Comments on The Urban Country: Barriers to Cycling: Debunking the Myths

Why is it that almost all (if not all) pro-helmet ...

2010-02-04T00:46:53.116-05:00

Why is it that almost all (if not all) pro-helmet comments are from anonymous?

I used to wear a helmet every time I rode a bike. This was not because I felt I needed it but because my wife asked me to. I agreed because if something horrible happened I did not want her to feel bad because she thought there was something her or I could have done differently to prevent a serious accident.

I stopped wearing a helmet (every time I rode) for two reasons. Firstly, my wife discovered many studies that wearing a helmet during urban commuting actually increased the chance of getting into an accident and hinted that I should stop wearing a helmet. I would much rather not be in an accident than to have a small foam buffer between my head and the hood of a car. Secondly, the promotion of helmets decreases ridership and that negates my favorite and probably most effective safety tool, numbers. As in "safety in numbers."

I do still wear my helmet in two situations, bike polo and racing. This is because it actually does what it is designed to do in those examples. In bike polo it protects my head from hitting someone else at about 5mph, very similar to a football helmet. In racing it protects my head from hitting the ground if I unexpectedly fall of my own accord. The force it absorbs is not the force of me going 30mph hour (note "fall" not crash into brick wall.) Most of the force would be absorbed by my body sliding on the ground. The helmet in this case is only suited to protect my head from a similar trauma that would happen if one fainted cracked one's head on the pavement.

I believe it is up to the individual to decide, but I think it is wrong to spread fear.

My position is not that helmets stop dump-trucks, ...

2010-02-02T22:58:55.846-05:00

My position is not that helmets stop dump-trucks, please don't think it is so absolute. I know helmets prevent some head injury, you won't convince me otherwise. I have too many experiences and tragic "anecdotal evidence" to take what you say on faith.

Anyways, i'm not turning this comment section into a war-zone anymore than we have, sorry to the blog author.

Take care and be safe.

i am sorry debate with you is pointless if you can...

2010-02-02T22:35:11.942-05:00

i am sorry debate with you is pointless if you cannot understand this. I will spell it out for you without the confusing irony and big people words. making laws that people must wear helmets while driving, walking, or taking a shower(all unequivocally proven more dangerous than utilitarian cycling) would be completely absurd. One could just as easily speak of dripping spinal fluid from car drivers or pedestrians or people in the shower in accidents. it doesn't mean it will happen to every driver or pedestrian or person in the shower but maybe there should be a law that they must all wear helmets just in case. this would be stupid I am sure you agree. bike helmet laws are no less so. If you think a silly bit of styrofoam is going to save you if you are plowed by a truck going 60 i have some magic beans for sale quite cheap.

"You won't look cool with spinal fluid coming out ...

2010-02-02T21:36:41.292-05:00

"You won't look cool with spinal fluid coming out your ears convulsing on the road after a minor collision and you should feel pretty guilty for recommending to somebody else that a helmet is no good.

In that case, would you also recommend I wear a helmet while walking along the sidewalk as well? Plenty of pedestrians die of head trauma every year. I assume you wear full body armour and a helmet while walking on the sidewalk, yes?

sorry. the disadvantages of helmet laws outweigh t...

2010-02-02T21:06:26.318-05:00

sorry. the disadvantages of helmet laws outweigh the risks. just as with driving or walking helmets. if you feel you need a helmet by all means wear one. the law has no place in this.

no i just wouldn't live terrified about being stru...

2010-02-02T20:47:19.772-05:00

no i just wouldn't live terrified about being struck by lightning and hide in my basement.

Helmet would have saved his life I can think of ot...

2010-02-02T20:15:54.295-05:00

Helmet would have saved his life
I can think of other people who have had serious brain injury riding helmet-less(note not fatalities and not covered by your stats).

Live how you want, if a helmet cramps your style and cool factor u probably just need to get over yourself. You won't look cool with spinal fluid coming out your ears convulsing on the road after a minor collision and you should feel pretty guilty for recommending to somebody else that a helmet is no good.

Statistics aren't a substitute for thinking for yourself. If i told you your chances of being hit by lightning were one in a million you'd probably run out into a field during a lightning storm and fly a kite with a key attached to it thinking it was statistically safe. If your brain can't figure out a way to increase it's safety then it probably isn't thinking straight.

by the way my point was maybe we should mandate we...

2010-02-02T19:42:41.618-05:00

by the way my point was maybe we should mandate wearing a helmet in the shower not riding a bike. I thought that was pretty obvious.

your link also refers to skiing and snowboarding. ...

2010-02-02T19:19:26.036-05:00

your link also refers to skiing and snowboarding. a drastically different activity than utilitarian cycling.

further interesting points from a European perspec...

2010-02-02T19:10:05.051-05:00

further interesting points from a European perspective.
http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/Europe/ECF/Helmets.html

i will take statistical over anecdotal evidence an...

2010-02-02T18:52:46.047-05:00

i will take statistical over anecdotal evidence any day of the week. I noticed you did not address pedestrians or car drivers. both have dramatically higher accident rates no matter where you look to. bring on walking and driving helmets, wrap yourself in plastic and live in fear.

Helmets reduce head injury by 35% and cause no inc...

2010-02-02T10:26:04.099-05:00

Helmets reduce head injury by 35% and cause no increase in neck injury

Statistics can be made to say anything though, maybe i should ride my bicycle in the shower just to be safe. How many of those recreational cyclists in that study were wearing helmets! A friend works in the ER doing cat scan and they see a lot of falls coming in, many are cyclists. A lot of elderly die from falls, including in the shower... yet those fragile elderly don't cycle... were those statistics taken out of the study? Do you even question these studies or just accept them because it supports what you want to believe.

