Roadies without helmets
Discussion
So I saw this bloke yesterday with a nice looking road bike (quite expensive probably) and some nice lycra gear, got his head down pedalling hard, uphill and at a fair lick. 
Thing is he wasn't wearing a helmet despite the fact the roads he was riding upon are busy main roads with lots of junctions, some with very limited sightlines for cars alighting. The guy was probably in his 50's and quite probably has never worn a helmet in his life and isn't about to start now...maybe.
I think it's strange that he'll invest all this time (probably) and money in his appearance but won't stretch to wearing a £30 helmet that might just save his life.
How many roadies on here have all the gear but don't wear a helmet, show of handsm, if so, what's the logic?
Thing is he wasn't wearing a helmet despite the fact the roads he was riding upon are busy main roads with lots of junctions, some with very limited sightlines for cars alighting. The guy was probably in his 50's and quite probably has never worn a helmet in his life and isn't about to start now...maybe.
I think it's strange that he'll invest all this time (probably) and money in his appearance but won't stretch to wearing a £30 helmet that might just save his life.
How many roadies on here have all the gear but don't wear a helmet, show of handsm, if so, what's the logic?
I did read something, somewhere, once, maybe, that said of all the accidents you're going to have on a bike, a helmet will actually help in very very few of them.
I still wear a helmet every time, without fail - no idea why, just seems sensible to me, and I don't find them off putting at all (though sometimes a little hot, but that's it).
I still wear a helmet every time, without fail - no idea why, just seems sensible to me, and I don't find them off putting at all (though sometimes a little hot, but that's it).
My uncle was involved in an accident about 9 years ago on a bike. He wasn't wearing a helmet, hit his head off the curb and is now severly handicapped. I mean severly. No quality of life, sits in his wheel chair muttering that he wants to smash the drivers head in. The driver had no insurance, license or MOT etc...
They did tests on the speeds and the angle he flew to determine if a helmet would have helped as this would have affected the compensation etc...
The helmet, they determined and the evidence was used in the court, would have done sod all.
I still wear one always though.
They did tests on the speeds and the angle he flew to determine if a helmet would have helped as this would have affected the compensation etc...
The helmet, they determined and the evidence was used in the court, would have done sod all.
I still wear one always though.
Edited by McFsC on Friday 19th August 10:37
I'm sure it's the older generation that doesn't get "it". There are far more cars on the roads now than there ever was and far more drivers who simply can't drive...my files suggest so. I just think it's an unnecessary risk.
When I'm MTBing and we have to go on roads to link trails, is when I feel most uncomfortable. I'd rather be doing big drops on a DH bike than riding on the roads nowadays. I'm not exactly risk averse myself but maybe I'm just a big wuss.
TDF made helmet wearing compulsory for a reason.
In fact all bike sports, to my knowledge have made it compulsory to wear one.
When I'm MTBing and we have to go on roads to link trails, is when I feel most uncomfortable. I'd rather be doing big drops on a DH bike than riding on the roads nowadays. I'm not exactly risk averse myself but maybe I'm just a big wuss.
TDF made helmet wearing compulsory for a reason.
In fact all bike sports, to my knowledge have made it compulsory to wear one. TonyHetherington said:
It was only in recent years (as in the last 7 or 8) that helmets on the Tour de France were compulsory, wasn't it? Before then I don't recall anyone wearing one;
For the first year or two after introducion they were allowed to take them off for the climbs in the mountains too.anniesdad said:
How many roadies on here have all the gear but don't wear a helmet, show of handsm, if so, what's the logic?
Strange old custom called 'Freedom of Choice'. Not sure that there are many areas of life in which we are still able to apply said freedom. Live and let live, because in this case the person you described will physically hurt no one but himself solely due to his choice to 'bare his bonce'. I wear a helmet out of habit, and haven't riden without one further than the local shop in years, despite the fact that NOT wearing one once saved me (potentially) from serious spinal injury after a MTB 'off' [details have been discussed before, not writing another essay on the subject]. Thing is, I bought both my kids decent quality helmets, eldest (now 18) cycles mostly on roads/recreational trails, and chooses not to wear his, youngest, (13) isn't yet given the choice to ride uncovered, and would probably wear one anyway, as he likes the woodland single track, where glasses and a lid are pretty much essential to avoid injury from branches etc. Another reason I wear one is to give me somewhere to mount a lamp, as a lot of my riding is at night, and bar mounted lamps can't always provide enough info about obstructions/hazards at body/head height when riding trails at night and a head lamp allows better advanced observation (and therefore higher speeds) on rural roads at night. We all have our own lives to lead, there's plenty of debate and much in the way of conflicting evidence from various interest groups regarding the effectiveness of helmets, so until (God forbid) there's legislation on the subject, just keep your own house in order, and leave others to keep theirs. After all, this isn't Miracle Day, [Torchwood reference, look it up on BBC iPlayer]so we've all of us got to die of something.anniesdad said:
TDF made helmet wearing compulsory for a reason.
Though not in the TDF itself, there was the Belgian rider, whose name escapes me, that crashed and died as a result of face/head impact (even though he was wearing a helmet) earlier this year. I imagine it's a case of there are occurences where a helmet will help - it's personal choice whether you want to risk one of those occurences happening to you.
Wear on or don't wear one but thank God we have a choice still.
Having looked at all the data (as part of my degree) I wear one, the statistics are terrible biased due to the data being "given" by manufacturers, insurers etc all being loaded in their favour.
I'm happy to wear one in case of an accident "at least he had a helmet on" and it makes it easier to talk my friends and families kids into wearing theirs when they ride with us.
(I also find the helmet works as a good sweatband and as such is looks cooler than dressing like a 80's tennis player :-)
Having looked at all the data (as part of my degree) I wear one, the statistics are terrible biased due to the data being "given" by manufacturers, insurers etc all being loaded in their favour.
I'm happy to wear one in case of an accident "at least he had a helmet on" and it makes it easier to talk my friends and families kids into wearing theirs when they ride with us.
(I also find the helmet works as a good sweatband and as such is looks cooler than dressing like a 80's tennis player :-)
I don't wear a lid when riding on the road... no real reasoning to it, other than I don't want to. I ride on busy roads, and get up to some decent speeds. But given the choice, I'll go without everytime.
I've got a lid, and a full face carbon lid, for when I'm doing anything silly on the MTB, which is rare these days. A ride through the fields, round the reservior will see me sans lid. Whistler will see me fully kitted up, naturally.
I suppose it comes down to risk management and what, as individuals, we deem an acceptable trade off.
I've got a lid, and a full face carbon lid, for when I'm doing anything silly on the MTB, which is rare these days. A ride through the fields, round the reservior will see me sans lid. Whistler will see me fully kitted up, naturally.
I suppose it comes down to risk management and what, as individuals, we deem an acceptable trade off.
Edited by Johnny on Friday 19th August 11:30
McFsC said:
My uncle was involved in an accident about 9 years ago on a bike. He wasn't wearing a helmet, hit his head off the curb and is now severly handicapped. I mean severly. No quality of life, sits in his wheel chair muttering that he wants to smash the drivers head in. The driver had no insurance, license or MOT etc...
They did tests on the speeds and the angle he flew to determine if a helmet would have helped as this would have affected the compensation etc...
The helmet, they determined and the evidence was used in the court, would have done sod all.
I still wear one always though.
Awful story and I feel for you and him. They did tests on the speeds and the angle he flew to determine if a helmet would have helped as this would have affected the compensation etc...
The helmet, they determined and the evidence was used in the court, would have done sod all.
I still wear one always though.
Edited by McFsC on Friday 19th August 10:37
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