Big Bike revival ... yet more helmet normalising!

[The utility cyclist]

CUK are at it again, yet more normalising of helmets, https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/build ... evelopment this isn't the only part of recent articles that are predominantly showing helmets as being an expected part of the cycling that CUK are promoting, and thus themselves are promoting helmets.
they clearly have no idea the damage they are doing by making helmets seen as an expected bit of kit to go cycling with and that those not wearing are the weird/dangerous/irresponsible/odd ones out!
Here is the front image of 10 ways to improve cycling ... https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/10-ea ... ve-cycling
well it's not improving cycling by making out you need hi-vis and plastic hats AKA victim blaming garments that do nack all and make out that cycling is dangerous!

Frankly I'm sick of the continual promotion/unbalance that CUK are presently showing, utterly disgraceful and a sell out!

[mjr]

The red helmet isn't even worn correctly AFAICT.

[PH]

It's a disgrace. Have you seen the insurance page?
https://www.cyclinguk.org/insurance
Bare headed riders all over it, FIVE in the header photo alone, quite clearly the sub text is that those not wearing the magic hats are more likely to be in need of insurance.

[Cugel]

It's a disgrace. Have you seen the insurance page?
https://www.cyclinguk.org/insurance
Bare headed riders all over it, FIVE in the header photo alone, quite clearly the sub text is that those not wearing the magic hats are more likely to be in need of insurance.
Ins.jpg

Those cyclists have no arm-warmers on! They will be encouraging all the little children to catch colds, flu or even impetigo by bare-arm cycling!!

As to the incorrectly-worn helmets, perched in a pekuliar fashion upon the bonces of dafties wobbling about on BSOs - I fully approve as it lightens one's mood for quite a while after spotting one (or even two). I give them a smile & a touch of my cotton cap, hoping they will notice it says "Faema" or "Molteni" thus signalling that I am an OFIM Grade 1A.

Cugel

[Cyril Haearn]

It's a disgrace. Have you seen the insurance page?
https://www.cyclinguk.org/insurance
Bare headed riders all over it, FIVE in the header photo alone, quite clearly the sub text is that those not wearing the magic hats are more likely to be in need of insurance.
Ins.jpg

Is that a cycleway with up and down lanes? Looks like three of the riders are breaking the law
Railway catenary in the background, Plus One!

[Lance Dopestrong]

And fluorescents. Whats wrong with the whole normal-clothes-for-a-normal-activity ethos?

[Mick F]

The trouble is "sport".
Many folk - no, the majority of folk - assume any activity is "sport".

I don't like sport. I find it boring and pointless and silly.

Riding a bike isn't sport unless you want to race.

[Mike Sales]

The trouble is "sport".
Many folk - no, the majority of folk - assume any activity is "sport".

I don't like sport. I find it boring and pointless and silly.

Riding a bike isn't sport unless you want to race.

Before my present indisposition I was a regular Sunday club rider. I wore cycling clothes and shoes in what was surely a sporting style and was certainly not utility cycling. I saw no need for a polystyrene hat.

[The utility cyclist]

It's a disgrace. Have you seen the insurance page?
https://www.cyclinguk.org/insurance
Bare headed riders all over it, FIVE in the header photo alone, quite clearly the sub text is that those not wearing the magic hats are more likely to be in need of insurance.
Ins.jpg

Insurance isn't promoting cycling, it's also not used on the Facebook page promoting cycling, but here's another photo from the insurance section ...
Oh and the CUK recommended insurers require you to wear a helmet!

[The utility cyclist]

The trouble is "sport".
Many folk - no, the majority of folk - assume any activity is "sport".

I don't like sport. I find it boring and pointless and silly.

Riding a bike isn't sport unless you want to race.

Before my present indisposition I was a regular Sunday club rider. I wore cycling clothes and shoes in what was surely a sporting style and was certainly not utility cycling. I saw no need for a polystyrene hat.

Me too, I've never been a club rider but I do like riding hard and fast at times, have the full pro level carbon job and top end gear. Helmets, I've never seen the point, it never crossed my mind once to wear one even when descending in the Alps with twisty chicanes and huge drops just beyond the barriers, nor riding on A roads/high density commuting or even off road downhill.
I don't do 'sports' riding, even if I'm hitting 30mph on the flat on the dual carriageway to me it's still leisure riding, I'm not competing against anyone or trying to set best tines, I just like the exertion and the sense of speed when it's safe to do so. Wearing a plaggy hat would, as it does all have an effect that would make me more dangerous to myself and others.
Promtoing hats as CUK seem to do regularly especially when it comes to introducing newbies to me is one of the biggest sell outs ever. It has done and will continue to do untold damage that I see as being irreversible.

