Cyclists' Safety in the light of Burry and other's recent deaths - Merged Thread.

[rudi-h]

jeez not again

 

a helmet is NOT the be-all and end-all of cycling safety. I do wear one, but not wearing one is not an instant death sentence.

 

i-pods, riding with limited skill, riding on high-traffic routes, riding outside your limits etc. are probably far more likely to get you killed than to ride without a helmet on a safe place at a safe speed well within your limits.

 

and yes, I do wear a helmet, but theres more to cycling safely than that!

[Lance Notstrong]

You’re making a good point but I think the title of your post is somewhat misplaced.

 

I can't remember when last I saw a cyclist out on a ride without a helmet.

 

Yes, I often see families in our estate for example, riding without helmets, but are those really the “cyclist” complaining and affected by discourteous motorists? I don’t know…

 

Even so, let’s say I go out riding my bike without a helmet and let’s say just for good measure I also remove the brakes on my bike to increase the danger. Does that give motorists a green light to skip red lights? Is it now okay for them to brush by and touch me with their side mirrors?

I think not… On the other hand If I bump into a tree, and I hurt my head, agreed, then I shouldn’t come crying, but that’s a different story

 

Cyclist, their habits and even their road manners are far from perfect, but it doesn’t mean we have to be perfect at all times before we can or should complain about our safety....

 

By the way, I am 200% “for” wearing helmets at all times but let me mention that I cycled seriously in the late 80's, at times averaging about 80km per day, and never did I (nor anyone else at the time) once wear a helmet in a training ride… If we were to be knocked over by a car, was there merit to complain? Off course there were…

 

IMHO your post is good but your title…

Edited January 8, 2013 by Lance Notstrong

[petatodd]

I have my own problems and worries to take care of let alone try and convince some doofus that they need to wear a helmet.

What? Like avoiding your hub stalker?

[Joe Low]

Round my way I see virtually no recreational cyclists without helmets. V occasionally I'll spin round the mostly-boomed-off-suburb on a Sunday pm without; but really I dont see its an issue in Jo'burg.

 

Maybe elsewhere its different.

[TNT1]

I'm actually quite sick of hubbers bellyaching about cyclists belly aching about their safety.

 

To be frank, I have quite the ache in my belly at the moment. But that could just be hunger. I'm making nachos.

[scotty]

Hmmm. A helmet is pretty much useless in most cases of cycling accidents that result in severe injury. It protects you in only a small minority of crash scenarios. It also suffers from the "airbag effect" in that someone wearing a helmet is likely to take bigger risks than someone who is not. Helmets also discourage newcomers to cycling as it makes the activity appear dangerous (more true for commuters than sport cyclists, though).

 

It's far better to be a skilled rider, be visible, be assertive (not aggressive) and generally be sensible than it is to wear a helmet. I have seen countless cyclists wearing fancy helmets who are doing none of the above - they are at a far greater risk.

Helmets saved me 3X, last being a hijacking when a large paving stone was thrown at my head, my helmet took most of the brunt.

[Delilah]

You’re making a good point but I think the title of your post is somewhat misplaced.

 

I can't remember when last I saw a cyclist out on a ride without a helmet.

 

Yes, I often see families in our estate for example, riding without helmets, but are those really the “cyclist” complaining and affected by discourteous motorists? I don’t know…

 

Even so, let’s say I go out riding my bike without a helmet and let’s say just for good measure I also remove the brakes on my bike to increase the danger. Does that give motorists a green light to skip red lights? Is it now okay for them to brush by and touch me with their side mirrors?

I think not… On the other hand If I bump into a tree, and I hurt my head, agreed, then I shouldn’t come crying, but that’s a different story

 

Cyclist, their habits and even their road manners are far from perfect, but it doesn’t mean we have to be perfect at all times before we can or should complain about our safety....

 

Motorists do not distinguish between recreational and serious cyclists. It is because they see (any) cyclists disobeying the rules (like not wearing helmets) that we get feedback from them that "cyclists are arrogant" etc. How can we expect them to obey the laws if we don't? In the end we have more to lose, so best keep our noses squeeky clean if we want any compliance from them.

 

Round my way I see virtually no recreational cyclists without helmets. V occasionally I'll spin round the mostly-boomed-off-suburb on a Sunday pm without; but really I dont see its an issue in Jo'burg.

 

Maybe elsewhere its different.

 

It might be a regional problem, but in Potch I see more cyclists without helmets than with. That includes recreational cyclists and those who are more serious.

[Wyatt Earp]

What? Like avoiding your hub stalker?

 

The bundle of joy

[Shebeen]

I am a 100% helmet disciple, BUT for some silly reason I won't wear one for round the block rides to the shop and back. i live by the beach and love the air blowing my hair back. In london i never wore one. I still need to talk myself into being more responisble on this!

