openmind Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 I partly wear a helmet to stop noobs bugging me for not wearing one. Sure, it may save me in exceptional circumstances, but I'd much rather rely on my experience, skill, preparedness and common sense to keep me safe while riding than a bit of foam on my head. Helmets get far more cred than they deserve because of the simple fact that it's the only visible evidence of a cyclist doing something about their safety. It seems that we've evolved to the absurd place where, no matter what happened, if a cyclist is hurt in an "accident" it's their fault if they weren't wearing a helmet. It's so much easier for a driver to shout "f'ing cyclist being reckless - look, no helmet" than to accept any responsibility themselves for that cyclist's safety by slowing down or allowing more passing room. So don't judge someone for not riding with a helmet. It's a personal choice and no more dangerous than walking without a helmet or driving without a helmet. A hemet is no more useful than keeping left, tying your shoelaces, looking twice before you turn, wearing visible clothing/lights etc etc. Flame away.
javadude Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 I actually agree with you. I just hate when people use stats and science badly. I know what I'm going to do, I don't really care what others do.It's not stats or science, it's simple logic. If you have a car accident and you suffer a fatal brain injury, your life could be saved by wearing a helmet. Why are you not jumping up and down about it and going onto car forums complaining about car drivers not wearing helmets?
Wannabe Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Good reason to wear a helmet. I walked away from this crash with just a gash in my head caused by the stick visible in the photo, no concussion at all.Neck got injured because of the way I landed, but no helmet would have prevented that.
Eldron Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 It's not stats or science, it's simple logic. If you have a car accident and you suffer a fatal brain injury, your life could be saved by wearing a helmet. Why are you not jumping up and down about it and going onto car forums complaining about car drivers not wearing helmets? Take it one step further - wearing a helmet permanently would save countless lives! Everyone has their own risk/reward profile. Helmets have just become a focal point - kinda like racism.
Robrider Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 There are a lot for sound reasons to not wear a helmet. For one thing they kill bike share schemes. For another they make riding your bike to the corner shop look like a dangerous activity http://www.howiechong.com/journal/2014/2/bike-helmets It's not stats or science, it's simple logic. If you have a car accident and you suffer a fatal brain injury, your life could be saved by wearing a helmet. Why are you not jumping up and down about it and going onto car forums complaining about car drivers not wearing helmets? We are not arguing helmets in cars. You are saying they don't save lives on bicycles. That is factually wrong. The argument that cars (in the 1970's) are worse is invalid. The reason I'm not going on to car forums is a) I really don't care either way, and b) car companies are spending billions on making cars safer. I reckon head trauma in car accidents has decreased significantly since the 1970's due to airbags.
javadude Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Take it one step further - wearing a helmet permanently would save countless lives! Everyone has their own risk/reward profile. Helmets have just become a focal point - kinda like racism.Exactly. People falling(not off bicycles) is the leading cause of brain injury in America, by far, yet cyclists have to endure the wrath of the do gooders who should be wearing helmets when they go to bed because falling out of bed is quite big cause of brain injuries and death!
javadude Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 We are not arguing helmets in cars. You are saying they don't save lives on bicycles. That is factually wrong. The argument that cars (in the 1970's) are worse is invalid. The reason I'm not going on to car forums is a) I really don't care either way, and b) car companies are spending billions on making cars safer. I reckon head trauma in car accidents has decreased significantly since the 1970's due to airbags.Oh, they do save lives, there's no argument there, but where do we stop with this helmet nonsense, because more people die from falling over their own feet than they do riding bicycles.
BarHugger Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Take it one step further - wearing a helmet permanently would save countless lives! Everyone has their own risk/reward profile. Helmets have just become a focal point - kinda like racism.Yes and that is really what it's all about....
