Helmets vs Bees

al_kidder
al_kidder Posts: 73
edited October 2013 in Road general
Got stung on the head yesterday when a bee landed inside the helmet. Ouch then and itch now. At least I came off better than the bee, which I believe stings once and dies.
This is the second time I have been stung due to wearing a helmet. The first time was on my cheek, when the bee got caught by the strap.
Just another reason not to wear a helmet
«13

Comments

  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    Wear a hat underneath it. Plus a stupid last comment.
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    No, it's just a good reason to wear a good helmet. One with a net to stop bugs from flying in.

    Good luck with riding helmet free - let us know how it goes when you come off the bike.
  • Ride hard
    Ride hard Posts: 389
    DavidJB wrote:
    Wear a hat underneath it. Plus a stupid last comment.

    This ^
    Reporter: "What's your prediction for the fight?"
    Clubber Lang: "Prediction?"
    Reporter: "Yes. Prediction"
    Clubber Lang: "....Pain!!!"
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    I assume the op was not making a serious anti helmet statement ...
  • captain_tiara
    captain_tiara Posts: 106
    Presumption is the mother of all f***ups........
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    That's a good one for a fridge magnet!
  • Colinthecop
    Colinthecop Posts: 996
    Couple of weeks back I had the worlds biggest bee fly inside my jersey as my (half) zip was fully down.

    Another reason to cycle topless.
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    Colinthecop wrote:
    Couple of weeks back I had the worlds biggest bee fly inside my jersey as my (half) zip was fully down.

    Another reason to cycle topless.

    Keep those bad boys covered up in Scotland otherwise you'll have someone's eye out when the cold affects them :wink:
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    I ran a bee over once when it landed right in front of my wheel. They don't half go with a crunch.

    Neither of us were wearing helmets at the time IIRC, but it was 1978.
  • gozzy
    gozzy Posts: 640
    Some of the bees round here have started wearing "sting helmets" to stop their stings going off in cyclists heads, but some of the others say they shouldn't and they're just being soft. Doesn't half cause some argubuzzes.
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    patrickf wrote:
    No, it's just a good reason to wear a good helmet. One with a net to stop bugs from flying in.

    Good luck with riding helmet free - let us know how it goes when you come off the bike.

    Your comment is more ridiculous than the OPs. I've been down the road enough times without wearing a helmet and I'm still here, think of the thousands/ millions of miles covered by pros before helmets were made compulsory and billions of miles covered by cyclists of all standards all without incident.
    Sometimes I wear one and sometimes I don't and long may that freedom of choice continue.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Bozman wrote:
    think of the thousands/ millions of miles covered by pros before helmets were made compulsory and billions of miles covered by cyclists of all standards all without incident.
    I must admit that I had never realised that no-one ever got hurt until helmets came along.
  • Ride hard
    Ride hard Posts: 389
    @Al kidder - I hope you're happy with yourself. Now look what you have gone and done.

    I'm off to get some popcorn. This is going to be good.
    Reporter: "What's your prediction for the fight?"
    Clubber Lang: "Prediction?"
    Reporter: "Yes. Prediction"
    Clubber Lang: "....Pain!!!"
  • Calpol
    Calpol Posts: 1,039
    Got stung last week. Wasp mustve flew into the helmet. I felt it a bit itchy about 10 miles from home but soon forgot about it then when I got home, removed the lid and ran fingers through my hair the bastard thing stung me on the finger. It had obviously been nesting in there! finger swelled up pretty bad for a day or two. It was too hot to wear a cap underneath so I guess we just have to MTFU.
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    Just get yourself one of these and confuse the little buggers into thinking that you're one of them :wink:

    umy9.jpg
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    bompington wrote:
    Bozman wrote:
    think of the thousands/ millions of miles covered by pros before helmets were made compulsory and billions of miles covered by cyclists of all standards all without incident.
    I must admit that I had never realised that no-one ever got hurt until helmets came along.

