Riding without a helmet

[PhilipV]

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.

Your prediction seems to hinge on them being hit by a car? What if one rider switches the other accidentally, or if they hit a diesel/oil patch in a corner? Or slip on a painted line on a wet day?

I know top riders who have had accidents like this, no matter how high their skill level is.

The helmet is there for the scenario you don't ever want to happen.

Please have your organ donor card with you at all times. You know, for if a statistically insignificant event comes your way.

[DJR]

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.

FLAME

[Capricorn]

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.

 

but what's the danish context?

I will admit, my desire to wear a helmet stems from the type of riding i spend the majority of my cycling time on: gravity oriented MTB. I don't think any can disagree that gravity oriented MTB increases the likelihood of head meeting ground. In fact, I'd be bold enough to venture that any high speed cycling increases the risk of head meeting ground, with all its unsavory implications.

 

The emotional, anti-helmet rhetoric in one of the posts above does not provide for meaningful debate. Your post however does invite discussion starting with context, and i would phrase as it as : under which circumstances is it reasonable to assume it is very unlikely to suffer head trauma when cycling?

 

Low speed commuting as I believe the Danish context to be, would be one such instance. The fact the Danes have such a large population of cycling based commuters, all at similarly low speeds generalises commuter behaviour to favor low risk attitudes while commuting by bicycle. Over here, we haven't yet reached that sort of critical mass. Cyclists here gear up like they on a pro-team, or often have to travel great distances which is best covered at higher speeds, and requiring more sweat-tolerance attire. Meanwhile the Dane's' dont mind sporting their sunday best while riding because well, they not generally racing A to B, and or travel much shorter distances, and/or don't mind riding at a much more leisurely pace.

 

I'm just surmising above, but I still think its a bit superficial just quoting the Danes,without providing substantial context.

[Capricorn]

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.

 

so we can agree on something once in a while Howzit my nemesis

 

One reservation I have about helmets though: is the sheer lack of protection against concussion as all cyclists are more likely suffer this form of brain injury. Concussions are insidiously dangerous.

 

I see someone's tried to tackle this problem in a rather unique way: gently throttling blood flow through the jugular to increase blood pressure around the brain to prevent it from 'sloshing' about. Apparently, the thinking stems from understanding how a woodpecker doesn't turn its brain into a smoothy while pecking away as it does.

[DJR]

In the event of a serious crash, would you rather have a helmet on your head or not? That is always the right question to ask! Whatever answer you give, will be right for you. 

[DJR]

..............One reservation I have about helmets though: is the sheer lack of protection against concussion as all cyclists are more likely suffer this form of brain injury. Concussions are insidiously dangerous..............

I understand that the helmet makers are working hard on some way to reduce the concussion probability. What is difficult though, is that it is not an easy thing to study and quantify in ethically approved live studies. Basically, I believe that a soft foam or gel layer inside the helmet may help. With how much? Than's anyones' guess. It will probably make the helmet heavier and more bulky and thus more suited to full face and enduro / trail type helmets. I can't imagine the skinny weight weeny roadies going for it. Perhaps a dual density foam can be made light enough? Come on all you polymer scientists, make me a prototype!

[Ampandy]

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.

Yeah without a helmet some people will have rather open minds...... Yet to see the cyclist that can claim he SKILLFULLY cracked his noggin taking a tumble.

[Eldron]

I'm just surmising above, but I still think its a bit superficial just quoting the Danes,without providing substantial context.

 

There are about 100 arguments going on here so here is my stance.

 

Training and racing I always wear my helmet. I do, however, enjoy cruising the hood from time to time without one. Why? Because it feels awesome and reminds me of my childhood when wearing a helmet was not even a consideration (that's a whole other debate!). Sure there is increased risk compared to wearing a helmet but I feel it's worth it (low speed, low traffic, not technical/offroad etc).

