Riding without a helmet

[Patchelicious]

I tell people to wear helmets for the same reason I tell them not to jump red lights, swear at cars, to be extra nice to other road users, say thanks when a taxi gives you a wide berth.... Not because I care about their personal choices nor is it about voicing an opinion.

 

But because our collective behavior creates a collective imagine of cyclists in the eyes of other road users. And that is an image that we need to clean up! We already have an imagine of lawless arrogant road users, surely we should all participate in trying to stem this?

[rouxtjie]

Seeing someone have an accident in front of you without a helmet and having their brains plastered all over the pavement.....couldn't that have an impact on somebody's life? 

 

NB...Im just trying to stir the pot....my view on this thing...Ons is almal groot hier, maak wat jy wil ( unless it is your kids)

seeing someone die from emphysema / heart attack / diabetes / cancer / alcohol is the same then yes...

 

So in the same breath do you approach everyone than smokes / sits in McDonald's / drinks coke / walks out of a bottlestore with a bottle of ricky louw and tell them it could kill them...actually the chances are better that those will eventually take them

 

No we don't...see what I am doing

 

Just thought about this little pearl...

 

Do you tell every roadie that they are idiots for riding on the road and that they should move to a mountain bike in the veld(Lets face it, this is where the bike fatalities lie) since the chances of them being in a fatal accident is much more. No because its not socially acceptable. 

[Joe Low]

Seeing someone have an accident in front of you without a helmet and having their brains plastered all over the pavement.....couldn't that have an impact on somebody's life? 

 

NB...Im just trying to stir the pot....my view on this thing...Ons is almal groot hier, maak wat jy wil ( unless it is your kids)

 

My father-in-law worked in insurance for 40 years and had encyclopaedic knowledge of what could go wrong and the cost of it.

 

That meant he insured EVRYTHING and leant on all around him to do the same.  It became quite a large pain, intrusive e.g. "whats your life assurance? are you sure its enough? I would do xyz......".

 

Different people have different perspectives and perceptions. He wasn't right but he wasn't wrong to act for himself on his experience.

[SwissVan]

here i disagree swiss...see the difference between a yield sign and someone not wearing a helmet is that the "choice" could potentially impact someone else's life, not only my own. If I treat a stop like a yield and in the process injure someone, its unacceptable. 

 

Same for smoking, if I smoke indoors or with a kid in the car, I don't consider people around me's well being. Whereas if I go outside, well then its my choice.

 

The problem with approaching someone is it is really not up to anyone to "enforce" this, it automatically comes across as being a pain / know it all / pretentious even if done with the best intentions. 

 

In the famous words of Anna and this is aimed at the helmet enforcement brigade...."Let it go"

 

People will live the way they want to.

 

Sure its not quite the same as smoking or breaking traffic laws on the scale of effects, it could be argued that it would affect your immediate family and those that depend on you...loss of income, kids without a parent...etc...

 

Even tho people want to live they want to, there are boundaries that are not laws but still should not be transgressed 

 

Granted helmets are relatively minor and dont deserve the full scale lecture process..

 

I often see cyclists here riding with their helmets resting on the handle bars  , usually because its very hot and they are riding uphill... i just look, nod, shake, smile and mutter quietly to myself

[rouxtjie]

Sure its not quite the same as smoking or breaking traffic laws on the scale of effects, it could be argued that it would affect your immediate family and those that depend on you...loss of income, kids without a parent...etc...

 

Even tho people want to live they want to, there are boundaries that are not laws but still should not be transgressed 

 

Granted helmets are relatively minor and dont deserve the full scale lecture process..

 

I often see cyclists here riding with their helmets resting on the handle bars  , usually because its very hot and they are riding uphill... i just look, nod, shake, smile and mutter quietly to myself

I hear you swiss....hell my daughter knows she doesnt get on her bike without her helmet, I recently upgraded my own helmet to something that offered a bit more protection(Didn't hurt that Mr Troy Lee makes em lol) 

 

But one man's boundary is X another is Y. The only definites are laws. I find it totally socially unacceptable to ask someone to wear a helmet, that is my boundary I suppose. But in the same breath should someone cross that same line with me(not wrt a helmet) I would tell them straight up to farkoff and mind their own business, and I would have no problem doing that.

[Hackster]

Arrived at my morning ride today without a helmet. I simply forgot to put it on and as I wear a buff, it still felt like I was wearing something. By the time I realized my error it was too late to return home.

 

So I rode the morning ride without a helmet and received nothing more than a few strange looks for it.

 

For low speed commuting I don't feel a helmet is necessary - and what I've seen overseas would seem to bear this out.

 

But if I'm training or MTBing or riding busy roads, I'll always wear one.

 

I'm not convinced that the greater population knows that helmets are a legal requirement so I don't give much weight to the notion that going helmet-less profiles us collectively as lawbreakers.

[Runbikeswim]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/05/73e9813aae31fb3628a6887b7308884b.jpg

[Icycling]

I saw my postman on his bike yesterday - not wearing a helmet. Have any of you guys seen your postmen with helmets or is it acceptable practice for postmen not to wear helmets?
 

[rouxtjie]

I saw my postman on his bike yesterday - not wearing a helmet. Have any of you guys seen your postmen with helmets or is it acceptable practice for postmen not to wear helmets?

 

They are on singlespeeds everyone knows you are as tough as nail if you ride one. 

 

Grappie....before anyone throws a frothie

[Patchelicious]

I saw my postman on his bike yesterday - not wearing a helmet. Have any of you guys seen your postmen with helmets or is it acceptable practice for postmen not to wear helmets?

 

I didn't know the Post Office was still active. Guess one learns something new everyday....

[J∆kk∆ls]

I have a old Spez helmet that needs new padding that I am willing to donate. 

I will only give to someone that is in need and cannot afford one. Any suggestions.

 

Size medium MTB 

[bikebloke]

I saw my postman on his bike yesterday - not wearing a helmet. Have any of you guys seen your postmen with helmets or is it acceptable practice for postmen not to wear helmets?

 

 

 

yeah you see lots without

apparently the post office don't care and aren't big into health and safety for employees so we (the neighbours etc)  bought our postie a nice blue helmet last year

he wears it all the time now

[J∆kk∆ls]

Or maybe I should just ride with my old helmet ready and when I pass a Kaal Kop I will just pop it on his head  

[Joe Low]

I saw my postman on his bike yesterday - not wearing a helmet. Have any of you guys seen your postmen with helmets or is it acceptable practice for postmen not to wear helmets?

 

 

Yes -  from a legal point of view;

No -  from a health and safety perspective

[Icycling]

I didn't know the Post Office was still active. Guess one learns something new everyday....

So the post office itself maybe dead - possible Mark Barns will turn it around! Maybe he will make even the postman become law abiding and use a helmet while cycling.

 

But - any of your guys ever seen or heard of your postman knock off his bike? Possibly the law is stupid!

 

On a side note: I suspect there are far more Dog attacks on postmen

 

[Patchelicious]

So the post office itself maybe dead - possible Mark Barns will turn it around! Maybe he will make even the postman become law abiding and use a helmet while cycling.

 

But - any of your guys ever seen or heard of your postman knock off his bike? Possibly the law is stupid!

 

On a side note: I suspect there are far more Dog attacks on postmen

 

Edit: silly post