Anybody not wear a helmet? Discuss....

always_tyred

Argh, help, emergency, someone say something flippant before this thread explodes.

...... mmm...


.... I don't like helmets because the new carbon inserts increase the risk of being struck by lightening......

..... helmets are useless because all the holes in them let water out......

..... I'm forced to wear a helmet because it takes up too much space on my bars otherwise...

Now, in all seriousness, what d'yall think of people who jump red lights and ride on pavements?

Clever Pun

Always Tyred wrote:

Argh, help, emergency, someone say something flippant before this thread explodes.

...... mmm...


.... I don't like helmets because the new carbon inserts increase the risk of being struck by lightening......

..... helmets are useless because all the holes in them let water out......

..... I'm forced to wear a helmet because it takes up too much space on my bars otherwise...

Now, in all seriousness, what d'yall think of people who jump red lights and ride on pavements?

WOOOO CAMPAG

verloren

Clever Pun wrote:

I wear one now and again...

It doesn't hurt to wear one as impact damage would probably be less.. but it's my head I know the risks of either decision and it's mine to take

I'm about to pick on you a little, so I should say first that I think the following reasoning applies to countless other situations, and probably to 99% of the people reading this, including me. With that...

You're the rare individual who has fully provided for his own health insurance, disability insurance and unemployment insurance. I've no problem with anyone who does the same deciding to cycle without a helmet. If someone expects me to help pay for their health care, long term care, or sick leave, then that makes it in part my decision.

Irritating preachiness over

il_principe

verloren wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I wear one now and again...

It doesn't hurt to wear one as impact damage would probably be less.. but it's my head I know the risks of either decision and it's mine to take

I'm about to pick on you a little, so I should say first that I think the following reasoning applies to countless other situations, and probably to 99% of the people reading this, including me. With that...

You're the rare individual who has fully provided for his own health insurance, disability insurance and unemployment insurance. I've no problem with anyone who does the same deciding to cycle without a helmet. If someone expects me to help pay for their health care, long term care, or sick leave, then that makes it in part my decision.

Irritating preachiness over

Odd argument. I'd much rather pay (tax to NHS) for the treatment of a cyclist who didn't wear a helmet than pay for fat smokers who can't be arsed to exercise or stop eating crips all day, or give up chuffing on their disgusting fags.

Clever Pun

verloren wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I wear one now and again...

It doesn't hurt to wear one as impact damage would probably be less.. but it's my head I know the risks of either decision and it's mine to take

I'm about to pick on you a little, so I should say first that I think the following reasoning applies to countless other situations, and probably to 99% of the people reading this, including me. With that...

You're the rare individual who has fully provided for his own health insurance, disability insurance and unemployment insurance. I've no problem with anyone who does the same deciding to cycle without a helmet. If someone expects me to help pay for their health care, long term care, or sick leave, then that makes it in part my decision.

Irritating preachiness over

fair enough I see where you're going with this... so if wore a helmet and got my skull was still smashed you'd object to paying tax still? I'm pretty sure the only decision you have is to vote for someone else... is that right?

I've paid a lot of NI in my time, I've private health cover and I'm a member of the CTC does that cover it?

always_tyred

jashburnham wrote:

verloren wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I wear one now and again...

It doesn't hurt to wear one as impact damage would probably be less.. but it's my head I know the risks of either decision and it's mine to take

I'm about to pick on you a little, so I should say first that I think the following reasoning applies to countless other situations, and probably to 99% of the people reading this, including me. With that...

You're the rare individual who has fully provided for his own health insurance, disability insurance and unemployment insurance. I've no problem with anyone who does the same deciding to cycle without a helmet. If someone expects me to help pay for their health care, long term care, or sick leave, then that makes it in part my decision.

Irritating preachiness over

Odd argument. I'd much rather pay (tax to NHS) for the treatment of a cyclist who didn't wear a helmet than pay for fat smokers who can't be arsed to exercise or stop eating crips all day, or give up chuffing on their disgusting fags.

People who can't be arsed to exercise or stop eating crips all day would find it next to impossible to give up chuffing.

Think of the impact on global warming.

MrChuck

I do, and while I'm aware of the questions over their effectiveness in some situations I don't really see a good reason not to. They're pretty light, airy and comfy these days so it's not a huge imposition and I could care less what people think I look like.

That said, I wouldn't like to see it become mandatory and I'm not going to lecture anyone who decides not to.

verloren

jashburnham - I agree, that's why I made the point that it applies to almost everyone, and it certainly applies a lot more to most of those.

Clever Pun - Well I wouldn't protest, but my standard is that you did a reasonable thing (cycling) and took reasonable precautions (a helmet). Reasonable is a beautifully vague word, of course As to the insurance you have, it sounds like you've covered everything so long as you don't incur permanent brain injury. I hope that is never an issue.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

I'd much rather pay (tax to NHS) for the treatment of a cyclist who didn't wear a helmet than pay for fat smokers who can't be arsed to exercise or stop eating crips all day, or give up chuffing on their disgusting fags.

+1 mutter mutter fat people mutter mutter.

