Government policy - don't wear a helmet...

photojonny · June 2007

Maybe.

Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South & Finsbury, and Chair of the Parliamentary Cycling Group has written about 10 myths that prevent people commuting by bike:

http://environment.guardian.co.uk/trave ... 19,00.html

Number 2 is: 'Don't I need a lot of gear?', where she states:

'Helmets aren't compulsory and their benefit isn't proven outright. Indeed, recent evidence suggests that wearing a helmet may encourage drivers to overtake more closely - putting you at greater risk.'

I'm not starting that discussion again (I wear one). Interesting to see an MP say no to helmets though......

where there's two wheels, there's a way....

Jaded · June 2007

Not particularly Previous attempt(s?) to make helmets compulsory have failed - therefore amongst the interested MPs there must be more that are anti-compulsion than pro. (And by deduction, aware that helmets aren't the panacea for cycling safety).

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[Warning] This post may contain a baby elephant or traces of one

top_bhoy · June 2007

Huh...not another helmet thread[:0]. Compulsory helmet wear should just be introduced and people will just have to deal with it in the same way that they had to deal with compulsory seatbelts in cars and the banning of smoking in public places. Basically, get on with life and grow up, then these threads which go nowhere can cease!!![}:)]

This is my bike:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure001.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure002.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure003.jpg

Joe Sacco · June 2007

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

Huh...not another helmet thread[:0]. Compulsory helmet wear should just be introduced and people will just have to deal with it in the same way that they had to deal with compulsory seatbelts in cars and the banning of smoking in public places. Basically, get on with life and grow up, then these threads which go nowhere can cease!!![}:)]

This is my bike:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure001.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure002.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure003.jpg
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

With the obvious difference that seatbelts save lifes of course!

I don't really care either way, I don't see the police where I ride.

Jaded · June 2007

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

Huh...not another helmet thread[:0]. Compulsory helmet wear should just be introduced and people will just have to deal with it in the same way that they had to deal with compulsory seatbelts in cars and the banning of smoking in public places. Basically, get on with life and grow up, then these threads which go nowhere can cease!!![}:)]

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

And driving doesn't improve health.

Basically, get on with life and grow up, stop posting provocative incorrect nonense, then these threads which go nowhere can cease!!![}:)]

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[Warning] This post may contain a baby elephant or traces of one

photojonny · June 2007

Sorry guys. I wasn't (as I said) attempting to start another helmet debate, either about their effectiveness, or whether they should be compulsory.

I just wanted to point out that an MP, and one who chairs the Cycling Group, feels that helmets might be dangerous. I thought it was an interesting thing for an MP to say.

I've not read any of the helmet threads so don't know the for/against arguments, but I did always presume that the anti-helmet stance was a minority one, so was surprised that an MP espousing it.

In the same article she promotes the Bikability initiative, which states the following:

(Make sure) 'your child wears a helmet that fits properly - the Department for Transport strongly recommends wearing a helmet at all times'.

I thought this was the official line (despite the debate), so an MP with a cycling interest saying the opposite seemed slightly controversial.

where there's two wheels, there's a way....

Tourist Tony · June 2007

It shows an MP with a functioning bhrain.....

If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or censored

Jaded · June 2007

photojonny, the advice is clearer for children becasue they are more likely to fall off and they have weaker skulls.

There isn't really an anti-helmet stance, but there is a clear anti-compulsion stance.

A helmet will provide some protection in some crashes. Conversely it may make it more likely that a head impact takes place, and may increase the risk of a rotational brain injury. Making helmets compulsory would reduce the amount of cycling in the country, which would have negative imoact on the nation's health overall.

Pro compulsionists usually only look at the first sentence in that paragraph above. Which is unfortunate.

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[Warning] This post may contain a baby elephant or traces of one

photojonny · June 2007

Thanks Jaded. I can see a clear distinction between the 'value of helmets' argument, and the 'compulsory or not' argument, and clearly you can argue that helmets are valuable without going further to require them to be worn.

Of course the debate about their value will impact on the compulsion argument. If, as it seems, there is evidence showing helmets are effective in some accidents, but not in others, and that they can actually be aggravating factors if you fall in a particular way, then it seems sensible to allow people choice in whether they wear them or not.

It also seems sensible that an MP should mention this debate. She should perhaps have reiterated the advice for children, and someone may assume that her comments apply for them as well.

where there's two wheels, there's a way....

top_bhoy · June 2007

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

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

Huh...not another helmet thread[:0]. Compulsory helmet wear should just be introduced and people will just have to deal with it in the same way that they had to deal with compulsory seatbelts in cars and the banning of smoking in public places. Basically, get on with life and grow up, then these threads which go nowhere can cease!!![}:)]

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

And driving doesn't improve health.

Basically, get on with life and grow up, stop posting provocative incorrect nonense, then these threads which go nowhere can cease!!![}:)]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

This is Soapbox!! You've made a libellous allegation. Which part of my statement is incorrect??

This is my bike:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure001.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure002.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure003.jpg

Jaded · June 2007

It wasn't another helmet thread. [:D][:D]

(That's just to start with, if you can't see what else is wrong with your post, then there's no point in me explaining it.) [:)]

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[Warning] This post may contain a baby elephant or traces of one

top_bhoy · June 2007

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

It wasn't another helmet thread. [:D][:D]

(That's just to start with, if you can't see what else is wrong with your post, then there's no point in me explaining it.) [:)]

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[Warning] This post may contain a baby elephant or traces of one
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I just thought I'd jump ahead of the game - we all know where they all head too anyway[:D]

This is my bike:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure001.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure002.jpg
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/ ... ure003.jpg

Government policy - don't wear a helmet...

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