Remember kids... always wear a helmet. (The almighty bikeradar helmet thread)

it reminds me of the driver who crashed into me when i was waiting at a red light. her first words to me were "you cyclists are all so dangerous, look you are not even wearing a helmet!"

like a helmet was really going to offer me any protection from her crashing into me.

It's that kind of comment that really makes my blood run cold though - because it clearly indicates the thought processes going on behind the wheel are not those of the sort of person who can take responsibility for driving a car.

Cracknell fans can inspect his helmet in Marlow on Sunday morning:
http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=60161

Is that the ski-slope course? I knew I should've checked the TT handbook sooner..

Is that the ski-slope course?

Yes

The thing about risk compensation is that you're bound to say that, and you're almost certainly wrong. The fact that you wear a helmet says you have already decided that there are some foreseeable accidents in which it will mitigate your injury, and since this attitude is embedded in your consciousness, you are bound to proceed more cautiously if you leave your helmet at home, ergo you ride in a way which carries a higher probability of an accident when you are wearing a helmet, assuming that your attempt at cautious riding is actually effective.

Brilliant kitchen psych. there. Fascinating.

It's that kind of comment that really makes my blood run cold though - because it clearly indicates the thought processes going on behind the wheel are not those of the sort of person who can take responsibility for driving a car.

agreed.
apply for a job in banking and the chances are you'll be subjected to psychometric testing to establish if you're likely to fuck up their processes or try to defraud them. apply for a licence to pilot a ton of steel at speed on the public highway and you only have to demonstrate recognition of some road signs and the ability to parallel park. not that i would welcome yet more state interference in our lives but it seems to make sense that there should be psychometric testing as part of the driving test process with provision for disqualification if you hit too many of the "too much of a cunt to be allowed behind the wheel" or "unable to accept accountability for own actions" metrics.

To be honest, driving standard in this country is pretty good, it's just awareness toward cyclists that's what we needed.

solution? cycle trainer to teach driving instructor, so they can pass their knowledge onto future generation of drivers.

simply letting them know that it's alright to not be on the bicycle lane, to give them a little bit of room when overtaking etc. would make a difference IMVHO.

Landing on his chin broke his jaw. This had nothing to do with a helmet.

I believe I have read that because of the peak of the helmet it can make you more likely to hit the road with your chin. And wearing one makes you less likely to put your arms out to protect your head. I doubt both theories, but thought I'd mention it. Why not? This thread is already a car crash.

To be honest, driving standard in this country is pretty good, it's just awareness toward cyclists that's what we needed.

solution? cycle trainer to teach driving instructor, so they can pass their knowledge onto future generation of drivers.

simply letting them know that it's alright to not be on the bicycle lane, to give them a little bit of room when overtaking etc. would make a difference IMVHO.

Yeah, or we could just put that bit into the highway code, and learning materials. With maybe a public information film to get the word across to existing drivers.

Cycle training comes largely from motorcycle training anyway. All that primary position lanugage is a direct crib. And it makes a lot more sense when your bike can do 100mph.

agreed.
apply for a job in banking and the chances are you'll be subjected to psychometric testing to establish if you're likely to fuck up their processes or try to defraud them. apply for a licence to pilot a ton of steel at speed on the public highway and you only have to demonstrate recognition of some road signs and the ability to parallel park. not that i would welcome yet more state interference in our lives but*** it seems to make sense that there should be psychometric testing as part of the driving test*** process with provision for disqualification if you hit too many of the "too much of a cunt to be allowed behind the wheel" or "unable to accept accountability for own actions" metrics.

They should introduce paper, scissors or stone into the test aswell.

i have yet to hit my head in an accident

Me neither... Although I'm not sure what that means. There's a guy at work that's 50 and has never broken a bone in his body (until recently)... Doesn't mean he's never going to (as he discovered recently)

But there are often stories on here of 'accidents' where the victim neglects to mention that they were as pissed as a newt

Anecdote time. So there I was cycling along after a night of drunkenness with a very drunk lady riding on my rack (not a euph, and if my girlfriend is reading, I have no interest physically in this lady), we're going fairly fast and we hit a pothole, she bounces forward and lands on her forehead (seriously, the noise was the most sickening thing I've heard in a long time), i'm seriously considering going to a&e with her, but she says she's fine... She doesn't remember anything between getting on the bike and standing up with a grazed face... But that could just be the sambuca.

Other than a lump, bruise and graze she was totally fine (didn't even get a hangover!)... Wearing a helmet might have stopped the graze, but I doubt would have slowed the impact enough to stop the bruise and lump.

Just an anecdote make of it what you will.

They should introduce paper, scissors or stone into the test aswell.

think you'd have disqualified yourself under the terms of my awesome and original proposal.

and if my girlfriend is reading, I have no interest physically in this lady

This is my favourite part of the anecdote.

if my girlfriend is reading, I have no interest physically in this lady

What about if your girlfriend isn't reading?

http://www.tyrepress.com/News/business_area/57/23114.html
Such wonderful people handing out personal protective equipment to kids.
Perhaps Michelin should be giving big white tyres to wrap around them.
Would be more effective in a crash

tbf little kids have softer heads, cycle slower and are more likely to fall off at couple of miles an hour or crash into stationary objects so perhaps it's not completely useless for them to be wearing helmets innit.

My school never got snazzy free helmets, though. We got free plastic poop scoops for our dogs instead. That would never have protected us in a crash :(

They're also more likely to fall off at a playground, fall off when running around, fall off when they were pogo stickin'.

cycling isn't the only activity they're quite likely to fall off, they're kids after all.

My mum used to make me wear a helmet when I was skateboarding. Oh god, and pads! On my knees and on my elbows. She used to put them on me even if I didn't say I was taking the skateboard out just in case. It was very embarrassing.

My new Catlike Whisper arrived today. Much improved helmet on the one I bought two years ago. Snugger, more comfortable and works better with a cap. Expensive, but very nice.

Just had my first big off after 35 years plus of riding and racing. Nearly home when I was hit from behind, the car was doing about 50. They also didn't stop.
My head was the first thing that hit the ground, the Giro broke into bits, but probably saved my life.
You just never know.

Glad to hear you are ok. Sounds terrifying!

The fact they didn't stop shows the strange and scary lack of regard cyclists get from some motorists. Is your bike totalled?

Is my bike totalled? strangely the frame, a Planet X carbon pro seems okay...in fact totally unmarked. The same can't be said about the parts, all that survived were the calipers.
I'm now not sure if to ride this frame again. So to avoid the age old carbon debate, I'm ordering a Mercian lugless to finish off my racing days on. And I want a steel bike to train on.
And of course another Atmos.

I'm now not sure if to ride this frame again.

Send it back to PX; if they have any engineering sense, they will be interested in inspecting it, and if they have any marketing sense they'll send you a new one.

Any witnesses? This hit-and-runner needs to be reported if possible. Glad you're still in one piece.

And of course another Atmos.

I have a Giro Atmos in grey that I have worn once, at the track, the rest of the time it's been sitting on my shelf. Never even dropped or anything like that.
You can have it for £50 if you want (they seem to be going for £70+ on ebay).