Wear a helmet folks

[fatboytrig]

Look, I know this is a contentious issue. There are those that feel duty bound not to wear a helmet. It's not the law after all. Not here to tell the determined few what to do.

but this is a compelling reason for wearing a helmet.

‪A personal appeal from James Cracknell - Use your head. Use your helmet‬‏ - YouTube

 

[Kenny]

Pleeeaase, not another helmet debate......

This has been done over and over again on the forum.

 

[z0mb13e]

<grabs popcorn, pulls up comfy chair...>

 

[flecc]

but this is a compelling reason for wearing a helmet.

It was once a compelling reason for James Cracknell to have worn a helmet.

 

[lemmy]

Most of the words in the OP have been used before but the poster has taken the trouble to arrange them in a slightly different order. Well done!

 

[jerrysimon]

This one really bugs me/eats at my concience but then I guess that is what the pro helmet lobby is hoping it will do sigh....

For the first year of commuting across Cambridge every day I wore a helmet. My wife insisted lol

Then I got her into bikes and and she now rides to school every day. Guess what she does not wear a helmet!

When I asked her she told me she didn't need to as she rode all the way on cycle paths.

I decided to follow suit. I have to say when I took my helmet off it was like a whole world opened up to me. I now cycle with a cap so if my head does get smashed open at least it will be contained within that

Some keen road cyclists at work continue to encourage me to wear one giving instances where they came off bikes and claim their head was saved from injury.

I am still unconvinced either way. I think if I was commuting on a busy road I may be tempted to wear one, then again I rode bikes for years as a kid on them and never wore one. They didn't exist!

I find a helmet a pain to carry at either end of the journey and I feel "boxed in" when wearing one.

Regards

Jerry

 

[fatboytrig]

<grabs popcorn, pulls up comfy chair...>

me to!

 

[lectureral]

I think Jerry puts it well. Every cyclist is exposed to different levels of risk. Each cyclist should be able to weigh the risk against the downside of wearing a helmet. I generally have low risk rides and perceive a large downside to wearing the helmet so I generally don't.

 

[kitchenman]

If I could I'd wear two! ...

 

[eTim]

Has nobody seen the latest news reports about the study that shows that drivers give you more room when not wearing a helmet? Yes it's fact now.

 

[jerrysimon]

If I could I'd wear two! ...
View attachment 2501

lol

Jerry

 

[Biged]

I have driven in the USA and their drivers don't think cyclists or pedestrians exist, certainly you will never see either at night (except in the cities)
If i was cycling across America i would certainly wear an helmet, here i think we are a little more cyclist friendly and i don't bother, France seems to be the most cyclist friendly place i have been, they always give you room.

 

[eclectic_bike]

I have no doubt that if you wish to minimise head injury then wear a helmet.

There is much sophistry put forward to justify not wearing them but the essential truth is that, regardless of the data showing drivers giving less room to helmet wearer, helmets discouraging cycling, etc, wearing a helmet will limit injury to you as an individual.

I know this having come off and hit my head on the ground with no injury because an impact absorbing material was between me and tarmac.

 

[mike killay]

Well, I think you should wear one all the time, not just on bikes!
In the 1960's, Ira Jones, a First World War fighter ace who had survived many battles, tripped over his front door step, hit his head on the ground and later died in hospital. Just goes to show, you can't be too careful.
Never fear, the Great British busybody, nanny knows best, nit picking, fusspot control freak, health fascists will look after you.

 

[eclectic_bike]

In the 1960's, Ira Jones, a First World War fighter ace who had survived many battles, tripped over his front door step, hit his head on the ground and later died in hospital. Just goes to show, you can't be too careful.

I know someone who smoked all his life and lived to 90. Therefore I must conclude that smoking prolongs life. A sound empirical argument, I trust you will agree.

 

[flecc]

There is much sophistry put forward to justify not wearing them

This is only ever in response to someone like yourself promoting helmet wearing.

We have had many threads started by someone doing just that, but never once has there been a thread started in order to discourage or criticise the wearing of them. Those who don't wear them often emphasize they have no objection to those who do, but it seems many who do wear them are intolerant of those who don't.

 

[eclectic_bike]

This is only ever in response to someone like yourself promoting helmet wearing.

We have had many threads started by someone doing just that, but never once has there been a thread started in order to discourage or criticise the wearing of them. Those who don't wear them often emphasize they have no objection to those who do, but it seems many who do wear them are intolerant of those who don't.

I actually don't care if you wear one or not and don't object to your right to do what you want as long as it doesn't affect me. My point is that they limit injury. Saying otherwise is simply fooling yourself. I tolerate that quite well thank you.

 

[kitchenman]

This thread doesn't make any sense. Where can you put your helmet cam if your not wearing a helmet? ...

 

[RoadieRoger]

I don`t know about motorists giving you a wide berth when not wearing a helmet , but with a helmet and reflective waistcoat ,they give you such a wide berth that they would rather crash into something on the opposite carriageway . Perhaps it`s the polite drivers here in South Wales .

 

[Willin']

As I have first hand experience of the fragility of the human head - and I only collided with a wooden shelf after tripping over the dog resulting in nine stitches, a lot of blood and a splitting headache - I don't want to repeat the experience with a concrete kerb at 15 mph thank you very much.

My neighbour probably owes her life to wearing one after she hit the cobbles head first in Alston at speed so my helmet is staying firmly on when I am riding.