When helmets don't work

[mjr]

A clear and obvious difference between Bikeability and Cycling Proficiency is the former is taught on live roads - carefully selected live roads, but live none the less and I think that's a much better way to get started (and not get put off) than just getting on with it.

Part of my Cycling Proficiency was taught on live roads, which illustrates one of the biggest problems with Cycling Proficiency - a lack of consistency in what was taught and how.

[853]

Part of my Cycling Proficiency was taught on live roads, which illustrates one of the biggest problems with Cycling Proficiency - a lack of consistency in what was taught and how.

Most, but not all, of my Cycling Proficiency was taught on live roads. Not busy roads, and certainly not A roads, but roads with cars on

[pjclinch]

Part of my Cycling Proficiency was taught on live roads, which illustrates one of the biggest problems with Cycling Proficiency - a lack of consistency in what was taught and how.

Most, but not all, of my Cycling Proficiency was taught on live roads. Not busy roads, and certainly not A roads, but roads with cars on

It's good to hear that was the case, though as mjr notes it wasn't consistent. Bikeability is designed to work with the National Standards for Cycle Training which didn't exist back in CP days. The NSCT has been building slowly and surely since its release 18 years ago.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -alexander suggests the government might be usefully pushing ahead here, though being an old cynic I'll wait until I see it. Heidi Alexander seems pretty good overall though, and I think she "gets it"... though whether the Treasury and velophobic culture warriors let her crack on is another matter.

Pete.

[Grandad]

the frankly unhelpful idea that one has to dress in a certain way to ride a bike, and that cycling without one is dangerous/irresponsible,

I have never been convinced of the need to wear a helmet.

Having succumbed to anno domini and given up all riding one consolation is that a new club rule making helmets compulsory is now immaterial for me.

[mattheus]

the frankly unhelpful idea that one has to dress in a certain way to ride a bike, and that cycling without one is dangerous/irresponsible,

I have never been convinced of the need to wear a helmet.

Having succumbed to anno domini and given up all riding one consolation is that a new club rule making helmets compulsory is now immaterial for me.

I'd be interested to know the justification, but I'll bet my favourite saddle that they weren't forced into it by external factors

Whenever helmet rules are discussed, helmet-wearers shrug and say "it's the modern way", or "insurance reasons mate";
when in reality it is most often helmet-evangelists that create these rules.

Our fellow cyclists,

[pjclinch]

the frankly unhelpful idea that one has to dress in a certain way to ride a bike, and that cycling without one is dangerous/irresponsible,

I have never been convinced of the need to wear a helmet.

Having succumbed to anno domini and given up all riding one consolation is that a new club rule making helmets compulsory is now immaterial for me.

I'd be interested to know the justification, but I'll bet my favourite saddle that they weren't forced into it by external factors

Whenever helmet rules are discussed, helmet-wearers shrug and say "it's the modern way", or "insurance reasons mate";
when in reality it is most often helmet-evangelists that create these rules.

Our fellow cyclists,

Yes, it's well meaning but not necessarily on-the-pulse cyclists who do a lot of the pushing of helmets.

My missus had joined a local club and figured that their "Bike and Blether" social rides, advertised as having no rules, might be just the thing, but it turned out that folk were not happy with a helmetless rider. She was asked to wear one, with the reason rationalisation being it wasn't fair on the ride leaders if something went wrong... These were the ride leaders they didn't have because it was no rules, and when (as a qualified ride leader) she pointed out all sorts of more effective safety procedures they could implement if they were really interested in that sort of thing it was taken as an anti-helmet diatribe
Suffice to say she left the club soon afterwards...

Pete.

[mattheus]

Young Irish racer dies in training - hits parked car while riding TT bike.

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-new ... ash-207758

[mjr]

Young Irish racer dies in training - hits parked car while riding TT bike.

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-new ... ash-207758

Linked pages seem to say parked lorry and not who hit what how, but maybe you've seen other reports, and he wouldn't be the first TTer to ride head-down into a stopped vehicle. I think the UK's CTT have rules and warning signs about head-down riding & I expect other ruling bodies do. Cycle helmets aren't meant for collisions.

RIP.

[Bmblbzzz]

Way back in say 1999 or thereabouts, Cycling Plus, when it was still a decent magazine (is it even still published?), did a series of articles following previously uncompetitive cyclists training for big races. Or maybe TTs. Anyway, one of the people they were following rode headfirst into a parked vehicle while training. It was a police van. Blue and yellow checks, hi-viz, it even had its flashing lights on. On that occasion, he luckily got away with nothing more than a broken arm and the cops just laughed at him.

I can't remember if he was wearing a helmet or it was even mentioned in the magazine.

[mattheus]

Young Irish racer dies in training - hits parked car while riding TT bike.

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-new ... ash-207758

Linked pages seem to say parked lorry and not who hit what how, but maybe you've seen other reports, and he wouldn't be the first TTer to ride head-down into a stopped vehicle. I think the UK's CTT have rules and warning signs about head-down riding & I expect other ruling bodies do. Cycle helmets aren't meant for collisions.

RIP.

Yes, a parked lorry I think.

A few years ago I attended a CTT (online) meeting, and heard that the most recent recorded death in a race had indeed been riding into a stopped vehicle.

I've never seen/heard the "head down" rule enforced, and it wasn't mentioned much when helmets were made compulsory. I have some very incriminating photos from the first mandatory lids race!

[Grandad]

The current ultra aero extreme crouched time trial position has exacerbated the perennial head down problem.

[Bmblbzzz]

For a short time it was known as Frooming.

[irc]

Young Irish racer dies in training - hits parked car while riding TT bike.

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-new ... ash-207758

Linked pages seem to say parked lorry and not who hit what how, but maybe you've seen other reports, and he wouldn't be the first TTer to ride head-down into a stopped vehicle. I think the UK's CTT have rules and warning signs about head-down riding & I expect other ruling bodies do. Cycle helmets aren't meant for collisions.

RIP.

Surprisingly common. I know two people who have done it. One - into the back of a stopped bus. Permanently crippled to the extent he could only walk with crutches. Had to take early retirement on health grounds.

The other - round a bend in a rural road without seeing the car stopped at temp lights. Through the back windscreen - only minor cuts and bruises.

[mattheus]

...
The other - round a bend in a rural road without seeing the car stopped at temp lights. Through the back windscreen - only minor cuts and bruises.

Fortunately, rear windscreens seem quite forgiving - they are frequently broken [in team cars] by riders on the Grand Tours!

[pjclinch]

Back when I was a teenager I rear-ended a stopped car in traffic hard enough to bend my forks, though aside from being a bit shaken I wasn't badly hurt. This was the days before helmets, I don't think I hit my head.
The circumstances were I was on my home and the heavens opened to the point where (a) I really wanted to get home ASAP so had cranked up the effort a bit and (b) it was really hard looking ahead because of the rain in my eyes so I was in heads-down mode. Not a good combination...

Pete.