs, in BC anyway, I say they have the right to mandate helmet use just like they mandate seat belt use. But no law absolves them of their responsibility to provide resources to cyclists and education to motorists.

 

[pedaling squares]

Remind me, exactly how do helmets prevent injuries caused by impacts to the face?



Your friend and the rest of us in the English speaking world would have a better chance if the authorities put some real effort into improving cycling safety instead of promoting safety equipment of questionable value. I'll repeat this until the cows come home, countries with good cycling safety records have not promoted helmet use. they have reduced collisions.

What is road cycling like in Guernsey Phil? When I think of the narrow winding roads and high hedges in some parts of town I wonder if visibility is an issue. Are the residents pretty considerate of cyclists?

 

[elapid]

You didn't answer this last time I asked, are the Australian health service planning to recharge TAC for the increased costs of obesity associated with the reductions in utility cycling caused by the helmet law? Given Australia's general road safety record, let alone its cycling record, the rest of the developed world would be idiots to take lessons from there.

Time to take a repeat look cycling numbers in Australia, Phil. We argued this before, your figures on a decrease in the number of cyclists were from unpublished, web-based reports in the mid 90s. Over 15 years ago, Phil. If you bothered to update yourself, cycling numbers have increased markedly since then.

 

[Martin318is]

Time to take a repeat look cycling numbers in Australia, Phil. We argued this before, your figures on a decrease in the number of cyclists were from unpublished, web-based reports in the mid 90s. Over 15 years ago, Phil. If you bothered to update yourself, cycling numbers have increased markedly since then.

Exactly - Here is a study from 2008 (no link yet sorry):

A 2008 Transport Department study found cycling increasing as a mode of travel by 8.5 per cent a year in inner Melbourne.

Between the census years of 2001 and 2006, the number of Melburnians saying they rode to work rose 30 per cent

 

[flyor64]

Am I the only one that wears helmet partly because I think it looks cool with a race kit and cycling shoes?

I agree with you

In fact I just bought my first "expensive" helmet...a Spiuk...and I think it looks frickin' cool...

Someone upthread said they felt naked without it....couldn't agree more.

 

[pedaling squares]

Guy fell down in the bunch today and took out my wheel. So I'm loving the helmet right about now! I can live without the 11 yr old leg warmers, but man those bibs are a week old and now have a hole on the hip. Damn!

 

[55by11]

I reckon wearing a helmet saved my life at least twice, probably three or four times. However I still sometimes go without if just going for a short local ride in hot weather on the B machine, although I suppose I'm taking risks.

Funny but during the last 7 years I have not suffered any bad luck incidents, but had an awful run of 'em for a few years before then. At one time I had three (3!) open cases with the British Cycling Federation lawyers claiming compensation from at-fault drivers.

 

[SirLes]

yes. Forget I've got it on most of the time.

Only time I'd take it off is if i was going up a mountain, it was very hot and someone else brought it up for the the descent.

Wife, Kid, (number two on the way) and at 37 all too aware of my own mortality.

 

[Archibald]

I have to admit that I'd much rather ride in an environment where I didn't need a helmet and could wear one of the cool cycling caps. I have a couple of them now, but seriously feel uncomfortable on the roads without the brainbucket...

 

[Black Dog]

yes. Forget I've got it on most of the time.

Only time I'd take it off is if i was going up a mountain, it was very hot and someone else brought it up for the the descent.

Wife, Kid, (number two on the way) and at 37 all too aware of my own mortality.

A big plus 1 on your post!

 

[Hmmmmm]

Yes, I always wear a helmet whether it is the law or not. Includes road and mtn biking. Too many accidents and falls where damage has been done to my body to risk a head injury - a helmet might protect my head, so i figure I might as well wear one. I also feel naked without my helmet - like something is missing.

 

[Hawkwood]

I stopped for a while as my old helmet was simply uncomfortable, a weak excuse I know. A few weeks ago I tried a load out and now have a new one that actually fits.

 

[youcoming]

It's optional were I live but not an option for me. Has a helmet ever saved my life, nope but I still wear it. Did I wear one as a kid nope, still wear it, why? I have two sons and I don't want to fight with them to put one on plus I'm on the executive of my local club and we mandate everyone in the club must wear helmet on club rides, I just fiqure may as well wear it all the time.

 

[cawright1375]

I find it slightly amusing to see the cycling mags publish photos of riders sans helmets, because you just know that someone is going to fire off the obligatory letter bemoaning the fact that those photos got published.

I always wear a helmet. Two summers ago I had a crash that was very similiar to the one that Jens had last summer. I was going a lot slower (17-18) and I landed on my right shoulder, but the front wheel kicking up was the same. Anyway I don't remember hitting my head but when I finally came to a stop and got my breath and did the assessment for broken things (none) I took off my helmet (Giro Atmos) and on the right side it was cracked in 2 places, not all the way through but the helmet was toast.

I know a lot of people use the excuse that they never wore one as a kid and I admit I didn't. In fact it wasn't until I got back into road biking in '05 that I wore one on a regular basis. I had one for mt biking but never really wore it. Anyway those that say they never used one as a kid so they won't use one now must also not use clipless pedals or cell phones. That excuse just doesn't hold any credibility. And not only do I see it as being personally irresponsible but for those of us with spouses or kids (even those on the way) it is irrepsonsible not to consider them.

that is my .02.