Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

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Steady rider
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Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Steady rider »

Can you help?
I think cyclist have been let down by the helmet advice and need to ask their MP for a Parliamentary inquiry.
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... 553abdffc6

Call for Parliamentary Inquiry
Colin Clarke, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0685-9874
New helmet advice Highway Code
You should wear a cycle helmet that conforms to current regulations, is the correct size and securely fastened. Evidence suggests that a correctly fitted helmet will reduce your risk of sustaining a head injury in certain circumstances.
Parliament should have an inquiry because the advice is questionable and it does not provide suitable warnings, as examples,
a) Research shows helmet use is associated with a higher accident rate, Zeegers analysed 3 large data sets from the Netherlands, Victoria Australia and Seattle and described a marked overestimation of the effectiveness of helmet usage which ranged from +8% to a massive more than 400% and when the data was reanalysed in two out of three series the risk of head injury for helmeted cyclists was not lower and across all three studies the risk of non-head related injury was higher.
See Clarke Cf, Gillham C, Effects of bicycle helmet wearing on accident and injury rates, GB National Road Safety Conference, November 2019
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... jury_rates

b) Children have been strangled by their helmet being caught on things leaving the child hanging, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-o ... e-51139789 and
https://helmets.org/cpscplay.htm

c) StClair and Chinn reported ‘However, in both low speed linear impacts and the most severe oblique cases, linear and rotational accelerations may increase to levels corresponding to injury severities as high as AIS 2 or 3, at which a marginal increase (up to 1 AIS interval) in injury outcome may be expected for a helmeted head.’ Assessment of current bicycle helmets for the potential to cause rotational injury (trb.org) https://trid.trb.org/view/810710

d) A recent article contained data showing severe head injuries for helmeted to be 2.16% v 0.69% for non-wearers, head injuries in general where lower for helmeted, see Unreliable claims regarding bicycle helmet law in Western Australia https://link.springer.com/article/10.10 ... 21-04949-2

e) Moore et al. reported on adult cyclist post-concussion syndrome (PCS) that “The mean duration of PCS for helmet wearers was 22.9 months, and 16.8 months for patients not wearing a helmet at the time of concussion (p=0.41)” https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... _in_adults

f) Cycling UK say, In any case, there are serious doubts about the effectiveness of helmets. They are, and can only be, designed to withstand minor knocks and falls, not serious traffic collisions. Some evidence suggests they may in fact increase the risk of cyclists having falls or collisions in the first place, or suffering neck injuries.
https://www.cyclinguk.org/campaigning/v ... le-helmets

g) The Highway Codes advice can be used in legal proceedings to lower compensation for cyclists not wearing helmets.
see https://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default ... de_con.pdf
reply to Question 39.
extra information on compensation
https://www.quittance.co.uk/personal-in ... ike-helmet
Last edited by Steady rider on 15 Dec 2021, 7:05pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thehairs1970
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Thehairs1970 »

Ah statistics!

For any advice you will find something to the contrary. E.g. bars on cots prevent young children from climbing out and injuring themselves. However, there have been cases of children injuring themselves in the bars.

Why do you want the advice changed? If you don’t want to wear a helmet, don’t. It’s your head. But don’t persuade me not to. I have landed smack on my head when falling off a bike and I didn’t enjoy it so I’ll continue to wear mine.
Mike Sales
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Mike Sales »

Ah words!

You can find completely contradictory statements, so I ignore all advice.
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?
thirdcrank
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by thirdcrank »

What's to say such an inquiry would reach your desired conclusions? Don't underestimate the strength of the lobbying by vested interests or the extent of prejudice. In the unlikely event of an inquiry being launched, it might easily lead to compulsion.
Stradageek
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Stradageek »

This is my greatest fear. For a government that has done so little and done it badly, making helmets compulsory "because we care so much about the welfare of cyclists" is an easy win.

It makes the government look like it has done something good when it's actually done nothing.

My favourite 'counter statistic' (and apologies for adding this oft repeated idea) is that we could save many times more head injuries if all car drivers and passengers wore the very same helmets. Now that would really help the NHS.

I'd also repeat my plea for someone to find a photo from 'risk averse' Japan showing schoolchildren being delivered to school by bicycle with both rider and child typically unhelmeted and an attendant photo showing a school outing with all the children taking to the pavements wearing helmets. I can only find separate images :(
Steady rider
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Steady rider »

Cycling promotion currently is indirectly connected with promoting helmets and the two almost go together. It may be better if helmet promotion was not involved.

