[brooksby]

The Cult of Bike Helmets
The history—and danger—of a modern safety obsession.

you don’t have to read it, y’know…

https://slate.com/technology/2023/01/bike-helmets-cyclist-deaths-do-you-need-to-wear.html

Topic

[HoarseMann]

Brauchsel wrote:

only very rarely step in dogshit or on broken glass in normal daylight conditions. I always wear shoes though. 

I always wear shoes when cycling, even though there’s less risk of stepping on glass or in poo.

But do you wear a helmet when walking? If not, then why not? People fall over and hit their heads when walking. Surely it’s no less onerous putting on a helmet for a walk to the shops, than it is for riding there on a bike?

[OnYerBike]

No-one is preaching “thou

No-one is preaching “thou shalt not wear a helmet”. If people are “preachy”, it’s about the discourse around bike helmets and public health. I.e. the discussion and societal norms around cyling helmets (even if not legally mandatated) put people off cycling and actively detract from interventions that make cycling safer and more enjoyable, and therefore cause significant harm on a large scale.

[hawkinspeter]

SimoninSpalding wrote:

Firstly do squirrels bleat?

Some do

[Brauchsel]

Jimmy Ray Will wrote:

However, the reason I generally don’t wear a helmet is down to my assessment of personal risk. Am I going to be doing anything that takes my risk of falling off higher than the base norm? If not, then the statistics strongly suggest that I’m not falling off, or if I do fall, it’ll be due to a freak occurence. Then, should I fall off in that freak occurence, how likely am I to actually hit my head? 

And that’s fine: it’s your head, and not my place to tell you what to do with it. 

My assessment is of risk vs cost of mitigation. It’s very unlikely that I will fall off and hit my head, true. But the consequences of my doing so could be very unpleasant. For me, sticking a helmet on to ameliorate those consequences is worthwhile: any expense or inconvenience is marginal. 

I only very rarely step in dogshit or on broken glass in normal daylight conditions. I always wear shoes though. 

[HoarseMann]

I’m surprised all those

I’m surprised all those police failed to stop an unlicensed driver riding what amounts to an illegal motorbike that is not taxed nor insured!

If they had managed to catch up with the miscreant, the vehicle should have been seized and crushed on the spot!

I’m sure they’ll have words with the DVLA, the fine will be in the post and the points will be waiting for him when he applies for a provisional licence:

[Jimmy Ray Will]

It’s simply a case of

It’s simply a case of perceived need. 

Yep, on balance, if I was going to bang my head falling off a bike, I’d rather be wearing a helmet, certainly if I was sliding my head along a road / edge of a pavement. 

However, the reason I generally don’t wear a helmet is down to my assessment of personal risk. Am I going to be doing anything that takes my risk of falling off higher than the base norm? If not, then the statistics strongly suggest that I’m not falling off, or if I do fall, it’ll be due to a freak occurence. Then, should I fall off in that freak occurence, how likely am I to actually hit my head? 

As an aside, the one thing I can do to significantly increase the chance of hitting my head when falling off, is to wear a helmet. 

In summary, for general tottering about, I see the need for helmet wearing is no more greater than that required to walk to the shops / drive…. so I don’t. 

[OnYerBike]

SimoninSpalding wrote:

Secondly the article made some quite staggering statements without any evidence cited to back them up. In particular, riders with helmets are likely to be more cautious, riders without helmets are more likely to be drunk?

The article didn’t say riders with helmets are more likely to be cautious; it said the studies “don’t account for the simple fact that helmet-wearers may be more generally cautious”. As you say, the opposite may be true – helmet wearers might take more risk. Either way, if helmet wearing and other aspects of rider behaviour have any kind of non-random relationship, it would affect the conclusion of any study.

The alcohol thing really should have provided a citation but google suggests it is true e.g. https://www.cyclehelmets.org/1262.html 

[Adam Sutton]

Same. Since starting cycling

Same. Since starting cycling again a few years ago I have had two accidents, both at low speed and not involving a car. One where a bee flew into my face and I fell off, the other on a greasy road where the bikd slipped out on a corner and I hit my head on a kerb. Both instances I was glad I was wearing a helmet.

It amuses me this eye rolling attitude “cult of bike helmets” jog on FFS. If you don’t want to wear a helmet fine, but Christ on a bike (with a helmet? who cares) people can be way more preachy about not wearing helmets.

[SimoninSpalding]

Firstly do squirrels bleat?

Firstly do squirrels bleat?

Secondly the article made some quite staggering statements without any evidence cited to back them up. In particular, riders with helmets are likely to be more cautious, riders without helmets are more likely to be drunk?

These seem ridiculously sweeping generalisations on a par with the most egregious assumptions/ assertions made by the compulsory helmet/ hi-vis/ registration advocates (oh Nige how we miss you).

I have also seen the argument that helmets don’t work because they give riders a false sense of security.

Personally I shall continue to wear a helmet, but I have no problem with others not doing so

[JustTryingToGetFromAtoB]

Brauchsel wrote:

Brauchsel wrote:

This was my main takeaway on an individual basis:

“Regardless, experts I spoke to were unanimous about what these flaws don’t mean: that helmets are useless. They all believe you should wear one.”

I know a helmet will do fuck-all if I’m run over by a bus. And I know it isn’t fair or right that motorists can kill or injure cyclists with impunity, and that infrastructure could and should be a lot better. But I’ve fallen and hit my head on and off bikes, with and without helmets, and the next time I fall off a bike at the sort of lowish speeds I generally do I want the helmet to crack and not my skull.
 

I don’t think it should be a legal requirement, but I’m baffled by the mindset of those who see it as an impediment. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden anywhere I couldn’t leave my helmet, and back when I had hair it didn’t get any messier than it would have been under a different hat or in the wind.

I wear a helmet probably about 75-80% of the time. The main reason when I don’t is because it’ll be a ball ache carrying it on a mixed journey. Am I convinced it’ll help me… I’m not. I’m sure there are some circumstances it will, I am sure there are more circumstances where it won’t. But the majority of the time I’ll wear one because it’s no big deal.

I do, however, bristle at the way non-helmet use has become a byword for fuck em’, they had it coming to them.

[Brauchsel]

This was my main takeaway on

This was my main takeaway on an individual basis:

“Regardless, experts I spoke to were unanimous about what these flaws don’t mean: that helmets are useless. They all believe you should wear one.”

I know a helmet will do fuck-all if I’m run over by a bus. And I know it isn’t fair or right that motorists can kill or injure cyclists with impunity, and that infrastructure could and should be a lot better. But I’ve fallen and hit my head on and off bikes, with and without helmets, and the next time I fall off a bike at the sort of lowish speeds I generally do I want the helmet to crack and not my skull.
 

I don’t think it should be a legal requirement, but I’m baffled by the mindset of those who see it as an impediment. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden anywhere I couldn’t leave my helmet, and back when I had hair it didn’t get any messier than it would have been under a different hat or in the wind.

[Hirsute]

Surprised this young lad was

Surprised this young lad was not made to wear a helmet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-64291484

[hawkinspeter]

That’s a good article –

That’s a good article – highlights what some of us have been bleating about for ages.

[Author]

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