Capricorn Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 I partly wear a helmet to stop noobs bugging me for not wearing one. Sure, it may save me in exceptional circumstances, most safety devices are intended to operate in that very time frame: the exceptional moment. This why safety adds steeply to the cost of devices and machines. All that redundancy, mass, horrible design, for a low probability, high consequence moment. Despite this "skill" you refer to, i doubt predicting the future is one of it. So how then, by your own admission, are you guarding against those exceptional moments by advocating against helmets? tell us more about these skills?
Edition 507 Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 So don't judge someone for not riding with a helmet. Certainly won't judge you, but one day you may very well have an 'openmind' because all your brains will fall out that hole in your head
openmind Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 most safety devices are intended to operate in that very time frame: the exceptional moment. This why safety adds steeply to the cost of devices and machines. All that redundancy, mass, horrible design, for a low probability, high consequence moment. Despite this "skill" you refer to, i doubt predicting the future is one of it. So how then, by your own admission, are you guarding against those exceptional moments by advocating against helmets? tell us more about these skills? Oh dear. You are blinded by the bright lights of the fascist helmet brigade. What is so special about cycling that the exceptional moment will happen while I'm on a bike? Statistically I'm more likely to hurt my head some other way - shouldn't I be wearing a helmet 24/7 then? Personally I would think that someone on a black downhill run is silly if they ride without a lid, but I also think an easy road ride without a helmet is fine. Then again, maybe the lidless downhiller is Aaron Gwin, just out chilling. Who am I to judge? I wear a helmet most of the time, but not on a short commute, 'cause it messes up my hair. That's my risk/reward decision. I'm not "advocating against helmets" - you made a straw man there. I'm advocating against helmet fascists. How about this scenario - two road riders, one, a MAMIL, dressed all in black as is the fashion, doodling along at dusk with a black hemet on. The other, with visible clothing, lights and a keen sense of his environment is riding without a hemet. Which one is more likely to have the "accident"? I can actually predict the future in this scenario.
Loose cog Posted February 11, 2016 Posted February 11, 2016 We wear helmets because it is fashionable, period. We follow the herd, it's what we do as we are programmed that way. Unfortunately it has also become fashionable for Saffas to aggressively attack anyone who choice another path. You will see the trend by paging through the forum discussions with an open mind. Keep safe out there and don't forget the body armour!
mazambaan Posted February 11, 2016 Posted February 11, 2016 As to helmet wearing; I am pro choice. I wear one and feel it justified as I, and recently a good friend, have had MTB offs where the helmets took big hits in vulnerable areas (or so the doctors said and the dents and cracks seem to bear this out). If others don't want to, it is their right and Darwin at work surely.
Capricorn Posted February 11, 2016 Posted February 11, 2016 I was merely querying your poor logic. You responded with a bad deflection there openmind, and you are suffering a clear misunderstanding/deliberate ignorance of safety and exceptional instances. You deflect with an unproven claim that you statistically will suffer a head trauma some way other than cycling, thus couching cycling within an inferred, but very unproven bubble of safety. Interesting. But as you have a choice to pretend you cannot suffer an exceptional situation wherein a helmet could save your life, you have a choice to wear a lid or not. It will all work out just fine. Cause and effect Happy riding!
Eldron Posted February 11, 2016 Posted February 11, 2016 I wonder if exactly the opposite argument is happening on the danish version of thehub :-) Over there helmet wearing must be less than 1% for commuters. Everything is relative indeed.
PhilipV Posted February 11, 2016 Posted February 11, 2016 We wear helmets because it is fashionable, period. We follow the herd, it's what we do as we are programmed that way. Unfortunately it has also become fashionable for Saffas to aggressively attack anyone who choice another path. You will see the trend by paging through the forum discussions with an open mind. Keep safe out there and don't forget the body armour!No. I wear a helmet because accidents happen and head injuries suck. I couldn't care less about fashion. I hope you never have to pick up a friend with a broken collarbone, broken helmet and a huge concussion. I have, and I'll wear my helmet.
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