Would you wear a helmet if.......

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Comments

  • hambones
    hambones Posts: 407
    Commiserations to all those unable to stay on two wheels however we can take some degree of comfort, judging by the posts in this thread, that very few people come off as a result of traffic! :D
    Still breathing.....
  • Roger Davies
    Roger Davies Posts: 305
    Clever Pun wrote:
    on the road wrote:
    Once I fell over on the bike, I wasn't wearing a helmet, but because my head was lighter from not wearing a helmet it was easy for me to keep my head from hitting the ground, it's just instinct.

    I suppose if you've always worn a helmet and you go out without a helmet and then crash, because you're so use to wearing a helmet when you crash without one you automatically let your head hit the ground because you've not learned how to keep your head from hitting the ground.

    I don't think wieght has anything to do with it unless your helmet is metal?

    I've decided not to wear one in the summer, but in the winter I wear one as it's got colours on that can help people see me.

    As said I've never had any issues falling off and hitting my head even with a helmet.

    I answer to the threads question... no I probably woudn't

    I agree Clever. Every time I've fallen off, which certainly is not a rare event, I've landed on my left elbow. I now have a frozen left shoulder, a bony lump on my elbow and in the past have broken ribs all as a result. Elbow pads in my humble opinion are a far better investment.

    Cheers
    RD
    ********************
    Old bikes are better
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    richardast wrote:
    He may not wear a helmet , but I notice that his tweed jacket does have leather patches on the elbows.

    I am gonna start wearing a leather jacket with tweed patches on the elbows :wink:
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • Cunobelin
    Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
    Buy a recumbent trike - then you can't fall off!
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • sloxam
    sloxam Posts: 861
    absolutely, couple of weeks ago went out and came down twice on icy stuff before i got to the main roads. hit my head on the tarmac both times.
    i hate hills (cos i'm fat)

    www.justgiving.com/steven-loxam/
  • Philip Davis
    Philip Davis Posts: 965
    I think those who are dubious about Ian Walkers work should look very closely at it - the rather light hearted media attention it gained seems to have encouraged people to see it as a bit of a rogue result. It is actually consistent with general studies into risk behaviour. Also, his study was actually quite subtle - what he concluded was not simply that drivers were closer to riders with helmets, but that the actual overtaking manoever was more dangerous. The difference was statistically significant - the only reasonable conclusion from this study is that the risks of being in an accident in traffic when you are wearing a helmet are likely to be significantly higher.


    The one exception I found a few years ago was when i commuted on my white mountain bike while wearing a luminous jacket and my white helmet. I realised instantly that drivers, especially taxis, were giving me much more room. It wasn't until someone approached me asking for directions when stopped at some lights that I realised this was because they thought I was a policeman!
    I hate to advocate drugs, violence or insanity to anyone, but they\'ve always worked for me.\' Hunter S. Thompson
  • scherrit
    scherrit Posts: 360
    Time do another production run of the "Metropolitan Polite" lumo jackets??? Anyone here remember who organised them??
    S.
    If you're as fat as me, all bikes are bendy.
  • sloboy
    sloboy Posts: 1,139
    Think I'd probably continue to wear, because in the absence of cars I suspect the risk of me crashing unassisted would increase.

    Presently, I descend pretty carefully on many of my routes because the roads are narrow, the hedges high and the next corner probably conceals a Toyota Landcruiser or similar.

    Released from that concen, I'm sure I would transform into Paolo Salvodelli overnight.
  • thomasmc
    thomasmc Posts: 814
    Since I started racing I wear one! Its as much out of habit now whenever I go on the bike, like putting on gloves, etc.
  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    cee wrote:
    richardast wrote:
    He may not wear a helmet , but I notice that his tweed jacket does have leather patches on the elbows.

    I am gonna start wearing a leather jacket with tweed patches on the elbows :wink:
    You are Homer Simpson AICMFP...
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    sloboy wrote:
    Presently, I descend pretty carefully on many of my routes because the roads are narrow, the hedges high and the next corner probably conceals a Toyota Landcruiser or similar.

    Agree - Walker's study was on drivers passing you in traffic.
    I can't see what effect that you 're wearing or not wearing a helmet would have on the sort of pillocks who nearly hit you head on, on these country lanes, because the way they drive can only be because they either assume the road is empty or don't care because they're in a tank.
  • Roger Davies
    Roger Davies Posts: 305
    Cunobelin wrote:
    Buy a recumbent trike - then you can't fall off!

