Compulsory helmet-wearing

[Richard B]

While not calling for compulsory helmet use, or heaven forbid, legislation, I do however think that the benefits of helmet use must be actively promoted. Discussions where helmets are slated as dangerous without scientific evidence only serve to cause those who would otherwise wear them think twice. Nuttyfield, do not reconsider your view because of one websites flawed research. Go have a look at http://www.bhsi.org/henderso.htm and see what they have to say. By all means exercise your choice one way or the other, but do not fall for the line that wearing helmets is more dangerous.

[pwward]

Richard, how do you feel about the arguement that launching public campaigns to promote cycle helmet wearing is a public relations problem for cycling? Anti helmeteers have argued cycling is safe and does not need hampering by a measure that is something akin to filter tips on cigarettes: it gives an image of less risk without much real risk reduction. If cycling is so dangerous a helmet is needed, why take the risk in the first place? Does a 300g bit of polystyrene designed to protect at 13mph really make that much difference?

[mike6]

Richard, the problem with promoting helmet use comes when more people wear helmets and our lawmakers say x% of cyclists now wear helmets, lets just make it compulsory for all to wear them. The fact that a large proportion of helmet wearers have simply been conned in to helmets and are are blissfully unaware of how ineffective helmets are in crashes with high speed traffic just will not come in to the equation.
Better to work on road safety and crash prevention rather than feeble attempts at damage limitation.

[Pinky]

All this "anti" compulsory helmet wear is Ok as far as I am concerned but it does also have and adverse effect on those who might benefit in wearing one.

I wear a helmet all the time -- especially on my daily training and "shopping" runs.
I have twice be thankfulful that I was wearing it -- both times in slow speed accidents caused by pedestrians.

So I am not a high speed cyclist but average an overall 10 mph. But last year I did cycle 4895 miles.
Also, on my trip through France to Spain last year, it did seem that an awful lot of cyclists ( and there are an awful lot more cyclists over there) were werein helmets!

I don't favour compulsion but don't let the "anti lobby" put you off either. I am most happy to wear mine!

I shall certainly be wearing it on my 4000 km trip to the Black Sea this year!

Trevor Panther
In South Yorkshire

[Richard B]

Pwward & Mike6. I agree that road safety needs to be actively campaigned for, but to say that road safety training on it's own is adequate is a bit short sighted. What needs to be made clear is that every-one out there is ultimately responsible for their own safety. The positive encouragement to wear a helmet MUST be part of any road safety awareness training. To exclude it is hypocritical.

I know that cycling (and just about everything else) is supposed to be safe, but the reality is that it is not. Why must we deny this.

[Jim Davis]

Richard B

Cycling is not a dangerous activity. It's as simple as, well, riding a bike.

You say that it is down to the individual to be responsible for their own safety and that's why people are not anti-helmet but are in fact pro-choice. It should be down to the individual to make an informed choice for the type of cycling they are undertaking (a slow meander down a towpath isn't going to be ruined by an out of control canal boat smashing into you at 30mph for example) so there is probably scope for the pros and cons of helmets to be discussed at a cycle training session.

[mike6]

I just cannot agree with you Richard B. Of course there are degrees of danger and safety, but I consider cycling to be safe enough not to justify helmet wearing.

[gar]

If I had NOT been wearing a helmet
on a small Motor bike I would not have been knocked from the bike.

The criminal who perpetrated the accident returned
while there was still nobody about looked me in the face lying in a pool of blood on the ground and said
" I thought he was much younger" thinking that her victim was 18, and not 57. She departed saying she did not want to get "Involved"!
I did consider taking it off while she was hassling me.

Gar