Do you know which cycling sport has the lowest rate of head injury? Mountain biking!! The most aggressive and dangerous one out there... Do you know why mountain bikers don't all have head injuries? because they don't crash and break bones? wrong!! because they all wear a proper helmet, every time!

being a pedestrian, regular driving, and even vent...

2010-02-02T05:43:52.833-05:00

being a pedestrian, regular driving, and even venturing into your bathroom are all more statistically dangerous than everyday utilitarian cycling. perhaps you might want to wear a helmet for these activities as well.
(source) http://cyclehelmets.org/1026.html

Helmets - no good. Better tell the nfl,nhl,nascar...

2010-02-02T01:01:54.419-05:00

Helmets - no good.

Better tell the nfl,nhl,nascar,mlb, construction unions, motorcyclists, rock climbers, white-water rafters, skiers and snowboarders and oh yeah.. better tell road cyclists also.

Haha, boy oh boy. Did you know even a mild concussion will follow you around the rest of your life... then again I guess ignorance follows you around also.

http://www.anweald.co.uk/cyclehelmets.html READ T...

2010-01-31T21:54:53.085-05:00

http://www.anweald.co.uk/cyclehelmets.html

READ THE (Quite well stated and academically referenced) FACTS!

Helmets make you absolutely no safer at all, and in fact in some instances INCREASE the risk you will be treated without due care by motorists.

for those who haven't read it... Cycle Helmets an...

2009-12-18T23:54:03.307-05:00

for those who haven't read it...

Cycle Helmets and Other Religious Symbols

http://www.copenhagenize.com/2008/07/cycle-helmets-and-other-religious.html

I also noticed when people ride bicycles without a...

2009-12-16T03:22:40.896-05:00

I also noticed when people ride bicycles without a helmet, they're more alert and cautious. Whenever someone dons a helmet, they get a little bit of that careless sense or attitude of "oh, I am safer and it is alright if I crash from daydreaming! The helmet would surely save my brain!" *cue this song* I think helmeted people attract more accidents than those without the helmets.

Regardless if you are wearing a helmet or not, it is a good advice to learn a skill on how to roll with a fall or crash to minimize injuries.

Don't be retarded, wear your helmet. There's a rea...

2009-12-12T01:28:06.189-05:00

Don't be retarded, wear your helmet. There's a reason every bicycle racing organization requires them... even in the parking lots. I've broken three in crashes.

More importantly, what is she doing with her right...

2009-12-11T19:18:25.341-05:00

More importantly, what is she doing with her right hand?

I'll cycle with you anywhere Euro-Girl.

These are very valuable statistics. I like this on...

2009-11-14T22:10:26.388-05:00

These are very valuable statistics. I like this one especially:

"Even a low-speed fall on a bicycle path can scramble your brains"

Scramble your brains - very scientific, very factual.

Or the disclaimer at the top of the page:

"They (the statistics) do not always agree, indicating that some of them could be less than totally accurate"

This line is funny too:

"You always need a helmet wherever you ride. You can expect to crash in your next 4,500 miles of riding, or maybe much sooner than that!"

On a more serious note, the statistics on the page say nothing about the effectiveness of helmets.

There are only 2 "statistics" on helmet effectiveness:

"Non-helmeted riders are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than helmeted riders"

and

"A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent."

Both of these claims are more guilty of conjecture than anything else that has been mentioned on this thread. And yes, I traced the source of these "statistics" and there are no facts behind them whatsoever.

Wow, this is a lot of conjecture (and bad conjectu...

2009-11-14T21:35:38.959-05:00

Wow, this is a lot of conjecture (and bad conjecture at that). Concussions are not the only injury you get from landing on your head. Wearing a helmet allows you to survive many accidents with ONLY a concussion. You could easily hit your head on a curb, windshield or one of many other painful, sharp or protruding objects that could cause severe cuts or trauma. It will also prevent your naked head from being dragged along the asphalt.

Note that the only person with professed experience is the one being derided for not knowing anything. Hopefully some statistics will set you straight.
http://www.bhsi.org/stats.htm

Wearing a helmet will protect you to a degree if y...

2009-11-14T20:05:30.865-05:00

Wearing a helmet will protect you to a degree if you land on your helmet. It may or may not save your life. Your life may or may not be worth saving. Advising people to do anything and taking responsibility for THEIR actions is the height of arrogance. Anyone capable of maintaining balance and riding a bicycle on a city street is capable of making their own decision. Make your own decisions, let others make theirs. In the meantime, get out of your car and get out on your bike and enjoy it.

The first anonymous commenter seems surprised that...

2009-11-11T10:09:55.221-05:00

The first anonymous commenter seems surprised that they received a concussion "even through the foam".

I think this proves the point that is being debated... of course the foam didn't prevent you from receiving a concussion... it's foam.

To advise people that your foam helmet saved you from death or disfigurement is completely irresponsible.

Irresponsible is when someone makes a biased decis...

2009-11-11T08:13:29.102-05:00

Irresponsible is when someone makes a biased decision based on beliefs without analyzing some facts. This is a long debated issue, specially in countries where cycling is an every day practice. There are no clear benefits from wearing helmets (I mean REAL ones, not just personal opinions) and there are clear disadvantages, like less people willing to bike. I think that what can be brought into light is that mandatory helmet use is in no case a good solution. The problem must be addressed in other way.
A.K. *riding a bike in Spain

Riding without a helmet is utterly foolish. At the...

2009-11-11T07:15:33.275-05:00

Riding without a helmet is utterly foolish. At the age of 18 I'd already had 2 accidents where a helmet had saved me from death or disfigurement. In one case, I hit the ground at about 35-40 kph (22-25 mph), smashing my helmet and giving me concussion even through the foam.

To advise people not to wear helmets is completely irresponsible.