Helmet compulsion as a deterrent

[Mike Sales]

From what I can remember, helmets other than “hairnets” for racers, began to become available in the UK sometime in the mid/late 1980s. IIRC, I first bought one when I moved from riding ‘sports tourers’ to an explicitly off-road hybrid in 1991, and it was what would probably now be thought of as a BMX or skateboard helmet (it actually looked vaguely like a WW2 paratrooper’s helmet) although I think there were some lighter, more ‘roadie’ ones around by then too.

In the early eighties I reckoned to tell the Yankee tourists by their helmets and the Dutch by their upright bikes with a suitcase strapped to the rack.

[Jdsk]

From what I can remember, helmets other than “hairnets” for racers, began to become available in the UK sometime in the mid/late 1980s. IIRC, I first bought one when I moved from riding ‘sports tourers’ to an explicitly off-road hybrid in 1991, and it was what would probably now be thought of as a BMX or skateboard helmet (it actually looked vaguely like a WW2 paratrooper’s helmet) although I think there were some lighter, more ‘roadie’ ones around by then too.

IIRC just a couple of years earlier than that.

Jonathan

[a.twiddler]

First time I saw a helmet on a cyclist was on several American cycle tourists who we saw while on a club run to Pembroke castle in 1982. They didn't look like the lightweight road cyclists' helmets of today, more like unventilated bulbous BMX helmets. An unnecessary American affectation, we thought. Combined with the U.S. mountain bikes they were riding, with the seemingly enormously fat tyres (looks like hard work! We thought) and the tall whip aerials with pennants, they looked like aliens to us. Naaah! All that'll never catch on!

And so it happened that BMX and mountain bikes became the salvation of the British bike industry, fat tyres (and frame tubes) and all, yet even after that opportunity they've still managed to spaff it all away. Practically everything now made in the Far East, with a few notable exceptions.

Anyway, back to helmets. The marketers have triumphed with that particular fashion accessory now being commonplace. How did any of us manage to survive before we learnt about helmets? Some subversive voice might dare to suggest that it's because despite all the hype, they haven't made any detectable difference to the statistics. Those who want to wear them, do, and those who don't want to, don't. And sometimes those who do, don't, just because they feel like it, and sometimes those who don't, do, just because they feel like it. And they can do this because there remains freedom of choice.

Even I have been known to wear a helmet from time to time. But that's from choice.

I was one of the ones who scoffed at those aerials with flags on all those years ago, and, you've guessed it, I've even tried one of those since I took up recumbents, since it came with the bike, but for my kind of riding it's not necessary. After a particular towpath trip when it just kept twanging under canal bridges I took it off, and it never got put back on again. Heaven forbid if the powers that be got it into their heads that they might allegedly save some lives and win some votes by compelling cyclists to fit a flag based on some more dubious statistics.

[Pinhead]

I remember in a pub years back with my sons I was verbally attacked by the smokers when I said "Soon it will be banned in pubs and cafes" "never", "Won't happen", "Pubs will close", YEAH ........................

Wait 'till enough youngsters like the two who died running from the police die, it will happen.

Firstly, I was saddened to hear about the death of the two you people. However given their injuries it remains unclear to me whether a cycle helmet would have prevented the bodily damage which caused their deaths.

And it is also unclear if wearing helmets would NOT have saved their lives, two sides o every argument.

[pjclinch]

I bought my first lid with my first "proper cyclist" bike* in 1989. They were just starting to come in beyond sport and it struck me as a "proper cyclist" thing to have, and seemed like a good idea.

Pete.

* 12 (count 'em!) gears! The rear ones were indexed! Toe clips!
The brakes may have been grotty Weinman side-pulls, but acting on alloy rims sort of slowed one down marginally in the wet!

[cycle tramp]

I remember in a pub years back with my sons I was verbally attacked by the smokers when I said "Soon it will be banned in pubs and cafes" "never", "Won't happen", "Pubs will close", YEAH ........................

Wait 'till enough youngsters like the two who died running from the police die, it will happen.

Firstly, I was saddened to hear about the death of the two you people. However given their injuries it remains unclear to me whether a cycle helmet would have prevented the bodily damage which caused their deaths.

And it is also unclear if wearing helmets would NOT have saved their lives, two sides o every argument.

No, really there isn't... I've yet to hear a convincing arguement made by those who inact hate crimes

In this particular tragic case, I belive the e-bike as it was described was in fact an electric (motor) cycle, and as such the rider should have held a motorcycle licence, insurance and possibly paid road tax and should have been wearing a helmet. And it looks like the electric (motor) cycle was designed not to carry a pillion. The legalisation for all of this is already in existence and had already been breached.

Sadly it was reported that as well as head injuries one of the riders suffer major trunk injuries as well (lungs, heart, rib cage) which contributed for his death. One could imagine that if he had not suffered brain damage he may have been all to acutely aware of the intense pain the trunk injuries may have caused.

The fact that the riders tragically chose to disregard existing legislation isn't something that I should be effectively punished for, by removing my freedom to choose if and when I use a helmet.
After all I ride a bicycle powered by my own legs and given the state of my fitness and the fact that I ride in an upright position I am unlikely to exceed the heady speed of 15 miles per hour .