I pay an utterly ridiculous amount of tax, so figure I've paid several times over for the two ambulance rides I've taken before anyone else has had to chip in. I also have private health cover.

Littigator wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Littigator wrote:

The biggest change is that I now no longer care what anyone else does and it puzzles me as to why it should bother anyone. It's a free world after all

+1 to that!

I don't wear one, don't like them. Nothing you people or the courts say will change that.

However, I do wear one in Australia. It's the law out there, and a very sweaty, icky and uncomfortable law it is too. But I've been fined several times by the po-leece for not wearing one.

How does the song go...."FCUK the po-leeece"

Yeah! Screw you po-po! Anarchy! Vive la revolution!

The Aussie po-leeeeece are a bit scary.

woodgob

I cycle off-road a lot and wear a lid everytime I do this. Several nasty downhill wipeouts have taught me the value of protecting my head. As such I wear one when commuting too.....I'm very used to wearing a helmet and it actually feels very odd for me to be on a bike without one.....vulnerable I guess.

Christophe3967

I wouldn't dream of driving without a seat belt, but these have been shown to save lives. Research at Bath University showed that the same rider with a helmet was given half the space by passing traffic than when he was riding bare-headed. My own experience is similar but clearly impossible to quantify. There is also research which shows that cognitive responses become slower as the head heats up. Most helmets are not worn correctly, especially at this time of year, and are even less effective as a result. Wearing a helmet makes your head a bigger contact area in the event of a collision. I realise that the fact that I normally don't wear one and listen to an MP3 player would provide any driver hitting me with an opportunity to claim contributory negligence, but any decent solicitor should be able to refute this. I do undertsand that the majority view is in favour of helmets but hope that the lessons of Australia ( where cycling numbers have fallen but deaths have remained at the same level) mean that we will never be compelled to wear them here.

always_tyred

They will eventually become mandatory.

They will effectively become mandatory before this, due to legal/insurance issues. Have you checked your health insurance? (by "you" I mean anyone reliant on it for the purposes of the present argument) Are you sure that there aren't negligence get-out clauses there already? I know this is a pitfall of travel insurance; you can get winter sports cover providing you don't actually do anything outdoors that might cause injury, in which case it doesn't pay out. (and for christ's sake don't take that statement literally or I may become enlivened)

I suggest either emigrating or getting used to cycle helmets.

tiny_pens

I'm interested to see how many of the people who don't feel safe riding with a helmet wear one of the full face helmets. Given that they don't cost a lot more than a regular helmet (I have seen Halfords selling them for circa £30).

They potentially offer a significant increase in protection but I rarely see people wearing them.

Tiny

hondafanatic

Always Tyred wrote:

They will eventually become mandatory.

They will effectively become mandatory before this, due to legal/insurance issues. Have you checked your health insurance? (by "you" I mean anyone reliant on it for the purposes of the present argument) Are you sure that there aren't negligence get-out clauses there already? I know this is a pitfall of travel insurance; you can get winter sports cover providing you don't actually do anything outdoors that might cause injury, in which case it doesn't pay out. (and for christ's sake don't take that statement literally or I may become enlivened)

I suggest either emigrating or getting used to cycle helmets.

You sir, are a total letdown compared to you avatar...perhaps this would be more fitting?

Clever Pun

hondafanatic wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

They will eventually become mandatory.

They will effectively become mandatory before this, due to legal/insurance issues. Have you checked your health insurance? (by "you" I mean anyone reliant on it for the purposes of the present argument) Are you sure that there aren't negligence get-out clauses there already? I know this is a pitfall of travel insurance; you can get winter sports cover providing you don't actually do anything outdoors that might cause injury, in which case it doesn't pay out. (and for christ's sake don't take that statement literally or I may become enlivened)

I suggest either emigrating or getting used to cycle helmets.

You sir, are a total letdown compared to you avatar...perhaps this would be more fitting?

Nah, I guess he's one of the Anonymous outside of the 'church' of scientology

laughingboy

For Always Tyred:

Times journalist Robert Crampton gives us his twopenn'orth in an article called "Cyclists should wear an aqualung, right?"

ride_whenever

I wear a helmet when i think i'm going to fall off.

So mtbiking, when I'm trying to learn new skills, when I'm skidding in the snow.

For comutting and coaching it isn't worth the cold head.

roger_merriman

oddly or maybe not i don't think i've ever hit my head coming off a bike, arms shoulders etc, i guess i probably one day maybe as i do MTB and tend to go for the muddiest places i can find.

last crash was pedal strike after getting old red, though i was able to plan a exit with that while the bike ended up as a heap i sort of stepped off.

i don't wear helmets as i find them very hot, and the fact that they have a limited protection is not enought to make me change my mind.

always_tyred

laughingboy wrote:

For Always Tyred:

Times journalist Robert Crampton gives us his twopenn'orth in an article called "Cyclists should wear an aqualung, right?"

I didn't comment on the merits. I merely pointed out that one way or another you'll be left with little choice.

greg66_tri_v2.0

I wear one because I use my head to earn a living.

If I thought I could make a living eating through a tube, dribbling and staring blankly into the middle distance, I'd probably not bother.

