Motorists ride closer to you when you're wearing a helmet.

[Tatt]

My 2 cents..

 

Got smacked by a dude in a Rav 4 going up Chappies on Sunday, who then proceeded to try and drive away (he either didn't see me at all, or forgot that he had to deal with the toll booth in order to execute his hit and run properly)... 

 

His driving into me had absolutely nothing to do with me using a helmet (I wear a Lumos, so I am lit up like a Xmas tree at all times), and more to do with him being an ignorant tw4t and not paying any attention to road he was driving on...

 

Tom

[Eldron]

I am stumped why people even reply to this kind of thread. In reality it should be as long as one post. If you decide not to wear a helmet good luck. If you decide to ride through a red robot good luck. If you decide to ride 4 abreast good luck. Why are these threads even being entertained? You cannot fix stupid. It is not a disease or condition. Having kids inside a moving car without seat belts... let nature take its course. That gene pool will soon sort itself out!

 

It is interesting how people measure risk and reward - many people die every year falling down stairs - nobody wears helmets on stairs (admittedly the vast majority are old people who die from complications after hip surgery!).

 

Many people use cellphones driving.

 

Many people "quickly" use the angle grinder without eye protection.

 

Many motorbikers lane split (legal but frikkin dangerous).

 

The list goes on...

[Martin PJ]

Sometimes common sense is more important than a study, no matter what the study shows.

 

Back in the day we never had helmets, I was one of the first to get one. My mom bought it when I was at university after I had a big crash on a railway line and was knocked out, woke up in an ambulance about 30 minutes later. Since then I have worn helmets.

[FootballingCyclist]

My 2 cents..

 

Got smacked by a dude in a Rav 4 going up Chappies on Sunday, who then proceeded to try and drive away (he either didn't see me at all, or forgot that he had to deal with the toll booth in order to execute his hit and run properly)... 

 

His driving into me had absolutely nothing to do with me using a helmet (I wear a Lumos, so I am lit up like a Xmas tree at all times), and more to do with him being an ignorant tw4t and not paying any attention to road he was driving on...

 

Tom

How the hek do you drive up Chappies which is full of cyclists 18 out of the 24hrs of the day and not "see" a cyclist ahead?? Busy on his phone perhaps? Did you manage to catch the driver and what was his "story"?  

[Tatt]

FootballingCyclist, on 15 Nov 2018 - 10:25 AM, said:

 

How the hek do you drive up Chappies which is full of cyclists 18 out of the 24hrs of the day and not "see" a cyclist ahead?? Busy on his phone perhaps? Did you manage to catch the driver and what was his "story"?

I did catch up with him.. I didn't give him a chance to say a single word...

 

Needless to say, when he overtook me after hearing my anatomy lecture, he managed to do the 1.5m thing..

 

Tom

[Grease_Monkey]

So the professional riders who used to RACE without helmets are were all stupid?

The research into helmet safety that we have now wasn't available back then. Given what we know now and how good, comfy, and affordable modern helmet are, it is stupidity to ride without one.

 

I've been in 2 big falls (one road, other mtb), where my helmet has cracked and I have not done damage to my noggin.

 

But to answer simply - if a pro races without a helmet now, Yes - he is stupid.

[Moriarty]

Yes I know modern helmets are comfy, I still like to ride without one, as long as there aren't cars around.

The research into helmet safety that we have now wasn't available back then. Given what we know now and how good, comfy, and affordable modern helmet are, it is stupidity to ride without one.

I've been in 2 big falls (one road, other mtb), where my helmet has cracked and I have not done damage to my noggin.

But to answer simply - if a pro races without a helmet now, Yes - he is stupid.

[Grease_Monkey]

Yes I know modern helmets are comfy, I still like to ride without one, as long as there aren't cars around.

Your choice, but none of my big falls have been caused by cars.

[Moriarty]

Yes I've fallen a few times on more technical off road stuff (never hit my head) and always had a helmet on for those, and also if I ride on busy roads I wear a helmet, but just for riding on quiet gravel and road it's much nicer to feel the wind in your hair.

Your choice, but none of my big falls have been caused by cars.

[Kenty]

Dr Ian Walker looks like a typical Red Bull DH racer....

[SwissVan]

They have been studying this for years

Helmut vs no Helmut debate

 

Hardly ever ridden without a Helmut so cannot say personaly

 

Ping the no Helmut brigade

 

Ah yes the hub does indeed go round and round

[LeoKnight]

Here in Denmark cars and bikes are separated and I'd guess 90% of commuter cyclists don't wear helmet. I have not seen a single cyclist death reported in 2 years.

 

Cycle paths work!

 

Then again in Amsterdam there is little to no cycle paths and the only people riding with helmets are the tourist on bike tours.  

 

But that is a different place where cyclist rights nearly trump all others

[IceCreamMan]

Yayyyyy , been itching to duel with patch again

 

Fact is, the benefits of helmet wear for a population group are NOT clear cut. Compulsory Helmet wear has t be seen holistically and the jury is out on that one. It has been shown in some cases that helmet wear could actually increase the risk of accidents and concomitent injuries.

 

Now, before anyone jumps up an down and mentions their anecdote about an aunty took em out and if it were not for the helmet they would be seriously injured or worse, I am not disputing that in some cases a helmet can be of benefit,

[Eldron]

Then again in Amsterdam there is little to no cycle paths and the only people riding with helmets are the tourist on bike tours.

 

But that is a different place where cyclist rights nearly trump all others

It's not only about the rights - it's about the attitude. People grow up riding bikes so they understand the car/bike interaction.

[Hairy]

Exactly....poopoo happens on the bike. 

 

Our group has seen it's fair share of accidents and tumbles on a dedicated cycle lane. Pedstrians, poles, benches and just clipping handle bars sometimes often results in a tumble or two.

 

In just about every case the rider would have certainly taken a beating if not wearing a helmet, this based on scuffs and dents on the riders helmet after the incident.

 

Just wear the bloody thing.

 

 

This. He seems to be saying that wearing helmets is useless, cos we're gonna get hurt anyway. Instead of forcing us to wear helmets, just build us cyclepaths. 

 

How about both, genius? Helmets AND cycle paths. 

[Long Wheel Base]

Had a friend at school. She was one of the rich kids so while most of us went to Durban for matric holidays, she went to Thailand. She was hiring a scooter, apparently was yet to even ride the thing and fell over while in the parking lot. Hit her head on the pavement. DEAD!!!!  EDIT: she wasn't wearing a helmet.

I crashed hard at the argus a few years back just under the ladies mile bridge. My helmet saved my life. It broke in 3 places. When I took it off, it just fell apart. I take my toddler for rides around the suburb and we both wear helmets, NOT NEGOTIABLE.