 

I guess my danish example was really to challenge the OH MY GOD WEAR YOUR HELMET AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS WITHOUT ONE DARWIN DARWIN ORGAN DONOR argument. If that argument were true Copenhagen would be strewn with the corpses of dead cyclists.

 

To be honest I really have no issue with anyone wearing or not wearing their helmet. My only real issue is people trying to tell other people what to do. Not wearing a helmet doesn't impact on anyone but the wearer. His/her head - let them do what they want. No need for the "your an idiot" style comments.

 

On a complete tangent - if we treated each other on the road like we treated each other on thehub people would get killed all the time. Oh wait they are. Ironic isn't it? It's always "them", "drivers", "impatient people" - basically us. We get off our bikes and into cars then blame "drivers" for killing "cyclists". Odd.

 

Ok random rant over. No need for you to reply/debate.

[Capricorn]

I understand that the helmet makers are working hard on some way to reduce the concussion probability. What is difficult though, is that it is not an easy thing to study and quantify in ethically approved live studies. Basically, I believe that a soft foam or gel layer inside the helmet may help. With how much? Than's anyones' guess. It will probably make the helmet heavier and more bulky and thus more suited to full face and enduro / trail type helmets. I can't imagine the skinny weight weeny roadies going for it. Perhaps a dual density foam can be made light enough? Come on all you polymer scientists, make me a prototype!

 

that inflatable "helmet" posing as a neck 'scarf' was a pretty nifty implementation of an alternative to the traditional helmet. that looked like it could stop concussions. IIRC that was one of their design objectives.

 

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120817080420-inflatable-helmet-story-top.jpg

[DJR]

that inflatable "helmet" posing as a neck 'scarf' was a pretty nifty implementation of an alternative to the traditional helmet. that looked like it could stop concussions. IIRC that was one of their design objectives.

 

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120817080420-inflatable-helmet-story-top.jpg

I DARE you to show up wearing one of those at Tokai on opening day! I'll make sure to come and cheer!

[Edition 507]

Yeah without a helmet some people will have rather open minds...... Yet to see the cyclist that can claim he SKILLFULLY cracked his noggin taking a tumble.

On the subject of using skill as a means to preserve your noggin instead of a helmet, no matter how skillful you are, there are a million other f*cking idiots sharing the road with you. Think about that while you still can.

[NotSoBigBen]

On the subject of using skill as a means to preserve your noggin instead of a helmet, no matter how skillful you are, there are a million other f*cking idiots sharing the road with you. Think about that while you still can.

 

So true and even if you're not on the road, skill didn't help those okes taken out by buck out in the veld either ....

[Capricorn]

I DARE you to show up wearing one of those at Tokai on opening day! I'll make sure to come and cheer!

 

is jy mal?

[Zatopek]

In the event of a serious crash [while driving, cycling, ice-skate, ski, running on the sidewalk], would you rather have a helmet on your head or not? That is always the right question to ask! Whatever answer you give, will be right for you. 

The answer is yes, but only when cycling. (The last time I trained without a helmet I got moer-ed with a brick outside Stellenbosch)

 

Now why don't I do the same during the other activities? - The biggest reason is probably it is not practised as 'convention' by everyone and I dont get abused for it. Even though there are tons of evidence that the risk is so much higher than when cycling alone on a safe roady training ride.

 

I'm looking forward to meet a consistent helmet-nazi one day. (That is if head injuries is what they really worried about.)

[DJR]

is jy mal?

Since you are asking, and on a day like today, I think I am a t least a little bit mal!

[Eldron]

I'm looking forward to meet a consistent helmet-nazi one day. (That is if head injuries is what they really worried about.)

 

Society is riddled with fun inconsistencies like this.

 

My favourite answer to helmet nazis is "do you wear a helmet walking down stairs?".

 

We all use stairs daily but if you stop and think about it - they're flipping dangerous! Short and staggered and you're usually distracted when you're on them. Between 10 and 20 sharp edged concrete, marble or (thank god) carpeted head crackers silently waiting to claim their next victim!!!!