PS: Litts - I love your textbook use of the quote fields. It's like having a live masterclass! :twisted:

always_tyred

hondafanatic wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

They will eventually become mandatory.

They will effectively become mandatory before this, due to legal/insurance issues. Have you checked your health insurance? (by "you" I mean anyone reliant on it for the purposes of the present argument) Are you sure that there aren't negligence get-out clauses there already? I know this is a pitfall of travel insurance; you can get winter sports cover providing you don't actually do anything outdoors that might cause injury, in which case it doesn't pay out. (and for christ's sake don't take that statement literally or I may become enlivened)

I suggest either emigrating or getting used to cycle helmets.

You sir, are a total letdown compared to you avatar...perhaps this would be more fitting?

Cycle with me for a while and then say that.

greg66_tri_v2.0

ride_whenever wrote:

I wear a helmet when i think i'm going to fall off.

How do you have the to rush home and get it though, before you actually do fall off?

coffeecup

so to summarise the points so far

- people who don't wear helmets and fall off should have to pay for a taxi to take them to a private hospital
- fatties and smokers are modern day lepers and should be transported beyond our seas
- helmets make your head hot in summer, but cold in winter (??)
- jashburnham and LiT travel so fast that they explode tendons before any potential impact with a piece of tarmac
- people wear them off road in case they land heavily on wet grass, but are happy to take their chances with a road
- the police are bad, and deserve to be fcuked :shock:

have I missed anything?

scores on the doors are 84%:15% (doesn't add up??!)

always_tyred

Greg66 wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

I wear a helmet when i think i'm going to fall off.

How do you have the to rush home and get it though, before you actually do fall off?

I wear my "invincibility shorts" when I cycle. No particular reason, I just find the invincibility chamois particularly comfortable.

scottgeniusltd2005

when i was a kid and skateboarding and bmxing was all we did, including ridiculous dangerous stupid 'i saw a pro on the telly do it' or 'i bet you can't do 180 over that tabletop land backwards into a roll then 180 forwards' stuff we were always falling of and quite badly sometimes and always under 12mph (don't think many bmx ers try to go over 12mph in reality) i only ever banged my head when i was attempting roll backs. BUT, i once did a contract in germany and it's law to wear one, so i bought one. always used it since, i've read a lot of statistics that say they don't do any good and to be honest i agree, but when i go out on my bike i always put it on because i'd only feel an idiot if i lost my income for not wearing something that weighs nothing and was hanging on my hook in the garage. last night i was glad i do. coming home i stopped paying attention to the road while looking for an annoying creaking noise on my bike, looked up saw i was near the curb, panicked slammed on, went over the bars very fast and clipped in, bashed my helmet on the curb. now i am sure they are useful and will not even contemplate going out without one. may have been ok without a helmet, but i may have been seriously hurt, i was only doing 9mph. i'm going to stop wearing spd's as well. if i didn't have spd's on i would just dabbed off the curb, i know it was my own fault and i know better but it was an instant reaction, but lets face it, we've all done it. how else do you source where an annoying noise is coming from? without looking down whilst riding.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Always Tyred wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

I wear a helmet when i think i'm going to fall off.

How do you have the to rush home and get it though, before you actually do fall off?

I wear my "invincibility shorts" when I cycle. No particular reason, I just find the invincibility chamois particularly comfortable.

Interesting.

What threats do you regard your knackers to be under, but for your invincibility shorts?

always_tyred

Greg66 wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

I wear a helmet when i think i'm going to fall off.

How do you have the to rush home and get it though, before you actually do fall off?

I wear my "invincibility shorts" when I cycle. No particular reason, I just find the invincibility chamois particularly comfortable.

Interesting.

What threats do you regard your knackers to be under, but for your invincibility shorts?

Your nuts are so numb you've forgotten the damage you are doing to them by cycling.

I tried wearing a helmet but it simply wasn't comfortable and I kept slipping off my saddle.

roger_merriman

coffeecup wrote:

- helmets make your head hot in summer, but cold in winter (??)

indeed they do, hot in summer as they they prevent heat from being lost as quickly as without, in the winter if one doesn't put a hat etc under they funnel the cold air past your head.

biondino

My logic is that if I feel safer wearing a helmet (and I do), then it'd be nonsensical to ever not wear a helmet. If I ever had an accident when not wearing one and cracked my skull, I'd feel a proper idiot. QED.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Factoid:

My sis-in-law used to work at the John Radcliffe in the brain injuries ward (that's an interesting factoid, isn't it. It's not *the* factoid though, so settle down and be patient).

Your brain has a structural integrity roughly similar to blancmange. I had always thought that it was more like that of, oh, Haagen Dazs, 5 minutes out of the freezer. But no, blancmange it is.

So a lot of their patients were suffering from what she referred to as shear injuries. Imagine a tray of blancmange that slips from your hand just above the table - you gets slices self forming and sliding away from each other.

Just something all y'all might want to bear in mind.


And now for the factoid. It's not brains = blancmange. That was a diversion (look into my eyes, not around the eyes). It's that the plural of "y'all" is "all y'all". I learnt that in a hottub once. Don't ask. :shock: