the helmet thing again

[porky]

There was a study done in Canada that proved that since the enforcing of the helmet law the accidents and fatalities in cyclists increased' date=' dramatically too. I just had a look for it now in my mail box but I've deleted it.[/quote']

 

Thats interesting.! Sort of gos against common sense or everything I have ever seen relating to head injuries with and without protection, although most of what I have read relates to Motor cycling, I have never come across a stat relating to cyclists.

 

I wonder was it across all diciplines of cycling, or just road, just M/bike etc?

 

 

 

porky2009-01-06 06:58:22

[TitusTi]

There was a study done in Canada that proved that since the enforcing of the helmet law the accidents and fatalities in cyclists increased' date=' dramatically too. I just had a look for it now in my mail box but I've deleted it.[/quote']

 

Thats interesting.! Sort of gos against common sense or everything I have ever seen relating to head injuries with and without protection, although most of what I have read relates to Motor cycling, I have never come across a stat relating to cyclists.

 

I wonder was it across all diciplines of cycling, or just road, just M/bike etc?

 

 

I can't quite recall the specifics but the gist of what they were saying is that drivers take more risks around cyclists with helmets.

There were similar studies done in the EU and the country with the lowest injury and fatality rate had no helmet laws and the most cycling road users and that was the Netherlands.

[SwissVan]

There was a study done in Canada that proved that since the enforcing of the helmet law the accidents and fatalities in cyclists increased' date=' dramatically too. I just had a look for it now in my mail box but I've deleted it.[/quote']

 

Thats interesting.! Sort of gos against common sense or everything I have ever seen relating to head injuries with and without protection, although most of what I have read relates to Motor cycling, I have never come across a stat relating to cyclists.

 

I wonder was it across all diciplines of cycling, or just road, just M/bike etc?

 

 

I can't quite recall the specifics but the gist of what they were saying is that drivers take more risks around cyclists with helmets.

There were similar studies done in the EU and the country with the lowest injury and fatality rate had no helmet laws and the most cycling road users and that was the Netherlands.

 

 

Thats cos there are less cars on the road and they sympathise with cyclists, not so Wild dog?

 

 

[TitusTi]

Isolated explanation for a common occurence.

[Bateleur1]

Linnega might have a link or two to back up TitusTi's statement.

[SwissVan]

Linnega might have a link or two to back up TitusTi's statement.

 

It's true, was undertaken in the UK - Something about motorists tend to drive closure to cyclists with helmets and further away from those without due to the perception that those with helmets where more experienced and less likely to ride in an unpredicatble manner... Now we all know how true that is.. Not!

 

 

[Willehond]

There was a study done in Canada that proved that since the enforcing of the helmet law the accidents and fatalities in cyclists increased' date=' dramatically too. I just had a look for it now in my mail box but I've deleted it.[/quote']

 

Thats interesting.! Sort of gos against common sense or everything I have ever seen relating to head injuries with and without protection, although most of what I have read relates to Motor cycling, I have never come across a stat relating to cyclists.

 

I wonder was it across all diciplines of cycling, or just road, just M/bike etc?

 

 

I can't quite recall the specifics but the gist of what they were saying is that drivers take more risks around cyclists with helmets.

There were similar studies done in the EU and the country with the lowest injury and fatality rate had no helmet laws and the most cycling road users and that was the Netherlands.

 

 

Thats cos there are less cars on the road and they sympathise with cyclists, not so Wild dog?

 

 

 

It's got nothing to do with helmets.  You are taught to look out for cyclists and most car drivers are cyclists anyway seeing that everyone has a bike.  None of this us and them stuff!  Respect and very little abuse.  That said, you should have heard one of my club mates go off when a white van ventured out of its driveway onto the pavement without due caution...

 

Strange thing is that you will never see a commuter (i.e. normal bike rider) wear a helmet, but almost all the guys on mtb's or racing bikes wear helmets.  Though even they don't get hit by cars, so there goes that helmet invisibility theory...

 

So why do the Dutch club cyclists wear helmets?  Not sure, but I think it is to protect them from high speed falls, not collisions with vehicles.  Makes sense?

[Willehond]

I commuted 70k's to work.  Only 2 km's of that was NOT on a bike path!  Another reason you don't get hit in the Netherlands. They can't get to you!Willehond2009-01-06 08:32:56

[TitusTi]

I commuted 70k's to work.  Only 2 km's of that was NOT on a bike path!  Another reason you don't get hit in the Netherlands. They can't get to you!

 

I wish I'd never brought up the Dutch! It works in other places too.