    I can't believe that there are so many middle aged cyclists on the road, cycling for years and years without wearing a helmet, God only knows how they survived.
  • gozzy
    gozzy Posts: 640
    Probably by starting to cycle when there was a significantly lower volume of traffic on the roads. And less "angry men in a hurry to do business" in fast cars, which are also larger than older cars.
  • al_kidder
    al_kidder Posts: 73
    patrickf wrote:
    No, it's just a good reason to wear a good helmet. One with a net to stop bugs from flying in.

    Good luck with riding helmet free - let us know how it goes when you come off the bike.

    I have come off the bike plenty of times at speeds up to 45 kmh. I've twice had drivers turn across my path where I hit their passenger side hard enough to leave a good dent. I've hit debris at speed which caused me to do a somersault and land on my back and side still in my toeclips.
    I've lost plenty of skin, but NEVER has my head hit the road.

    While smoking, being fat, and getting pregnant after the age of 35 remain legal (quite a high risk of producing a defective baby), all of which produce public health costs vastly greater than the rare instance of cycling head injuries, I resent being ordered to wear one.

    You are welcome to put one on, but remember that they are designed for low energy collisions. Land hard on your head and you'll break your neck. Statistics show that bike helmets have a small effect in injury prevention. Like filtered cigarettes, you're being sold an illusion of safety.
  • ToeKnee
    ToeKnee Posts: 376
    Taking part in a Birmingham CC race, a number years back and in sunshine, someone unzipped their cycling top for more venilation. He was later forced to stop after a wasp flew in and stung him repeatedly. :shock: I don't think he cycled naked from that point on. :P

    Anyway, back to the weekly helmet debate: While insurers are allowed to reduce payout to cyclists not wearing helmets I will continue to wear one. I do not expect it to make me safe, just less vulnerable, and without it where do I mount my camera and lights?
    Seneca wrote:
    It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
    Specialized TriCross Sport+Ultegra+Rack&Bag+Guards+Exposure Lights - FCN 7
    Track:Condor 653, MTB:GT Zaskar, Road & TT:Condors.
  • sancho_uk
    sancho_uk Posts: 141
    I got stung on the helmet once..

    A non cycling related incident but just thought i would throw it out there ;)
    Focus Cayo 2.0 Ultegra 2012
  • hatch87
    hatch87 Posts: 352
    sancho_uk wrote:
    I got stung on the helmet once..

    A non cycling related incident but just thought i would throw it out there ;)

    Thats what happens when you shag a jelly fish. I know they look all pink and soft, but they just don't like it.
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/686217
    Come on! You call this a storm? Blow, you son of a bitch! Blow! It's time for a showdown! You and me! I'm right here! Come and get me!
  • gozzy
    gozzy Posts: 640
    I got stung buying a helmet once, £50 quid and it broke the first time I fell off.
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    Al Kidder wrote:
    While smoking, being fat, and getting pregnant after the age of 35 remain legal (quite a high risk of producing a defective baby), all of which produce public health costs vastly greater than the rare instance of cycling head injuries, I resent being ordered to wear one.
    Who has ordered you to wear one? I think you may have misunderstood the law or have a persecution complex. You are free to cycle without a helmet if you wish.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Bozman wrote:
    bompington wrote:
    Bozman wrote:
    think of the thousands/ millions of miles covered by pros before helmets were made compulsory and billions of miles covered by cyclists of all standards all without incident.
    I must admit that I had never realised that no-one ever got hurt until helmets came along.

    I can't believe that there are so many middle aged cyclists on the road, cycling for years and years without wearing a helmet, God only knows how they survived.
    Not only that, but I personally have met loads of people who survived World War II uninjured, never mind alive. In fact, come to think of it, I haven't met a single person who died as a result of being in World War II. Wars are clearly far less dangerous than they are cracked up to be.

