I wear a helmet

jel · June 2007

I value my skin if not my bones.

rustynut · June 2007

Well, I now value my brain and skin can heal. The reason why I wear a helmet now is coming back from the shops the other week, doing a burner down the main road (20mph) [:p]Then onto the footpath and not noticing some loose gravel, I come a cropper, losing control of steering. I hit the deck, hitting my shoulder and knee. Feeling like a right k**b, I picked myself up and dusted myself down feeling a bit sore in them places. I had no helmet on and the next day I got a Met helmet and now wear it all the time.

bracketed · June 2007

(someone else will ask this if I don't)

...and having a helmet on would have prevented the soreness in shoulder or knee, or perhaps the momentary k**b-esque feeling?

(incidentally, glad you're OK, apart from these things)

andystear · June 2007

now i heard an interesting thing about helmets last week .
my job sometimes involves helicopters and one of the local ones recently had a gear box fail at 6000 feet which resulted in a " heavy landing " with no engine !!!with the helicopter ending up with no tail ,no rotors and on its side , but no one was injured .
at the debrief they were going through a list of things that affected the safety and the fact that everyone had helmet on came up .
the chief pilot said they were not at all convinced that helmets are benificial in a helicopter crash as most involve a rapid vertical deceleration and the mass of the helmets may cause more neck injuries .( they are very heavy )
i thought if was interesting that there are other groups than cyclists
who have do concerns and diffent opinions about helmets

dangerousjules · June 2007

if wearing a helmet makes you feel better then great, for me though i'm a bit more realistic. i remember reading a study of the safety aspect of wearing a helmet apparently you would only have real benfits if you hit the top of your head and travelling below 13mph, the most dangerous area of the head to be hit is the back just above your neck which gets no protection from a helmet.

could all be boll**ks though but i choose not to wear one because i feel i look like a tit with one on!

dangerous jules.
god bless those pagans!

gavintc · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andystear

now i heard an interesting thing about helmets last week .
my job sometimes involves helicopters and one of the local ones recently had a gear box fail at 6000 feet which resulted in a " heavy landing " with no engine !!!with the helicopter ending up with no tail ,no rotors and on its side , but no one was injured .
at the debrief they were going through a list of things that affected the safety and the fact that everyone had helmet on came up .
the chief pilot said they were not at all convinced that helmets are benificial in a helicopter crash as most involve a rapid vertical deceleration and the mass of the helmets may cause more neck injuries .( they are very heavy )
i thought if was interesting that there are other groups than cyclists
who have do concerns and diffent opinions about helmets

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

A helmet worn by a helicopter pilot is a damn site heavier than a cycle helmet. The deceleration forces are considerably larger as the velocity from a crashing helicopter exceed a cyclists. I do not think the comparisons are valid. Indeed, the only comparison is that wear something on their head called a helmet.

hevipedal · June 2007

see Chris Boardman's view http://www.procycling.com/latestissue.aspx

 Hevipedal 
Phrase of the week - I've got a bike. You can ride it if you like.
It's got a basket, a bell that rings and
Things to make it look good.
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.
 
51yrs old and Proud of it - Made it to 87kg 2 more to go for the target.
Pedal to Paris Sept 2007

graeme_s-2 · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dangerousjules

i choose not to wear one because i feel i look like a tit with one on!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Don't worry, I'm sure you look like a tit without one on too![:D]

Jacomus-rides-Gen · June 2007

Dangerous - My helmet does cover the bit you are talking about, where the spine meets the skull (that is the bit you mean isn't it?!)

In my eyes someone can wear a helmet or not, and I shan't pass judgement on them for it. Its my personal choice to wear what I do when I cycle, and it is other people personal choice too.

Cycling is all about freedom, how each individual choses to use that freedom is part of what makes cycling so good, and is why I take a pro-choice, anti-enforcement stance when it comes to "the helmet issue".

_________________________
Quote: "25mph is pretty fast when you aren't wearing a car..."

Sh4rkybloke · June 2007

Just out of interest...

Do any of you that DON'T wear helmets have children?

If so, do you insist that they wear a helmet?

Nothing in life is foolproof, fools are ingenious

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sh4rkybloke

Just out of interest...

Do any of you that DON'T wear helmets have children?

If so, do you insist that they wear a helmet?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I don't wear a helmet yet my kids (9 and 7) have them (wife and grand parents bought them) I give them the choice of whether they want to wear it or not.

My e bay bargain œ 31.05
http://tinyurl.com/366awv

Guy Young · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Sh4rkybloke:

Just out of interest...

Do any of you that DON'T wear helmets have children?

If so, do you insist that they wear a helmet? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes I do and no I don't. My 9 year old has started a Bikeability thing at his school and he has to wear one for that so I bought him one for that reason. My 6 year old daughter saw a pink one with daisies which she liked so I got it for her. Sometimes she wears it and sometimes she doesn't.

I used to be a dedicated helmet wearer until I did a quick trip without one and couldn't believe the difference. I think that stopping wearing a helmet has if anything improved the way I ride; it has certainly changed it. I find I am in less of a hurry; no more "head down, got to get where I am going" sort of thing. I take fewer risks and I feel I have become more observant and plan further ahead. Above all I am just enjoying my commute so much more. It's hard to describe, but I feel like I did when I was a kid; when I get on my bike now I have fun, it's not just about getting from A to B. I'm amazed at how different it feels, but it does.

As has been said on this forum many times though it's about personal choice and, having converted, I am not about to suggest that there is a right or wrong on this issue. People need to do what they are comfortable with.

Sh4rkybloke · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Guy Young

People need to do what they are comfortable with.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Agreed.

I wear one, and insist my 3 year old does too.

Each to their own I guess.

Nothing in life is foolproof, fools are ingenious

BentMikey · June 2007

I don't wear a helmet when cycling, and miniMikey doesn't either.

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

Spikey_David · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Guy Young
I used to be a dedicated helmet wearer until I did a quick trip without one and couldn't believe the difference. I think that stopping wearing a helmet has if anything improved the way I ride; it has certainly changed it. I find I am in less of a hurry; no more "head down, got to get where I am going" sort of thing. I take fewer risks and I feel I have become more observant and plan further ahead. Above all I am just enjoying my commute so much more. It's hard to describe, but I feel like I did when I was a kid; when I get on my bike now I have fun, it's not just about getting from A to B. I'm amazed at how different it feels, but it does.

As has been said on this forum many times though it's about personal choice and, having converted, I am not about to suggest that there is a right or wrong on this issue. People need to do what they are comfortable with.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I think that wearing a helmet improves the way I ride, in that it gives me more confidence to ride confidently, assertively, defensively and use better road positioning (away from the gutter).

Helmets should be a personal choice as are gloves, knee-pads, body armour or full motor-cycle leathers etc.

Unknown · June 2007

I wear one, but thats because I did this to my last one-
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 141&size=o

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 142&size=o

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 143&size=o

This was the result after the crash...
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 259&size=l
and this....
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 199&size=l

Lots of air and a heavy landing! Not to sure what my mental capabilities would of been like if I hadn't worn it....

My roadie

My pics

I wear a helmet

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