Wear cycle helmets! then this won't happen.

[arknor]

Why the rolleyes? I was passing the sentiment on. And I'm not sure why you think I'd choose to believe your stance than the medical professional that treated me?

they always claim XXX saved your life.

are they forensic specialists going over the scene of the accident? or just someone treating a wound that assumes to much

 

[alexthecheese]

Again, from what perspective are you talking? What's your medical training history?

EDIT: Added in the word training.

 

[alexthecheese]

Some interesting statistics:

Statistics from New York City
New York issued a statement on their bicycle safety study including these numbers:
Bicycle lanes and helmets may reduce the risk of death.

Almost three-quarters of fatal crashes (74%) involved a head injury.
Nearly all bicyclists who died (97%) were not wearing a helmet.
Helmet use among those bicyclists with serious injuries was low (13%), but it was even lower among bicyclists killed (3%).
Only one fatal crash with a motor vehicle occurred when a bicyclist was in a marked bike lane.
Nearly all bicyclist deaths (92%) occurred as a result of crashes with motor vehicles.

Large vehicles (trucks, buses) were involved in almost one-third (32%) of fatal crashes, but they make up approximately 15% of vehicles on NYC roadways.
Most fatal crashes (89%) occurred at or near intersections.
Nearly all (94%) fatalities involved human error. All New Yorkers, whether pedestrians, bicyclists or motorists, can help prevent crashes by following traffic signs and signals and respecting other road users.
Men and some children face particular challenges.

Most bicyclists who died were males (91%), and men aged 45–54 had the highest death rate (8.1 per million) of any age group.
Among children aged 5-14, boys had a much higher death rate than girls; Queens had the highest child bicyclist death rate of the five boroughs.

http://www.bhsi.org/stats.htm

 

[arknor]

Again, from what perspective are you talking? What's your medical training history?

EDIT: Added in the word training.

watch some interviews of safety experts being interviewed by the bbc etc.

notice how nearly all of them admit they don't wear a helmet

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/860259.stm

Making cycling helmets compulsory would put so many cyclists off, that the resulting lack of exercise would be more dangerous than the risk from head injuries, says the British Medical Association.

Indeed preceived wisdom on bike helmets is starting to take a battering from various quarters and some experts even say they can actually increase the danger of head injury.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/artic...-stopping-people-cycling-claims-expert-37428/

“If the bike helmet were a pill they would never be approved for use by any public authority because there is not enough conclusive scientific proof. Information is power and people haven’t been given the information,” he said. “They’ve not been given the opportunity in many countries, especially in the English speaking world.”

http://www.bluedome.co.uk/MoutainBiking/bikestuff/helmets.html

According to Dr Mayer Hillman, Senior Fellow Emeritus at the Policy Studies Institute in London, who has undertaken the only major international research of the evidence on the use of helmets, you're better off not wearing a helmet.

"By wearing helmets, cyclists are, at best, only marginally reducing their chances of being fatally or seriously injured in the rare incident of a collision with a motor vehicle."
Dr Hillman believes that by being more careless, the helmet-wearer is using up any extra protection offered.

"Cycle helmets provide limited protection for the head. Neither manufacturers nor retailers tell the public this."

"You're much better off cycling with extra care than you are wearing a helmet and riding with an exaggerated sense of security," says Hillman.

"Non-cyclists say they don't cycle because they think it's too dangerous. If you tell them they should always wear a helmet when they ride you're reinforcing their belief that it's dangerous. I have calculated that the health benefits of regular cycling in terms of life years gained through increased longevity, far outweigh the loss of life years in cyclists' deaths."

 

[alexthecheese]

Do I return the rolleyes now, or later?

People seem to be confusing the fact that they don't want to be forced to wear one, or prefer not to wear one with wind blowing through their hair, with the premise that they can help save your live and prevent you from being seriously injured.

 

[arknor]

Do I return the rolleyes now, or later?

People seem to be confusing the fact that they don't want to be forced to wear one, or prefer not to wear one with wind blowing through their hair, with the premise that they can help save your live and prevent you from being seriously injured.

"By wearing helmets, cyclists are, at best, only marginally reducing their chances of being fatally or seriously injured in the rare incident of a collision with a motor vehicle."

flashing lights and a horn offer more protection than a helmet.

how many people have horns on their bikes?

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

No-one has said that they aren't beneficial. The main point is that most people misunderstand the level of protection they provide.

