Bicycle helmets
Hi folks, I sense this one is hotting up a little....
I think one point that is worth raising here is that there is very little evidence that cycle helmets offer any significant protection.
Motorcycle helmets are subject to compulsory and relatively stringent testing, and this has recently been enhaced by the introduction of the 'SHARP' grading system. They do offer significant protection against trauma, but NOT against acceleration/deceleration internal injuries, or rotational neck injuries, which they can potentially exacerbate. These are the injuries which kill most, and helmet wearing can actually worsen these under certain circumstances. Cosmetically the victim looks much prettier than they would otherwise, but that is often more for the benefit of the trauma staff and the unfortunate relatives.
In case you are wondering where I am coming from here, I worked for 12 years as a maxillo-facial surgeon in various units around the country, before changing specialty several years ago.
I have often heard comments from colleagues like 'he/she might have survived if they were wearing a helmet'. These comments are usually based on nothing but baseless supposition that it could have prevented the fatal cause of the injury. This is usually a reaction to the very horrible cosmetic appearance of the non helmet wearing victim involved in a high speed collision (I assure you it really can be sickening, even when you are used to it) BUT In only a very few cases would a fatal outcome have actually been prevented. All motorcyclists wear helmets now, but the fatality rate is still very high amongst accident victims, mostly due to head and neck injuries, although as I said earlier this would often not be apparent on cursory examination. I would grant you that facial injuries have been greatly reduced, but terrible as they are to look at, they are rarely the cause of fatalities. Note that this applies to the use of FULL FACE motorcycle helmets.
In comparison cycle helmets have no effective standard, no meaningful stats to show whether or not they are effective and are very flimsy in construction. They offer no facial protection of note. The ventilation holes mean that they cannot guarantee protection against penetration injuries either. Helmets with full face protection used by downhill off road MTB users look more promising, but these are not useful to road users.
By all means wear a helmet, it may help stop nasty grazes on the forehead from slides, but don't get a false sense of security from it, a good potentially fatal bang is likely to remain so helmet or not.
Sorry if you don't like to hear it guys, but it is true.
Cheers, Phil