How to stir up a hornets nest

Stumps · 2012-05-28T18:32:51+01:00

Whilst at work on Friday a colleague on his bike was hit by a car. He basically got flung onto the bonnet and headbutted the car's windscreen and bodywork. His helmet split and he was thrown back into the road. Fortunately he only suffered minor cuts and bruises. Now for the hornet part - the consultant has said that after he had a ct scan and all the rest done that the helmet, in his opinion, stopped serious if not life threatening injuries. Remember this is a senior consultant in the trauma unit. This thread is NOT being posted for people to start arguing over helemts and their use but just for cyclists to sit and think about whether they put a helmet on or not when they next go cycling. I feel that without the helmet my friend and colleague might not be here today. Please think hard about your choice when you next go out cheers folks.

This topic has 28 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by cavasta.

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May 28, 2012 at 6:32 pm #15934

Stumps

Whilst at work on Friday a colleague on his bike was hit by a car.

He basically got flung onto the bonnet and headbutted the car’s windscreen and bodywork. His helmet split and he was thrown back into the road. Fortunately he only suffered minor cuts and bruises.

Now for the hornet part – the consultant has said that after he had a ct scan and all the rest done that the helmet, in his opinion, stopped serious if not life threatening injuries. Remember this is a senior consultant in the trauma unit.

This thread is NOT being posted for people to start arguing over helemts and their use but just for cyclists to sit and think about whether they put a helmet on or not when they next go cycling. I feel that without the helmet my friend and colleague might not be here today.

Please think hard about your choice when you next go out cheers folks.
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May 28, 2012 at 11:02 pm #682321
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Ush

While I’m glad your friend is
While I’m glad your friend is alright I don’t like your post because:

#1 If the helmet split then it wasn’t operating within the parameters for which it was designed. They’re supposed to crush, not split.

#2 Posting this and then saying “don’t argue about it” is disingenuous.

http://cyclehelmets.org/1081.html

May 28, 2012 at 11:01 pm #682319
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Tony Farrelly

following on from Jo then,
following on from Jo then, although we’re coming from different places it seems to me the bottom line is that we agree with Stumps – think about your choice and make the one that feels right for you, which might well as it is for Stumps be based on personal experience rather than stats.

May 28, 2012 at 10:35 pm #682317
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VecchioJo

i’ve crashed and been crashed
i’ve crashed and been crashed into many times and never once hit my head, smashed or even scuffed a helmet, if i’ve been wearing one at the time

just sayin, for anecdotal evidence balance

think hard about your choice

🙂

May 28, 2012 at 10:27 pm #682315
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Tony Farrelly

Glad your friend is okay too
Glad your friend is okay too stumps… I should have said that first

May 28, 2012 at 9:51 pm #682313
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Tony Farrelly

stumps wrote:As i said
stumps wrote:
As i said originally this was not meant to stimulate arguements between everyone, as we all having different views and rightly so.
:D

So why post it then? 😉

Used to wear a helmet, but after years of writing about them and the evidence, and researching how they are tested – I stopped. I now only wear one when my head is cold, I’m riding somewhere where I’m likely to fall of, or the rules of what I’m doing require me to wear one.

You can wheel out as many consultants as you like it won’t sway this sceptic – basically I think it’s up to everyone to make their own choice on this based on their riding style, and their perceived sense of risk/threat.

May 28, 2012 at 9:05 pm #682311
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russyparkin

i split a helmet into 2
i split a helmet into 2 pieces when i got hit by a van. i was riding perfectly safely and following the road rules. the driver who hit me wasnt. the point here is you can say ‘i ride safetly so i dont need a helmet’ the chances are you may well be but its not generally going to be you hitting yourself its the people on the road who seem to put the actual act of driving about 3rd way down the list of priorities.

i reckon i would be dead or at least twitching and shouting at cheese if i had not worn a helmet.

May 28, 2012 at 8:54 pm #682309
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giff77

Really glad that your
Really glad that your colleague did not suffer serious head trauma. And hoping that he makes a full recovery.

Whether we wear or don’t wear helmets will always need to be a personal decision. I still feel that more could be done by the government to make our roads safer my reigning in the motorists who show no regard for vunerable road users. The other day I lost count of the number of vehicles that passed me at excessive speed with inches to spare. On a couple of occassions I could feel myself being pulled into their slipstream. If I or they were to swerve that was it. In contrast, two emergency vehicles passed me by moving into the other lane and slowing down as they passed.

Maybe driving tuition should have the learner stand by a track and watch a vehicle drive into a Crash Test Dummy so they can witness that they will be in control of a possible letal weapon. Maybe also meet victims from collisions and hear how their lives have been affected.

May 28, 2012 at 8:53 pm #682307
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londonplayer

I don’t wear a helmet but do
I don’t wear a helmet but do think it’s a good idea to wear one. Maybe I should go and buy one tomorrow…..

Thanks for the post.

May 28, 2012 at 8:01 pm #682305
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Super Domestique

Personally I always wear a
Personally I always wear a helmet. Years ago, when there weren’t many about, I didn’t and was hit by a car. The Dr that put me back together said I was very, very fortunate not to be dead or paralysed. After that I have always worn a helmet.

May 28, 2012 at 7:53 pm #682303
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notfastenough

I don’t even think about it
I don’t even think about it any more. Going out without one would feel weird, like when you go out without the usual wallet/phone/keys. I wouldn’t be able to focus because I’d have a niggle in the back of my head about why I felt different; the equivalent of that little panic when you check your pockets.

When I was a kid my mates laughed at me because my parents wanted me to wear one, but these days no-one even notices.

May 28, 2012 at 7:39 pm #682301
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Gkam84

I’m on the fence and have
I’m on the fence and have been for many years about using my helmet, I tend to stay on the side of caution when on the road. If I though for one second that going without a helmet was safer then I’d not wear one, but I’ve yet to see anything that proves it either way in ALL circumstances.

When I’m going for a wee ride along the old railway line where there are no motorised vehicle’s allowed or have access to, I don’t wear a helmet.

Glad he’s alright and was wearing a helmet at the time.

May 28, 2012 at 7:08 pm #682299
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Stumps

As i said originally this was
As i said originally this was not meant to stimulate arguements between everyone, as we all having different views and rightly so.

The topic has been covered numerous times already and in all honesty if no one else responds i’m not bothered its just to highlight what happened, get people to think and hopefully sway a few doubters 😀

May 28, 2012 at 6:58 pm #682297
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Psycling

Can only agree. Having worked
Can only agree. Having worked in a regional trauma unit for six years I have seen the results of cyclists wearing and not wearing helmets. Safe to say that those wearing helmets always faired a lot better.
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