But yeah, I also want to be able to commute on dedicated lanes, now I fight with soccer moms hell bent on killing you with their silver death wagons, sometimes I'm not sure if they're better or worse than the taxi's!

[SwissVan]

I commuted 70k's to work.  Only 2 km's of that was NOT on a bike path!  Another reason you don't get hit in the Netherlands. They can't get to you!

 

Stop bragging, the Saffas are going to get MOERse jealous...

 

I tried that but just not possible without adding another +/- 30km to my 40km normal route...thats on walking / biking dedicated trails with zero 4 wheeled devices and not including roads with cycling lanes.

 

 

 

 

 

[Willehond]

I commuted 70k's to work.  Only 2 km's of that was NOT on a bike path!  Another reason you don't get hit in the Netherlands. They can't get to you!

 

I wish I'd never brought up the Dutch! It works in other places too.

But yeah' date=' I also want to be able to commute on dedicated lanes, now I fight with soccer moms hell bent on killing you with their silver death wagons, sometimes I'm not sure if they're better or worse than the taxi's!

[/quote']

 

Being a pedestrian here is a problem!  Not only do you often get the pavement reserved for bicycles, if you manage to wander accidentaly onto a cycle lane in the city you can get quite a nasty bump.  Probably a good idea to wear a helmet when walking in Eindhoven

[Willehond]

I commuted 70k's to work.  Only 2 km's of that was NOT on a bike path!  Another reason you don't get hit in the Netherlands. They can't get to you!

 

Stop bragging' date=' the Saffas are going to get MOERse jealous...

 

I tried that but just not possible without adding another +/- 30km to my 40km normal route...thats on walking / biking dedicated trails with zero 4 wheeled devices and not including roads with cycling lanes.

 

 

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Look who's talking!  Stop it now.

 

Anyway, most Saffas would not have commuted here today anyway.  -12 degrees this morning and the bicycles were out in force.  Sadly, I am too much of a woos to go out in that.  My theeth hurt when I breathed through my mouth...

 

Anyway, SwissVan, I've now had seven months here and NOT ONE PUNCTURE!  You were right.

[SwissVan]

 

-12 eish that hurts and add an avg speed of +/- 25 - 30 kmh and it pays to train indoors.

 

Ja your tubes will only need changing when they reach pensionable age...

Not sure how old that is.

 

 

[Daxiet]

 

 

Initially the only reason I used a helmet during training was to train in the conditions I would be in under race conditions. Hence not being use to wearing a helmet would be very uncomfortable in a race.

 

Further to this when riding around Muldersdrift other cyclist would take extreme offence to me being willing to crack my pip open. On this note I say mind your own business, if someone wants to pop their pip on the tar, a car or similar let them be. Why not rip the cigarette out of the smokers mouth, its's the same concept.

 

None the less after being a constant pip protected rider I left my helmet in JHB last weekend. Thus I went out on my usual off road course at my pips mercy. Strange to say I never felt nearly as confident flying down steep rocky hills as I do with my precious little pip covering.

 

But the fact remains unless you are going to pull over cars with passengers not wearing seat belt, attack the smoker, rub suntan lotion on the beach dwellerrs, etc mind your own business when passing a cyclist without a helmet.

 

Daxiet2009-01-07 00:40:15

[porky]

But the fact remains unless you are going to pull over cars with passengers not wearing seat belt' date=' attack the smoker, rub suntan lotion on the beach dwellerrs, etc mind your own business when passing a cyclist without a helmet.
[/quote']

 

What you are saying has perfect merit.

 

..................but that said I was in Aus for a few days in November and wanted to spend a free morning on the beach, strolling onto the beach a uniformed officer called me over, when I got to him he told me the sun was dangerous today and would I please remove my shirt so that they could spray me with sun protection.!!

 

I kid you not, I was incredulous but got my free spray of protection and went on my merry way.! 

 

[Willehond]

But the fact remains unless you are going to pull over cars with passengers not wearing seat belt' date=' attack the smoker, rub suntan lotion on the beach dwellerrs, etc mind your own business when passing a cyclist without a helmet.
[/quote']

 

What you are saying has perfect merit.

 

..................but that said I was in Aus for a few days in November and wanted to spend a free morning on the beach, strolling onto the beach a uniformed officer called me over, when I got to him he told me the sun was dangerous today and would I please remove my shirt so that they could spray me with sun protection.!!

 

I kid you not, I was incredulous but got my free spray of protection and went on my merry way.! 

 

You're lucky.  In SA he would have knocked you over and kicked you without warning!