I think the risk associated with questioning the Highway Codes advice is worth taking, as cyclists/insurance companies may pick up on the debate and take the view cyclists not wearing helmets have every right based on the available evidence not to wear a helmet and should not suffer in legal arguments about compensation, if the accident was due to a motorist being at fault. The Code could be modified, to not make it worse for cyclists trying to claim fair compensation. A head injury to a pedestrian or indeed a motorist could obtain full compensation in the event of a motorist being at fault. There could be hundreds of cases each year where cyclists received lower compensation than they should have, due in part to the Highway Codes advice.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Bonefishblues »

Isn't this rather late, given that consultation finished some time ago?
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mjr
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by mjr »

Bonefishblues wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 9:41am Isn't this rather late, given that consultation finished some time ago?
Was there any indication before now that consultation responses had been ignored or dismissed?
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.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Bonefishblues »

mjr wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 10:07am
Bonefishblues wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 9:41am Isn't this rather late, given that consultation finished some time ago?
Was there any indication before now that consultation responses had been ignored or dismissed?
I guess not. Best have a Parliamentary Enquiry.

...or not, lest the outcome might be worse, perhaps?
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
A 12 year old died in a indoor tobogganing accident recently.

Although it was suggested that a helmet might of helped (too early really to give conclusions), the position of the child infront or behind an adult makes a difference.

On helmets, its important to fit them correctly.
Many helmet wearers I see on tv have the helmet too high at front, and probably are the wrong size / fit.
And we still see tv interviews in cars where the driver is not concentrating on what's ahead, rather they keep looking at camera / passenger :roll: ..............Assuming they actually wear a seatbelt.......or not :evil:
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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mjr
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by mjr »

Bonefishblues wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 10:23am
mjr wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 10:07am
Bonefishblues wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 9:41am Isn't this rather late, given that consultation finished some time ago?
Was there any indication before now that consultation responses had been ignored or dismissed?
I guess not. Best have a Parliamentary Enquiry.

...or not, lest the outcome might be worse, perhaps?
Oh I'm not confident that parliament would reach a logical decision, but I don't think the timing of the call is worth the implied criticism.
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.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Bonefishblues »

mjr wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 11:39am
Bonefishblues wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 10:23am
mjr wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 10:07am

Was there any indication before now that consultation responses had been ignored or dismissed?
I guess not. Best have a Parliamentary Enquiry.

...or not, lest the outcome might be worse, perhaps?
Oh I'm not confident that parliament would reach a logical decision, but I don't think the timing of the call is worth the implied criticism.
I'm not clear what the OP wants from a Parliamentary Enquiry. They set great store by Enquiries (here and wrt the proposed prison in Yorkshire), but short of erasing any mention of helmets (which simply won't happen, I'd suggest) it's hard to see how the new HC could be more equivocal in its wording.
axel_knutt
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by axel_knutt »

Thehairs1970 wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 6:45amWhy do you want the advice changed? If you don’t want to wear a helmet, don’t. It’s your head. But don’t persuade me not to.
Why do you want the advice to remain? If you want to wear a helmet, wear one. It’s your head. But don’t persuade me to.

For a tutorial on how to recognise question begging, see here.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
axel_knutt
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by axel_knutt »

thirdcrank wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 8:24am What's to say such an inquiry would reach your desired conclusions? Don't underestimate the strength of the lobbying by vested interests or the extent of prejudice. In the unlikely event of an inquiry being launched, it might easily lead to compulsion.
Unfortunately, I think this is the likely outcome.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Thehairs1970
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Re: Call for Parliamentary Inquiry into helmet advice

Post by Thehairs1970 »

axel_knutt wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 5:34pm
Thehairs1970 wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 6:45amWhy do you want the advice changed? If you don’t want to wear a helmet, don’t. It’s your head. But don’t persuade me not to.
Why do you want the advice to remain? If you want to wear a helmet, wear one. It’s your head. But don’t persuade me to.

For a tutorial on how to recognise question begging, see here.
I have not tried to persuade you. Why do I want to wear one? Because my experience has been a helmet as protecting, not harming.
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