How was your cycle commute?

[Orang Utan]

Please provide link to back up this **FACT**

If common sense isn't good enough for you, then fill your boots:

Recently Reported Statistically Sound Studies Conducted Using Scientific Methodology
Helmet use and bicycle-related trauma in patients presenting to an acute hospital in Singapore, Heng K W J, Lee A H P, Zhu S, Tham K Y, Seow E (http://www.sma.org.sg/smj/4705/4705a1.pdf)

The mother of all studies, it looks at 16 case controlled studies.http://depts.washington.edu/hiprc/practices/topic/bicycles/index.html

The conclusions of the case-controlled studies are not surprising.

Attewell, 2001. Results provide clear evidence of helmet benefits. Helmets reduce risk of head, brain, facial injury, and death.
Kelsch, 1996. Bicycle helmets reduced the incidence and severity of head injuries.
Finvers, 1996. Strong prospective effect of helmets for serious head injuries. Protective effect of helmet underestimated due to exclusion of ICU cases. None of the ICU cases wore helmets.
Acton, 1996. Oral maxillofacial injuries frequent. Design modification helmets need such as a lightweight chin protector.
Thompson et al., 1996. Bicycle helmets are effective for all bicyclists regardless of age and regardless of motor vehicle involvement in the crash.
Thompson et al., 1996. Helmets protect against upper face and middle face injuries. Use of two control groups thought to "bracket" the true effect of helmets on risk of facial injury.
Maimaris et al., 1994. Helmet use significantly reduces the risk of sustaining a head injury, regardless of type of bicycle accident. Some evidence refuting claims that helmet users are either more cautious or take more risks than non-users.
Thomas et al., 1994. Helmet use significantly reduces the risk of upper head injury and loss of consciousness in a bicycle crash.
McDermott et al., 1993. Helmet use significantly protects against head injury.
Spaite et al., 1991. Helmeted riders over 33 times less likely to sustain a major head injury and over 16 times less likely to have an ISS (injury severity score) >15 than non-helmeted riders.
Thompson et al., 1990. Significant protective effect among helmet users for serious upper facial injuries compared to non-users.
Thompson et al., 1989. Helmet use protects against risk of head and brain injury by 85% and 88% respectively compared to those not wearing helmets. Population-based control group provides the best estimate of helmet effect.

 

[Orang Utan]

You could always do your own research and headbutt a wall with and without a helmet on and see which hurts the most and which leaves you with the most severe cuts and bruises.

 

[Crispy]

It's a personal choice and definitely shouldn't be compulsory, but the one time I've had a serious tumble on my bike, my helmet took a fair bit of damage and I was able to ride home afterwards. I've worn one ever since. It might be illogical and emotional reasoning, but it works for me.

 

[Dogsauce]

Mine probably helped in my pothole-related somersault event last year (almost exactly a year ago), I was still knocked out and severely concussed but only had a slight bruise on my cheek. The helmet was cracked on the opposite side to the impact, which suggests it transferred force to the rear somehow. Could have been a fractured skull at worst, or at the very least a nasty bit of road rash.

I'll wear one commuting and on big rides, and on quite a lot of short ones too, it's become a habit. I like to go fast and there are consequences when this goes wrong. Like most people I don't think they should be compulsory and know that in a lot of incidents they wouldn't be much good at all. People shouldn't *have* to wear them for day to day stuff, but the infrastructure we have is what it is.

 

[plurker]

What OU says - but let's not go down this route again...

so just a story then..cool
So you headbutted a car - maybe you're doing it wrong.
Seriously - fuck off.

Ok, fuck it, go on then.
Hit and run. Some cunt cut straight across my partner, who's an experienced and fairly fast rider. Knocked her spark off the bike, and she was dumped head-first onto pavement. Concussion, ambulance, blah. Car drove off. Here's the damage to the lid. Draw your own conclusions as to whether she'd have sustained more injury without one.

 

[iamwithnail]

I'm pretty in the habit of wearing one now, feels weird to not. Yeah, it might mean drivers pass a bit closer, but I've got a huge bonce and it needs protecting.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

no.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

If common sense isn't good enough for you, then fill your boots:

so your FACT finding brought you here:-

https://sites.google.com/site/bicyclehelmetmythsandfacts/

the dumping ground for the pro and anti helmet argument link backer uppers. Did you even read any of those docs? No, you were just lazy and posted up a fuckload of links.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

You could always do your own research and headbutt a wall with and without a helmet on and see which hurts the most and which leaves you with the most severe cuts and bruises.