 

I see a lot of commuter types round my village. Quite a lot don't use helmets, but a noticeable amount of the ones who do have the freebie ones given out by PPA. they're yellow. That should be further continued.

 

Helmets are not that expensive, probably R70 at hyperama. COMFORTABLE helmets are bloody expensive however.

 

These things should be subsidised,marketed, legislated whatever to make sure everyone has access to one and uses it.

[Agteros]

Hmmm. A helmet is pretty much useless in most cases of cycling accidents that result in severe injury. It protects you in only a small minority of crash scenarios. It also suffers from the "airbag effect" in that someone wearing a helmet is likely to take bigger risks than someone who is not. Helmets also discourage newcomers to cycling as it makes the activity appear dangerous (more true for commuters than sport cyclists, though).

 

It's far better to be a skilled rider, be visible, be assertive (not aggressive) and generally be sensible than it is to wear a helmet. I have seen countless cyclists wearing fancy helmets who are doing none of the above - they are at a far greater risk.

So the same counts for motorbikes surely. that explains why guys on 1500cc motorbikes only wear flip flops and shorts, as it makes them ride safer! It also explains why wearing a seat belt in a car is actually stupid, because it just makes you feel too "untouchable". I will deactivate my airbag in my car tonight, because who are these engineers kidding here?

You have got to be kidding me? So by your logic cars should again be manufactured with no airbags?

 

Just about every cyclist I know, myself included, have had at least one fall or accident where a helmet saved them from serious injury or death. So how you came up with helmets only helping in "a small minority of crash scenarios" I don't know.

 

Why would anyone take more risks wearing a helmet when your whole body is still exposed to injury? Injuries hurt, you know.

You guys are adding a few selective NOTs to his statement. Does not falsify, nor oppose what he said.

 

Being aware, and removing your yourself from a possible injurious incident without a helmet is still better than rolling into it WITH a helmet.

 

He never said do NOT wear a helmet, he said that people think they are protected from all (major?) harm when they wear a helmet and hence take risks they would not take if they did not wear it. Much like a rock climber with a safety rope... Will you take bigger risks with or without a safety rope/harness?

 

In anycase, wear your helmet AND be vigilant. Remember YOU are the only thinking person on the road! And possible, the only one out there that cares about your safety!

[Delilah]

I am a 100% helmet disciple, BUT for some silly reason I won't wear one for round the block rides to the shop and back. i live by the beach and love the air blowing my hair back. In london i never wore one. I still need to talk myself into being more responisble on this!

When I was 14 years old, a friend went to the corner shop for chips. On his way home, he was involved in an accident with a car. The impact was very light. He came off his bike, but suffered no cuts, no bruises and no broken bones.

 

What killed him was that he was not wearing a helmet and his head hit the curb.

[Agteros]

Helmets saved me 3X, last being a hijacking when a large paving stone was thrown at my head, my helmet took most of the brunt.

And once in a car accident, 20 years ago, I did NOT wear a safety belt.

Not wearing it saved my life! Roof got torn off, I was flung out of the car, car landed upside down on windowsills with top of door frames bent in... There is a story out there to proof or disproof whatever we want!

[Swim.Bike.Run]

Exactly. Seems the law only applies to the middleclass.

This seems to be the case, yes.

[Joe Low]

It might be a regional problem, but in Potch I see more cyclists without helmets than with. That includes recreational cyclists and those who are more serious.

I was dividing between people riding for leisure/sport vs bikes as a means of transport.

 

Anyhow - helmets not a problem round our way, but i-pods very much are, as are power-walkers (spits on ground).

 

As far as the law goes, there is no will to enforce the law, best seen by the fact that no penalty has been set for not wearing a helmet. ie its a dead duck, mostly because govt sees the population wont wear it(figuratively and literally).

[dirtrider]

I agree with some views here , a helmet is not the ultimate safety device . You are . But anyway we have agreed that if the bike park , race organizer or mother-in-law say "no helmet no ride " then you must obey by that rule . I think that if you wanna go and ride without your helmet on your Granpa's farm then go for it . Well I do it a lot and its awesome ! On a public road the law states that we must wear a helmet so if you wanna be one of the minory in this country that obeys the laws you better wear ur helmet .

[Wyatt Earp]

I was dividing between people riding for leisure/sport vs bikes as a means of transport.

 

Anyhow - helmets not a problem round our way, but i-pods very much are, as are power-walkers (spits on ground).

 

As far as the law goes, there is no will to enforce the law, best seen by the fact that no penalty has been set for not wearing a helmet. ie its a dead duck, mostly because govt sees the population wont wear it(figuratively and literally).

 

Now that gets my lilly white backside all fired up, not just do they go deaf, they sommer get so lost in the music that they go deaf and dumb.