Re: Advice on Helmets - discussion topic

For all discussions about this "lively" subject. All topics that are substantially about helmet usage will be moved here.
Mike Sales
Posts: 7860
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by Mike Sales »

Given that no cyclist may appear on television bareheaded, that any cyclist injured on the road has their headgear or lack of mentioned, and that advice that not wearing a helmet is tantamount to suicide is widespread.

If anybody is pictured in the press sans plastic it is sure to attract bales of censorious comments.

In the media generally cycling can hardly be mentioned without exhortations to wear a helmet.

The word "evangelical" seems more appropriate for helmeteers.

It is quite reasonable that those of us who do not swallow the propaganda should sometimes react to this barrage of misinformation.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
slowster
Moderator
Posts: 4612
Joined: 7 Jul 2017, 10:37am

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by slowster »

Graham wrote:Special thanks to : Mike Sales, Slowster AND Vorpal. !

Your wish is my command . . . . < judderring hand skids mouse pointer over blurry screen >

I thought my suggestion of 'Personal Cycling Safety - cycle training, roadcraft and helmets etc.' was better (well I would, wouldn't I?). Having a topic solely for helmets is the wrong approach: at least equal prominance should be given to roadcraft and training.

I would suggest two topics, one of which should be for those aspects of cycling which are largely matters for the individual and under their control, hence 'Personal Cycling Safety'.

For the other I would suggest re-naming 'Campaigning and Public Policy' (which is a rather dry, worthy and probably off-putting title for most people). Instead I would call it something like 'Encouraging cycling and making it more pleasurable and safer for all' with a subtitle below to make it clear that it includes campaigning, public policy, road and infrastructure design, behaviour of drivers and other road users etc.

Encouraging more people to ride bikes, and focusing on how to make cycling more enjoyable is as important as increasing safety for cyclists generally. Moreover, these things are closely related anyway: more cyclists generally means safer roads (the critical mass argument), and making cycling pleasurable implicitly means safe, but also emphasises the positive (enjoyment) rather than just the negative (not being injured or killed).
mikeymo
Posts: 2299
Joined: 27 Sep 2016, 6:23pm

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by mikeymo »

Mike Sales wrote:Given that no cyclist may appear on television bareheaded, that any cyclist injured on the road has their headgear or lack of mentioned, and that advice that not wearing a helmet is tantamount to suicide is widespread.

If anybody is pictured in the press sans plastic it is sure to attract bales of censorious comments.

In the media generally cycling can hardly be mentioned without exhortations to wear a helmet.

The word "evangelical" seems more appropriate for helmeteers.

It is quite reasonable that those of us who do not swallow the propaganda should sometimes react to this barrage of misinformation.


Which helmet do you think the original poster should buy?
mikeymo
Posts: 2299
Joined: 27 Sep 2016, 6:23pm

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by mikeymo »

slowster wrote:
Graham wrote:Special thanks to : Mike Sales, Slowster AND Vorpal. !

Your wish is my command . . . . < judderring hand skids mouse pointer over blurry screen >

I thought my suggestion of 'Personal Cycling Safety - cycle training, roadcraft and helmets etc.' was better (well I would, wouldn't I?). Having a topic solely for helmets is the wrong approach: at least equal prominance should be given to roadcraft and training.

I would suggest two topics, one of which should be for those aspects of cycling which are largely matters for the individual and under their control, hence 'Personal Cycling Safety'.

For the other I would suggest re-naming 'Campaigning and Public Policy' (which is a rather dry, worthy and probably off-putting title for most people). Instead I would call it something like 'Encouraging cycling and making it more pleasurable and safer for all' with a subtitle below to make it clear that it includes campaigning, public policy, road and infrastructure design, behaviour of drivers and other road users etc.

Encouraging more people to ride bikes, and focusing on how to make cycling more enjoyable is as important as increasing safety for cyclists generally. Moreover, these things are closely related anyway: more cyclists generally means safer roads (the critical mass argument), and making cycling pleasurable implicitly means safe, but also emphasises the positive (enjoyment) rather than just the negative (not being injured or killed).


Which helmet do you think the original poster should buy?
mikeymo
Posts: 2299
Joined: 27 Sep 2016, 6:23pm

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by mikeymo »

Vorpal wrote:Any other discussion about the efficacy or not of helmets will be removed and placed in the helmet section.


Really? That's not what's happening, is it? The usual tiny number of forum members have, as expected, entered the discussion to promote their deeply held opinions about cycle helmet efficacy.
Mike Sales
Posts: 7860
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by Mike Sales »

mikeymo wrote:The usual tiny number of forum members have, as expected, entered the discussion to promote their deeply held opinions about cycle helmet efficacy.


Scientific truth is not determined by voting.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
User avatar
philg
Posts: 611
Joined: 7 May 2009, 12:13pm
Location: Porlock, Somerset

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by philg »

mikeymo wrote:
Vorpal wrote:Any other discussion about the efficacy or not of helmets will be removed and placed in the helmet section.


Really? That's not what's happening, is it? The usual tiny number of forum members have, as expected, entered the discussion to promote their deeply held opinions about cycle helmet efficacy.


The problem is that both sides in the argument are correct.

The lidless believe that their unhelmeted head hitting the ground will not impair their mental ability - they are correct

The lidded believe such an event will impair their mental ability - we are also correct

HTH

:D
The weekend comes, my cycle hums
Mike Sales
Posts: 7860
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by Mike Sales »

philg wrote:The problem is that both sides in the argument are correct.

The lidless believe that their unhelmeted head hitting the ground will not impair their mental ability - they are correct

The lidded believe such an event will impair their mental ability - we are also correct

HTH

:D


A silly old joke.

Henry Marsh, a leading neurosurgeon, cycles between London hospitals in a cowboy hat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Marsh_(neurosurgeon)
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20297
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by mjr »

mikeymo wrote:
Ehi wrote:hi guys
whats the difference in helmets prices ???[...]


You will have seen, by now, that despite moderators' promise to keep your post on-topic, they have failed to do so. [...]

People might believe your reply, except that anyone who bothers to check page 1 can see that the first off-topic reply was from someone called "mikeymo"! :lol:
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20297
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by mjr »

philg wrote:The problem is that both sides in the argument are correct.

The lidless believe that their unhelmeted head hitting the ground will not impair their mental ability - they are correct

The lidded believe such an event will impair their mental ability - we are also correct

The problem is that many of the helmet addicts don't bother to listen to the arguments against usage and so post nonsense like the above!
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20297
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Advice on Helmets prices vs quality ????

Post by mjr »

Mike Sales wrote:Given that no cyclist may appear on television bareheaded, [...]

That's not quite true. It's pretty strongly discouraged by both helmet zealots and commercial concerns, but people like Chris Boardman, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome have all appeared on the BBC cycling bareheaded or in soft hats.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Post Reply