    :roll:

    For goodness' sake,
    1. Please don't start another helmet debate thread
    2. If you really can't help it, then at least make a logical and relevant argument.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    bompington wrote:
    For goodness' sake,
    1. Please don't start another helmet debate thread
    2. If you really can't help it, then at least make a logical and relevant argument.
    Ah - got it.
    Gozzy wrote:
    Probably by starting to cycle when there was a significantly lower volume of traffic on the roads. And less "angry men in a hurry to do business" in fast cars, which are also larger than older cars.
    Errrm - let's see. Got it...

    So I grew up riding mainly in an urban environment going to school in town and doing a paper round at about the time traffic was building nicely to the evening peak. Fast forward - lordy me 35 years, blimey - and for most of my adult life I've ridden in a predominantly rural environment with few cars or kerbs to worry about (nor curbs for that matter, nobody stops us doing things out here :wink: ) so therefore my exposure to danger is mathematically less now than it was when I was 14 or 15. So that's that argument done & dusted with. Do I win £6.53, that being a £5 but with a bit of inflation thrown in? I do hope so.

    :wink: << for those who still take this sort of thing too seriously and call non-helmeteers rude names, like someone did the other night on here. Here yer go - it was this bloke.
    Navrig wrote:
    Anyone who rides without a helmet is nuts, IMHO of course. Clearly it is dangerous not to wear one.
    I'd hate to ride with anyone who actually thinks it really is dangerous.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    CiB wrote:
    :wink: << for those who still take this sort of thing too seriously and call non-helmeteers rude names, like someone did the other night on here. Here yer go - it was this bloke.
    Navrig wrote:
    Anyone who rides without a helmet is nuts, IMHO of course. Clearly it is dangerous not to wear one.
    I'd hate to ride with anyone who actually thinks it really is dangerous.

    Quite simply - it is NOT dangerous to ride without a helmet - it's just a bit more risky if you CRASH whilst not wearing one ... duh!
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    CiB wrote:
    :wink: << for those who still take this sort of thing too seriously...
    Oh no. Shouting going on in thread. Mods??? Nurse???
    Slowbike wrote:
    Quite simply - it is NOT dangerous to ride without a helmet - it's just a bit more risky if you CRASH whilst not wearing one ... duh!
    See you've got that ar$e about face. You should have written that it's risky to ride without a helmet but not dangerous in itself, as I've proven by managing to get through 43 years without brain head or ear damage, and dangerous if you crash. The risk is the potential for coming a cropper (low), the danger is the result of the risk (also low if you ask me).
    At some point does doing the same sort of activity start to become dangerous? Is it after 1 month, 10 years, 43 years? I'd have thought that if an activity is considered to be dangerous yet someone carries on doing it year after year for a few decades and nothing happens, it probably isn't that dangerous. If the activity changes from say dashing to work across country on open roads, to racing, bunch sprints, TT's, riding in busy urban environments etc the miscreant may well change behaviour to suit. Who knows? Best to call it as dangerous from the outset just to be safe eh?

    I'd leave it, but I can't.. It's like a moth to a light, this ridiculous argument that cycling is so dangerous only a madman would do it without PPE.

    :)
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I would argue - but I think we're arguing the same point ... ;)
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    bompington wrote:
    Not only that, but I personally have met loads of people who survived World War II uninjured, never mind alive. In fact, come to think of it, I haven't met a single person who died as a result of being in World War II. Wars are clearly far less dangerous than they are cracked up to be.
    Massive whole in logic alert. Clue - there is a suggestion that some people may have died in WWII. Figures vary, but suggestions are that a few million did. I don't see a correlation with cycling deaths, but that may be because the point of war is to kill people, the point of cycling isn't. In some ways we could argue that both activities largely and successfully achieve their aim. Well done all.


    Slowbike - you're probably right. I'm on your side anyway as you ride a bike. So do I. :)
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    CiB wrote:
    I'd leave it, but I can't.. It's like a moth to a light, this ridiculous argument that cycling is so dangerous only a madman would do it without PPE.

    Philosophy, Politics and Economics?

Categories