IIRC viewtopic.php?f=6&t=111440&hilit=insurance+helmets CUK recommended insurers won't even cover you if not wearing a helmet. Tells ou all you need to know about where CUK are with regards their stance.

[Mike Sales]

The trouble is "sport".
Many folk - no, the majority of folk - assume any activity is "sport".

I don't like sport. I find it boring and pointless and silly.

Riding a bike isn't sport unless you want to race.

Before my present indisposition I was a regular Sunday club rider. I wore cycling clothes and shoes in what was surely a sporting style and was certainly not utility cycling. I saw no need for a polystyrene hat.

Me too, I've never been a club rider but I do like riding hard and fast at times, have the full pro level carbon job and top end gear. Helmets, I've never seen the point, it never crossed my mind once to wear one even when descending in the Alps with twisty chicanes and huge drops just beyond the barriers, nor riding on A roads/high density commuting or even off road downhill.
I don't do 'sports' riding, even if I'm hitting 30mph on the flat on the dual carriageway to me it's still leisure riding, I'm not competing against anyone or trying to set best tines, I just like the exertion and the sense of speed when it's safe to do so. Wearing a plaggy hat would, as it does all have an effect that would make me more dangerous to myself and others.
Promtoing hats as CUK seem to do regularly especially when it comes to introducing newbies to me is one of the biggest sell outs ever. It has done and will continue to do untold damage that I see as being irreversible.

IIRC viewtopic.php?f=6&t=111440&hilit=insurance+helmets CUK recommended insurers won't even cover you if not wearing a helmet. Tells ou all you need to know about where CUK are with regards their stance.

We are in good agreement except for our definition of sport. I don't see that cycle sport is confined to racing. What about Audax and Randonees?
And few cyclists can see another ahead and not raise their tempo. Our club used to sprint for 30 mph signs. Most of us have competitive streak.

[RickH]

It's a disgrace. Have you seen the insurance page?
https://www.cyclinguk.org/insurance
Bare headed riders all over it, FIVE in the header photo alone, quite clearly the sub text is that those not wearing the magic hats are more likely to be in need of insurance.
Ins.jpg

Insurance isn't promoting cycling, it's also not used on the Facebook page promoting cycling, but here's another photo from the insurance section ...

I ride with those ladies, piloting tandem for my sight impaired fiend Clare. We don't wear helmets but we are almost always the only ones lidless on the ladies rides. On other cycling UK group rides we may see one or 2 others without helmets but they are a rarity. Wearing of helmets has never been mentioned, let alone encouraged, but has been almost ubiquitous in the 4 plus years I've been regularly riding with Chester & North Wales CTC groups. I must admit I was still a lid wearer at least some of the time in those days but I kicked the habit, followed a short time later by Clare.

Starting the Two Mills Early Season 50 - April 2019

As I have pointed out elsewhere, this makes it very difficult to get spontaneous photos of people (apart from us) involved in cycling who aren't wearing helmets.

I was just going to make an exasperated comment about the minority who keep their helmets on during cafe stops but then I thought that is probably sensible as a slip on hard floors (particularly in toilets), made more likely by road cycling shoes, is likely to be a scenario where a helmet may prevent a nasty knock!

[mjr]

I was just going to make an exasperated comment about the minority who keep their helmets on during cafe stops but then I thought that is probably sensible as a slip on hard floors (particularly in toilets), made more likely by road cycling shoes, is likely to be a scenario where a helmet may prevent a nasty knock!

I think you're even less likely to land on the top of your head (the protective zone of most helmets) from such a slip than from cycling in a relaxed riding position. It might protect your head from low beams in the toilets, but more than that is flukey.

[The utility cyclist]

Stuff as we see on CUK website and the magazine is why in part people start wearing helmets in the first instance, they see it and think oh that's what I need because others like me are wearing them. Aside from the sports side of cycling who else is telling people they need to wear helmets, who introduced these people to cycling and said, right, you need to wear a plastic hat (well we know cycle trainers via local gov force kids to wear for a start off).
The vast majority of us over the age of 40 would have cycled sans helmet for a good long while, who shifted the thinking aside from BC?

[RickH]

In their defence - where they do have a simple means for complete artistic control (drawings/ cartoon) there isn't a helmet to be seen.

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