Thats nice - Second time in a day today you've invoked scenarios where violent traumas occur to me.

 

[joustmaster]

Thats nice - Second time in a day today you've invoked scenarios where violent traumas occur to me.

which of the two would be more violent - with or without the helmet?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

It's a personal choice .

Yes it is.

But you can't invoke the choice without being told how irresponsible you are and a danger to yourself. What does that say about the insecurities of helmet wearers?

 

[Orang Utan]

Thats nice - Second time in a day today you've invoked scenarios where violent traumas occur to me.

I don't wish it on YOU, I meant the impersonal 'you'. I just don't like saying 'one' is makes you (one) sound like Prince Charles. No need to be rude and touchy. We can disagree without rancour

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

which of the two would be more violent - with or without the helmet?

Two people lie in a road and a tipper lorry wheel rolls over their head. One wears a helmet, the other nothing. Which survives?

 

[Orang Utan]

Yes it is.

But you can't invoke the choice without being told how irresponsible you are and a danger to yourself. What does that say about the insecurities of helmet wearers?

I didn't tell you that at all. I was just having a laugh about people wearing caps in place of helmets as if they were supposed to protect your head.. I thought you'd find it funny.

 

[Orang Utan]

Two people lie in a road and a tipper lorry wheel rolls over their head. One wears a helmet, the other nothing. Which survives?

On that occasion, both die. But when someone falls off their bike and smacks their head on the ground, whose more likely to sustain a fractured skull, someone wearing a helmet, or someone wearing a hairnet?

 

[joustmaster]

Two people lie in a road and a tipper lorry wheel rolls over their head. One wears a helmet, the other nothing. Which survives?

You live in a strange world, if thats the only sort of cycling accident you can foresee.

Do you believe seat belts are useless because they don't save you from fires?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

You live in a strange world, if thats the only sort of cycling accident you can foresee.

Read OU's initial post about having my skull crushed. There is no light and shade in this scenario, just a smashed in skull - and in this case most likely the same result helmet or sans helmet. Its rich to be criticised for outlining an injurious scenario which is the most commonly fatal in London, death by L turning HGV.

Its not me who has a problem foreseeing a range of cycling accidents, its the pro helmet brigade who have reduced the argument - an argument here I didn't go looking for BTW - to binary proportions; wear a helmet or have a fatal or very serious head injury. This is then backed up by cod science and anecdotes about how person X was saved by a helmet. So wear a helmet or you're stupid (quite prepared to be, its actually none of anybodys business) and expect to die if you fall off your bike.

Hysterical bollocks.

 

[joustmaster]

you're an idiot.

 

[Blagsta]

Read OU's initial post about having my skull crushed. There is no light and shade in this scenario, just a smashed in skull - and in this case most likely the same result helmet or sans helmet. Its rich to be criticised for outlining an injurious scenario which is the most commonly fatal in London, death by L turning HGV.

Its not me who has a problem foreseeing a range of cycling accidents, its the pro helmet brigade who have reduced the argument - an argument here I didn't go looking for BTW - to binary proportions; wear a helmet or have a fatal or very serious head injury. This is then backed up by cod science and anecdotes about how person X was saved by a helmet. So wear a helmet or you're stupid (quite prepared to be, its actually none of anybodys business) and expect to die if you fall off your bike.

Hysterical bollocks.

You're being a defensive cock tbf

 

[Dogsauce]

So wear a helmet or you're stupid

...except nobody actually said that. Defending the protection a helmet can provide (and I don't think anyone's said they should be compulsory or anything like that) shouldn't be seen as an attack on anyone who chooses not to wear one. I don't think anyone's even said they always do wear one here.

 

[The Boy]

Bank Holiday wankers.

 

[The Boy]

Seriously. Bank holiday wankers.

 

[Biddlybee]

Gusts of over 40mph tomorrow. Not sure I fancy bridges

 

[joustmaster]

Gusts of over 40mph tomorrow. Not sure I fancy bridges

and heavy rain in the morning, too..

 

[Biddlybee]

I don't mind the rain tbh, but wind scares me a bit

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

you're an idiot.

yes

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

You're being a defensive cock tbf

Instead of you posting this and just being merely 'a cock'.

 

[a_chap]

Incredibly strong tail wind on the way into work this morning. Now it's even stronger - trees are being whipped about outside right now.

Not exactly looking forward to the ride home

 

[Crispy]

Hysterical bollocks.

Straw Man, more like. You're talking as if the helmet gestapo have come round your flat and put your kitten under the heel of their boot.