 

[SDK^]

According to Dr Mayer Hillman, Senior Fellow Emeritus at the Policy Studies Institute in London, who has undertaken the only major international research of the evidence on the use of helmets, you're better off not wearing a helmet.

If you ride more recklessly when you have a helmet on than you would without then yes, you are better off not wearing it.

If you ride the same with or without a helmet then you are better off with one.

watch some interviews of safety experts being interviewed by the bbc etc.

notice how nearly all of them admit they don't wear a helmet

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/860259.stm

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/artic...-stopping-people-cycling-claims-expert-37428/

http://www.bluedome.co.uk/MoutainBiking/bikestuff/helmets.html

 

[arknor]

If you ride more recklessly when you have a helmet on than you would without then yes, you are better off not wearing it.

If you ride the same with or without a helmet then you are better off with one.

marginally sure.

risk taking wearing a helmet could be as little as driving along busy roads thinking the helmet will save your life.
when without one you might have stuck to the back streets and avoided busy areas.

most cycling lanes in busy areas aren't exactly safe but people wrongly assume they are just because of a painted line

cycling safety courses should be mandatory to stop nervous riders hugging kerbs etc that would prevent more deaths than a helmet

 

[Hitman_Leon]

safer based on what? your head is such a small part of your body and the least likely to actually make contact with the floor.

do cyclists wearing helmets wear motorbike style kevlar armour ?
lets face it nearly all cycle deaths involve tons of steel and a helmet ain't stopping it.


you would probably be better of just wearing kevlar pads incase you slide off sideways like most cycle offs will be

Safer due to less serious head injuries on people who did crack their noggin.

Just a couple of comparisons I've heard but it does make logical sense.

I do feel that the helmets are very insubstantial compared to motorcycle helmets having ridden both most of my life. Even so I would not cycle without one and would think all the better if the designs were properly tested and licensed to good standards like their motorcycle equivalent.

 

[SDK^]

marginally sure.

risk taking wearing a helmet could be as little as driving along busy roads thinking the helmet will save your life.
when without one you might have stuck to the back streets and avoided busy areas.

This is my main issue with experts and scientists quoting risk.

How many cyclists who don't wear a helmet take different routes over those that wear helmets because the roads on those other routes are safer. My guess is virtually none.

 

[PermaChanged]

More than likely and in line with the level of protection offered.

And that is reason enough for me

 

[Energize]

There are different types of cycle helmet, most people think of those crap polystyrene ones, but there are much more durable ones of the type used in horse riding. Which are designed for much higher speed impacts.

 

[pitchfork]

Bad luck, I never rode my bike with a helmet when I were a lad but then I suppose you didn't have the traffic you do nowadays.

 

[alexthecheese]

And that is reason enough for me

Are you in the non-helmet wearing camp? If so, let me bleat on. If not, tell me to shut up. Or tell me to shut up in both instances.

Is it really that you're happy with the level of protection you're offered? Do you have an afro or a decidedly-thick perm? Or normal hair and a skull?

I do wonder if people are just saying they think it's of no use, when really it's because of image, convenience or comfort.

 

[SDK^]

Helmets also have reflective strips and places to attach lights. Another reason to wear them in dark conditions.

 

[SkodaMart]

I love it how some people can speak with such conviction and be wrong.

And how in the hell is ANY of that wrong?

If I came around and hit you on the head with a baseball bat would you sooner not wear a helmet because it is somehow 'safer'

Any form of head protection is advantageous in a crash, don't crash you say, well it's just pointless, sweaty weight then.

 

[PermaChanged]

Are you in the non-helmet wearing camp? If so, let me bleat on. If not, tell me to shut up. Or tell me to shut up in both instances.

To clarify,

I always wear a helmet whilst out cycling, I assume I'd have quite a nasty scar on my forehead if I didn't!

More than likely and in line with the level of protection offered.

And that is reason enough for me

 

[platypus]

I'm no expert in injury prevention and neither is anyone I know it's just logic tells me a helmet is safer.

And yet you post a thread entitled 'Wear cycle helmets! then this won't happen.'

What we certainly don't need is more daily mail-esque sensationalism.

 

[platypus]

Some interesting statistics:

Almost three-quarters of fatal crashes (74%) involved a head injury.
Nearly all bicyclists who died (97%) were not wearing a helmet.


http://www.bhsi.org/stats.htm

The trouble with your statistics is that people leap to the wrong conclusions: 74% of fatal crashes involve a head injury, 97% weren't wearing a helmet, ergo not wearing a helmet gets you killed.