Bicycle helmets are compulsory in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, among others, but as the Guardian’s Peter Walker explains this does not help save lives. Despite a series of helmet promotion campaigns in the UK, a growing amount of evidence suggests forcing people to wear protective headgear leads to greater risk-taking and can even put people off cycling altogether, exacerbating the crises in obesity and inactive living
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20 Comments
My helmet has saved me three times from having injuries to my head. It is absolutely necessary and should be mandatory to use it. Every bicycle must have front and rear lights, reflective bands and mirrors, and the riders must to respect the transit signals and the pedestrians.
The biggest danger to cyclist is the push to share the road. The more cyclist mingle with cars , the more dangers come. I know there are times when the only choice is the road, but it should be minimized as much as possible imho. A 3000 lb car against a 30 lb bike is no match. We should also look at the countless studies of can/ motorcycle accidents. Most cases shown that was the car driver didn't see the motorcycle. Take into account a bicycle size compared to a motorcycle, plus the distractions of smartphones, ect, it should become obvious your chances if being see. Plus,impatient drivers are more agitated by things that slow down their commute. My suggestion is if there is a bicycle path or alternate route that will put you further away from cars, than you are better off using that instead of the road as much as possible.
"Have you got a helmet on?"
Is just something said by people who have never rode a bike to excuse themselves of any blame in a conflict with a cyclist
Lets face it, a lot of people dont want to wear a helmet because it makes you look ridiculous. Helmet manufacturers need to bring better and more stylish designs.
When you crash on a bike you hit your head. I'm so tired of this argument.
I believe that you don't wear seat belt and tell others don't wear seat belt while driving for same reasons
Most cycling injuries can be avoided if the cyclist doesn’t make any poor decisions, like making a right turn without looking or giving a hand signal or cycling on the left of a lorry
It's kinda like a seatbelt a helmet will protect ur skull drop a hammer a foot away from ur head when u have a helmet on it won't hurt as much as no helmet plus they look pretty cool
Tldr wear it if u want idrc
I watched this a few years ago and it really helped to ramp up my thinking on the folly of bike helmets. It wasn't simply this of course, but it combined with other sources. In fact I never wore helmets when I was a kid, no one ever did then in the 1970s, especially the kids, and after getting back into bikes six years ago, after many years of not having one and only rarely borrowing one on out of town trips, over the years, where friends often insisted I wear a helmet on their bikes, which I felt degraded by, I saw absolutely no reason to change my habits on no helmet wearing for bicycles. Two of the main lines of argument are touched on in this video; Risk compensation, and automobile closer passing. These are valid theories which by themselves alone turn the whole kneejerk mindset of helmets for bikes on it's head!
What a dumb argument, how many people will stop cycling because they have to wear a helmet. I wonder how many people stopped driving because it’s uncomfortable to wear a seat belt.
What about should drivers be forced to wear hiviz, knee protection and a helmet?
No helmet is going to stop a lorry running over you.
Having said that I don't ride without one, and have had several crashes when the helmet has saved teeth, skin and more.
Actually…never mind traffic. My mate got attacked by a red kite (the bird type) a few months ago. I'm not sure if the helmet just gave it more of a target to aim for.
Bike safety is:
1) Visibility
2) Predictability
3) Fail Safe
Honestly no different than other modes of transit. You got to be seen. Don't chil out in people's blind spots and give people fair warning of what you're doing. When someone isn't paying attention (car, bike or pedestrian) you better be the one paying attention/prepared. I cycle and drive. Even when Im biking along the best bike infrastructure something can always happen. Inertia will still flow through you whether its a car or the ground. You don't get to cherry pick physics.
ironically, im an ER nurse in inner city Houston and I commute on my bike to work 99% of my shifts…sometimes I wear a helmet, sometimes I do not. What I've observed is I feel I am much safer when I am ultra aware of my surroundings and not riding like an A hole. Practicing these behaviors will keep me safer than any helmet will.
I will admit, once I got my first real road bike and felt comfortable on it, I began to ride a little recklessly….had a few close calls and some real collisions too. I've learned a lot and would like to be riding my bike well in to old age thank you very much! And to do that, I need to practice safe riding behaviors and continue to be very aware. Again, this mindset will keep safer than any helmet.
Why would it reduce cycling. A cycling helmet can be bought for less than 30 euros and it's better than nothing when falling off a bike at low speed.
oh boy
I just feel the helmet protects my head so if I come off my bike my head is protected 😊
Forced? No. Should you? Yup.
Wear a helmet please. Today I was in an incident where I had right of way and a car pulled out without looking and I did a flip off my bike and landed on my head. I only had a concussion, if I hadn't been wearing a helmet I would be dead or a vegetable.