    True but there is the fear of being run over!
    ********************
    Old bikes are better
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    Philip Davis wrote:
    I think those who are dubious about Ian Walkers work should look very closely at it - the rather light hearted media attention it gained seems to have encouraged people to see it as a bit of a rogue result. It is actually consistent with general studies into risk behaviour. Also, his study was actually quite subtle - what he concluded was not simply that drivers were closer to riders with helmets, but that the actual overtaking manoever was more dangerous. The difference was statistically significant - the only reasonable conclusion from this study is that the risks of being in an accident in traffic when you are wearing a helmet are likely to be significantly higher.


    The one exception I found a few years ago was when i commuted on my white mountain bike while wearing a luminous jacket and my white helmet. I realised instantly that drivers, especially taxis, were giving me much more room. It wasn't until someone approached me asking for directions when stopped at some lights that I realised this was because they thought I was a policeman!

    Personally I thin his report is boxxocks :)
    Are you trying to say that these drivers actually know they are going 3.75" closer to cyclists with helmets? You mean they can actually judge it?
    Did the test use the same drivers passing the same cyclist with and without helmet on the same strecth of road?

    Yesterday I had 2 drivers pass me in a short distance on clear and open road.
    I was wearing a helmet.
    One passed within about 18" of me and one gave me at least 5! and even had his indicator indicating passing, wow.
    So does that mean that 50% of riders pass me correctly? and 50% are very dangerous?
    Do you really believe the other rider would have give me more room had I now had the helmet on? No I don't think so, he was just a bad driver and i would be amazed if he even noticed I had a helmet on.

    Last year I was hit from behind by a range rover on a beautiful sunny day on a wide road.
    he claimed he never saw me let alone noticed my helmet, what category does he fall in?

    Anyway as othjers suggested I wear helmet just incase I fall off or hit something or something happens out of my control, not just for cars.
    http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/oldwelshman/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5Bfqj5fxY
  • pdstsp
    pdstsp Posts: 1,264
    Old Welshman - just tried your test re hiiting ones head on the kerb with and then without a helmet. Its a brilliant test. What was the question again?
  • tate743
    tate743 Posts: 189
    To be honest if there were no cars on the roads ide say my concentration would drop off one hell off a lot. Those bigs shiny lumps of metal sure keep you on youre toes. As to the helmet wearing thing, so far the one time i hit my head was on dirt jumps. I think the broken ribs from landing on my shoulder overode the pain of hitting my head :oops: . But still on road i dont, off road it gives me the confidece to push it that bit more, dont know why but it does
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    pdstsp wrote:
    Old Welshman - just tried your test re hiiting ones head on the kerb with and then without a helmet. Its a brilliant test. What was the question again?
    And you found your way home? :D
    http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/oldwelshman/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5Bfqj5fxY
  • Cunobelin
    Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
    oldwelshman wrote:
    pdstsp wrote:
    Old Welshman - just tried your test re hiiting ones head on the kerb with and then without a helmet. Its a brilliant test. What was the question again?
    And you found your way home? :D

    So we again have test designed and appropriate to pedestrians, proving that in an average fall a pedestrian's hed would be protected - now try it at a greater height and 20 mph to duplicate cycling conditions........
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • Cunobelin
    Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
    Roger Davies wrote:
    Cunobelin wrote:
    Buy a recumbent trike - then you can't fall off!

    True but there is the fear of being run over!

    In which case a helmet wouldn't help!
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • Cunobelin
    Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
    jpembroke wrote:
    How about if you wore a really huge helmet, say 4.4ft wide?

    I remember a Guardian journalist saying her best protection on a bike was to wear a pair of fishnets. Drivers gave her a very wide berth and probably drove in to one another instead.

    Not sure they'd suit me though.

    MAking assupersonal assumptions I know, but...................

    I would certainly give a wide berth to a large hairy bloke wearing Fishnets, a very wide berth indeed!
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • jpembroke
    jpembroke Posts: 2,569
    You're up then. I hope you're wearing your helmet. Remember, most accidents happen in the home.

    :wink::wink::wink:
    I'm only concerned with looking concerned
  • jpembroke
    jpembroke Posts: 2,569
    Oh, and I'm 5'9 and weigh 9 st 10. Not particularly large but am quite hairy. No, I wouldn't look good in fishnets.
    I'm only concerned with looking concerned
  • Cunobelin
    Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
    Not today - on the Trike
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)

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