We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
We're aware that dates on the Forum are not currently showing correctly. Please bear with us while we get this fixed, and see Site feedback for updates.

Helmets

18911131416

Comments

  • Dave_C_2
    Dave_C_2 Posts: 1,827 Forumite
    I'm sure that can't be true - members of the government regularly appear on the news getting on or off of a bike.
    <smiles>
    Andrew Mitchell of plebgate fame has resigned from the government, so there's one less at the moment.

    Dave
  • stevemcol
    stevemcol Posts: 1,666 Forumite
    Why is there such an obsession with what other people wear on their heads? If a helmet works for you wear one, if it doesn't, don't. Why does it matter what others do? Personally I don't wear a helmet. If I had kids, I probably would to set them a good example. But please don't anyone else worry about me or even bother with an opinion. I'm happy with my choice.
    Apparently I'm 10 years old on MSE. Happy birthday to me...etc
  • Dave_C wrote: »
    <smiles>
    Andrew Mitchell of plebgate fame has resigned from the government, so there's one less at the moment.

    Dave

    Maybe he should have worn a head-cam! It has taken downing street 3 months to produce some footage which mitchell's headcam could have shown on youtube back in september...
  • Dave_C_2
    Dave_C_2 Posts: 1,827 Forumite
    Maybe he should have worn a head-cam! It has taken downing street 3 months to produce some footage which mitchell's headcam could have shown on youtube back in september...

    Agreed. I did notice you said headcam as (shock!) he wasn't wearing a helmet.:)
    According to the Guardian, there are 30 police officers investigating claim and counter-claim of plebgate. :(
    That's 30 less police officers on the streets of London keeping the Capital's roads safe for cyclists!

    Dave
  • Stooby2
    Stooby2 Posts: 1,195 Forumite
    I witnessed a bike crash years ago, just turning left into a side turning, the cyclist hit a small stick lying in the road and the bike slid from under him. He came down and his head hit the kerb edge - knocked out cold instantly. He was wearing a helmet - which was flattened and smashed on the left side where he went down.
    A couple of months later he popped round to say thanks for the 1st aid I administered and for calling the ambulance etc. He had suffered a fractured skull from the back of his head, over his ear and onto his forehead. However, his consultant had said to him that if he hadn't been wearing a helmet, which took some of the energy of out the impact, he may have died or at least have suffered a life-changing brain injury as a result (as in having to learn to walk, talk and eat again).

    So for me it's simple - a helmet might just save my life, so I wear one. But I accept it's down to individual choice.
  • yonk
    yonk Posts: 762 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    I was wearing a helmet when I hit a car 20 years ago when it came out of junction without seeing me coming down the main road. Trust me, when you feel the helmet deform as your head hits the windscreen, you'll be grateful you were wearing it. It all happened VERY slowly so I remember the feeling to this day. I didn't have any facial or head injuries but they told me I would have died from the impact if I had not been wearing it.
  • I have been knocked off/over seven times and on three occasions I was wearing a helmet. In none of the cases did wearing or not wearing one make any difference to my well being.

    Except - in one case I was told by the insurance company that if I had not been wearing a helmet, then they would have contested 80% of my damages - even though my head was not injured in any way.
  • I have been knocked off/over seven times

    The best bit about repeatedly being hurled onto the road surface by others is when you finally work out why it keeps happening!

    Merry Christmas...
  • The best bit about repeatedly being hurled onto the road surface by others is when you finally work out why it keeps happening!

    Merry Christmas...

    I wish I knew why it keeps happening! Any suggestions - apart from walk, drive or cycle on the pavement - as to how these could have been avoided!

    - A car undertook another turning right and hit me from behind. I was in a cycle lane.

    - Waiting to turn right at set of lights. Car behind me was hit from behind and shunted into me.

    - Woman pulled out 5 foot in from of me. She did not see me as she had not bothered demisting her windows.

    - A woman turned into a side road when flashed from the car behind me and went straight into the side of me. She failed a roadside breath test but passed the one at the police station.

    - Knocked over when pushing my bike across a zebra crossing. A woman tried to drive round me as I was crossing and clipped my back wheel.

    - A woman swerved (the police suspected she was fiddling with her sat nav or on the phone) and hit me from behind. I was in a cycle lane.

    - Waiting to turn right at set of lights, behind the stop line. Van cut the corner and clipped my front wheel.
  • I wish I knew why it keeps happening! Any suggestions - apart from walk, drive or cycle on the pavement - as to how these could have been avoided!

    I would suggest riding on the pavement - you need to get pedestrians on your side (motorists are simply not sufficiently scared of you).

    If you can get pedestrians to join the campaign to provide a proper infrastructure for cyclists then there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.

    Motorists will never join the campaign, unless they have had their bodywork damaged by an uninsured cyclist...
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 241K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 617.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.7K Life & Family
  • 254.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.