Cyclists without lights

Dave_C_2

Ah! Cycling helmets. It is anything but clear if there are any advantages of adults wearing cycling helmets. Look here

A cycling helmet will not save your life in a collision with a motor vehicle - this is the biggest killer of cyclists. And cyclist deaths are rising!

<Dave stands on soap box, one arm outstretched, other hand gripping lapel>
Talking about helmets distract from the main issue of cycling safety in the UK. At some point in the future with increasing cycling numbers and the spiralling cost of fuel, we are going to have to adopt the Dutch method of sustainable safety for vulnerable road users - why not start now?

Dave

Idiophreak

Dave_C wrote: »

Ah! Cycling helmets. It is anything but clear if there are any advantages of adults wearing cycling helmets. Look here

I love these studies that say "as many people turn up at hospital with helmets as without - so they must not work!" overlooking the fact that some people will not have gone to hospital - because the helmet worked.

adouglasmhor

Idiophreak wrote: »

I love these studies that say "as many people turn up at hospital with helmets as without - so they must not work!" overlooking the fact that some people will not have gone to hospital - because the helmet worked.

But the one linked doesn't claim that that so it's well worth reading.

Tilt

Don't think a cycle helmet would of saved the guy that this thread is about.

Idiophreak

adouglasmhor wrote: »

But the one linked doesn't claim that that so it's well worth reading.

I did read it, and it contains, essentially, meta-analysis of a bunch of surveys, most of which contain the flaw I was referring to...they talk about "evidence" over and over again...And what evidence is there of a helmet that works? there's none..they won't turn up to hospital, so they won't be included in the statistics....and that's why the link in question has the good sense, at least, to preface it's conclusion with "So far as can be determined"...because the number of people saved by helmet use *can't* be determined by looking at hospital figures.

There's also a strong emphasis on brain injury and fatality, which I don't think is really the point. I think it's well established that helmets can only do so much...and that if you're smacked by a car, a lorry or a bus, you're still going to be pretty much forked whether you're wearing one or not...but that's not the same thing as saying there's no advantage in wearing them. As I've said before, like most cyclists, I've plenty of anecdotal evidence of people saying "I'm just glad I had a helmet on...or that could have been my head!" - and that's good enough for me.

adouglasmhor

Idiophreak wrote: »

I did read it, and it contains, essentially, meta-analysis of a bunch of surveys, most of which contain the flaw I was referring to...they talk about "evidence" over and over again...And what evidence is there of a helmet that works? there's none..they won't turn up to hospital, so they won't be included in the statistics....and that's why the link in question has the good sense, at least, to preface it's conclusion with "So far as can be determined"...because the number of people saved by helmet use *can't* be determined by looking at hospital figures.

There's also a strong emphasis on brain injury and fatality, which I don't think is really the point. I think it's well established that helmets can only do so much...and that if you're smacked by a car, a lorry or a bus, you're still going to be pretty much forked whether you're wearing one or not...but that's not the same thing as saying there's no advantage in wearing them. As I've said before, like most cyclists, I've plenty of anecdotal evidence of people saying "I'm just glad I had a helmet on...or that could have been my head!" - and that's good enough for me.

So you have ancedotal evidence of a maybe. I wear my helmet just in case but I don't treat it as a magic tallisman.

Dave_C_2

Idiophreak wrote: »

There's also a strong emphasis on brain injury and fatality, which I don't think is really the point.

Err ... isn't this the whole point of cycle helmets! This is precisely where the emphasis should lie!

Dave

Idiophreak

Dave_C wrote: »

Err ... isn't this the whole point of cycle helmets! This is precisely where the emphasis should lie!

Dave

No...the point of helmets is to protect against numerous possible head and facial injuries - not just brain injuries. If my helmet saved me from facial disfigurement, I'd take that as a win.

johnfarquhar74

Idiophreak wrote: »

No...the point of helmets is to protect against numerous possible head and facial injuries - not just brain injuries. If my helmet saved me from facial disfigurement, I'd take that as a win.

For the record I'm an occasional cyclist these days and always wear a helmet, but I doubt my helmet would save me from facial disfigurement if I was to come off my bike at speed? Unless you are wearing a full face helmet?

motch

prowla wrote: »

I hit a deer and I reported it to the police.

They told me not to worry about it.

next time skip the police and give me a ring ... i'll try and get it in my freezer