How many of you always wear a helmet?

leftpoole · Post by **leftpoole** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:03am

Hello,
I have read lots of this thread. It seems to me (IN MY OPINION) that there are still a load of idiots out there who refuse to wear a helmet, because statistics tell them that it is of no help!
Statistics are crap.
I came off my bike. My helmeted head hit a stake at the side of the road. The noise inside my head cannot be described .....The fact that I was alive -can. The helmet (£80:00)died .My helmet without any doubt whatsoever means that I lived to ride another day. It still hurt a great deal, but I am a wearer who will never ever fail to use a helmet.
To those 'idiots' have a nice life and hope for the best.
For me this is the end of this nonsense.
John.

Wildduck · Post by **Wildduck** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:11am

I also find it strange that the pro-helmet lobby on this thread have not argued with my previous posting about the injuries that occur when heads are hit.

As to doctors' comments as to whether an inury would have been worse without a helmet, the majority of doctors I've dealt with over my years as a nurse in a vareity of settings (including intensive care), have very little awareness of the limitations of helmets.

Paul coward · Post by **Paul coward** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:12am

Say it how you mean it John...
No but realy you are right, its a helmet for me.
Some people will always be happy to except the risks , be it a cycle helmet , a car seat belt or talking on you mobile when driving.
You only get one life use it as you will.

pwward · Post by **pwward** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:12am

Such emotional non scientific arguments get us nowhere. Some 16th century patients got better after using leeches, some after being bled, so Drs used them for centuries until proper research rubbished them. There is no good evidence favouring helmets. Plenty of people can testify to the splendid effects of Bachs flower remedies on curing them of their ailments. This doesn't mean Bachs Flower remedies work.

Zinzane Brook, a great NZ rugby player slipped in the foyer of a Spanish Hotel 2 years ago and sustained a skull fracture. If only he'd been wearing a helmet...

Peyote · Post by **Peyote** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:17am

john28july wrote:Hello,
I have read lots of this thread. It seems to me (IN MY OPINION) that there are still a load of idiots out there who refuse to wear a helmet, because statistics tell them that it is of no help!
Statistics are crap.
I came off my bike. My helmeted head hit a stake at the side of the road. The noise inside my head cannot be described .....The fact that I was alive -can. The helmet (£80:00)died .My helmet without any doubt whatsoever means that I lived to ride another day. It still hurt a great deal, but I am a wearer who will never ever fail to use a helmet.
To those 'idiots' have a nice life and hope for the best.
For me this is the end of this nonsense.
John.

Don't hold back John, say what you mean!

This is the trouble with these debates, they always end up with one side getting frustrated and resorting to this kind of post. There is no conclusive evidence one way or t'other, so it is up to everyone to weigh up the pros and cons themselves, if they've done the research and concluded that helmets create more risk than they mitigate (or vice versa) it doesn't make them an idiot!

Shouldn't we be discussing the best way of getting the information out to people to make their own choice, not trying to push our own opinions on them?

aesmith · Post by **aesmith** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:55am

john28july wrote:... It seems to me (IN MY OPINION) that there are still a load of idiots out there who refuse to wear a helmet, because statistics tell them that it is of no help!

I don't wear a helmet because to do so would detract from my enjoyment, and I judge that to outweigh any addition risk. I'm sure there are plenty who'd call me an idiot just for cycling, with or without a helmet!

At different times I've taken part in other minority activities that attract some of the same comments - hang gliding, sailing, morris dancing (probably the highest risk!). In each case I make my own judgement as to the risks and their mitigation.

hubgearfreak · Post by **hubgearfreak** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:55am

john28july wrote:
a load of idiots

Statistics are crap.

To those 'idiots'

nonsense.

such a reasonable, well considered and insightful point. you've persuaded me :lol:

hubgearfreak · Post by **hubgearfreak** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:58am

aesmith wrote:morris dancing (probably the highest risk!).

do you do that clanking shovel handles thing?

there should be legislation about american football style protection for that :wink:

aesmith · Post by **aesmith** » 14 Mar 2008, 9:59am

I kept a sharp eye out this morning, and identified four cyclists wearing helmets, and two without. Interestingly the two without were both on mountain bikes, so I'd guess they probably own helmets but had chosen not to wear them today.

There were a few more at a distance, too far for me to spot helmets. The most telling thing to me was how few cyclists there were altogether.

aesmith · Post by **aesmith** » 14 Mar 2008, 10:00am

Too late now, but I should have qualified by original question with "on the road". The risks and equipment are different for mountain biking, where it seems to me that part of the pleasure comes from handling difficult terrain, and maybe you have to accept a greater risk of a fall.

glueman · Post by **glueman** » 14 Mar 2008, 10:03am

The reason I wear a helmet less often was a house move. Unless I want to take the main road into town every direction is hilly, extremely hilly. It's an hour and a half + to get to anywhere flatter. Where we used to live was rolling and I could cope with a helmet even commuting the twenty miles into work.
I found myself riding less often and putting weight on and when I analysed why it was because within five minutes of leaving home I'd be blinded by sweat toiling up a 1 in 5, then another, then another. The helmet was the final straw, I'd frown and rivers of perspiration would pour out of the foam pads and run onto the road like rain. Without a hat it just dissipates on the skin. If I'm going into traffic I sometimes wear one and I might try using it again after some comments here but for me at least, wearing one is a heavy price to pay for cycling.

leftpoole · Post by **leftpoole** » 14 Mar 2008, 10:06am

Please! NOTE:- in MY opinion.
Helmets do save lives.
NOT wearing one is to put yourself at risk.
When I was a lad back in the 50's helmets were unknown. So was traffic
As a matter of interest I care not about others generally, BUT, I do care about cyclists.
I did say that my post was or should be the end of it all, but as per usual on these ridiculous Forums, it keeps going on and on, getting nowhere. But at least some can vent!
John..... :roll:

iaincullen · Post by **iaincullen** » 14 Mar 2008, 10:10am

stoobs wrote:On balance, engineering-wise, I side with wearing.

On balance I think helmets may provide a limited amount of protection. As population level stats don't show this it then it must be balanced by other factors somewhere. I think risk compensation is the most likely explanation. I regularly see helmeted riders wearing dark clothing at night with no lights. Risk compensation? Helmeted riders riding in the doorzone. Risk compensation? Helmeted riders using a 70 mph dual carriageway instead of a 30mph paralell road. Risk compensation?

I used to rock climb regularly, Sometimes with a helmet other times without. I hadn't heard the term at the time but looking back I can see risk compensation in action as I climbed closer to my limit wearing a helmet than without.

In rider only accidents the risk of serious injury is slight. Anyway I've not crashed on the road ever (discounting a couple of SPD moments) so I'll take that risk.

If a motor vehicle is involved a helmet is not going to save you.

Wildduck · Post by **Wildduck** » 14 Mar 2008, 10:21am

All I can say John28july is....

do helmets protect against those who drive Mercedes cars? :wink:

hubgearfreak · Post by **hubgearfreak** » 14 Mar 2008, 10:27am

john28july wrote:Please! NOTE:- in MY opinion.Helmets do save lives.

on these ridiculous Forums, it keeps going on and on, getting nowhere. But at least some can vent!

without proof, or a study, opinions are just that, an opinion. you state it like fact.

i don't know why sane people like yourself keep on chatting to us ridiculous ones. :wink: