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Oh dear, where to start... * You brought the Netherlands into it * I merely corrected you erroneous assertion * I didn't say that the Netherlands were to be aspired to * The chart that you proved is road fatalities in general, per million population, not per billon miles travelled. * The article that you linked to clearly highlights the fact that the lower drop in casualty rates for cyclists Vs those for drivers is mostly down to the drive for in-car safety and the attendant nonchalance shown by the occupants of vehicles towards the outside world (pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles and roadside objects) You are, as ever, desperately clutching at out of context straws.

Are bike light buttons in short supply? Must we be restricted to just one which requires the skills of a morse code operator to be able to switch between steady and flashing; high, medium and low? Whilst many technological gadgets have evolved to become so intuative they no longer require a manual, the bloody bike light comes with a cartoon comic of disembodied hands describing a rhythm only available to the practiced percussionist.

I almost never fail to wear a helmet when cycling, and I've been wearing them since I saw the first Americans over here wearing the early Bell helmets. I recall being jeered at for wearing one on the Maryhill Road in Glasgow in 1976, and the Bell Biker helmet shown here: ttps://helmets.org/bicycle-helmet-history/ is still hanging on a hook at home. My only objection to the anti-helmet propaganda involves the notion that wearing a helmet makes the wearer more likely to suffer a collision and consequent head injury. I resort to common sense to dispute this. A helmet is a good place to put a headcam, and a waterproof helmet cover, and doesn't cause me any discomfort.

Video of crash mentioned above: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NfCdbwPdK9M

I do try not to enter into discussion with you on this Bert, because I know you will never change your stance one iota, but I've crashed a motorcycle at around 35 mph and hit my head on the kerb hard enough to compress discs in my spine and tear neck ligaments but above the neck I came away with nothing worse than a mild concussion. If you're going to tell me that I could've done the same thing without a helmet on and walked away with the same injuries I'm going to have to say that's nonsense. Anyone who's ever watched MotoGP will have seen riders coming off at high speed and smashing their heads and getting up to walk away. Just as an example, check out this crash from Marquez this season: up in the air at high speed, down straight on his head, got up and walked away. Screenshot below, I'll post a link to the video as a reply so I don't get stuck in link quarantine. Again, it's clearly nonsense to say the helmet hasn't worked when someone's walked away from coming down headfirst on the tarmac from a height at high speed.

@belugabob I'm afraid you're ignorant of the true data, buying into the misconception that the Netherlands should be emulated. In fact the Netherlands and the EU (per usual) is falling behind in terms of cycling safety. Please see https://etsc.eu/europes-cyclists-left-behind-as-safety-gap-widens-new-etsc-report-finds/ And attached demonstrates the mismatch between your preconceived opinion and hard cold facts

To understand any active travel scheme, you only really need to ask one question: “How does this impact on free/cheap parking?” In this case, it explains the majority of the ‘controversy’ It is not long since someone sat on a bench in RVP was hit by a driver and hospitalised. But do let’s worry about those “speeding cyclists”. https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/teenager-hit-car-sat-bench-11070561.amp

@kingleo I've still got a label from a helmet, and it says something like 'this helmet may not protect you in all foreseeable accidents' which just gives them an out when someone claims that it didn't work. Not sure the professionals should wear motorcycle helmets, as they are heavy, very well insulated and only work up to about 16mph: not sure you'd win too many TdF's at that speed, and anyway, your brain would fry.

@EM69 To be clear, my comment relates specifically to the new Sirius that came out a few months ago. As far as I can tell, the new Strada retains H/M/L steady levels in program 1.

@mitsky If I were a police officer involved in implementing the scheme I think I would find it very hard to hear the details given by those self-important/rich/arrogant (in the City these terms may be synonymous) enough to accept the fine, meaning they had to be repeated multiple times. I might also experience frequent pencil lead breakage and a difficulty in finding the right form to fill in, perhaps also frequently breaking off to use my radio ("Excuse me sir, it's an important message from my superintendent. What's that sir? Soya latte, a pain chocolat and a blueberry muffin, right you are sir"), so that by the time the paperwork was completed and they had been sent on their way with a fine those who chose to stop and watch the video had already departed.