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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20068083
Interesting article. I like the pictures of Berlin. At our Love London Go Dutch conference the head of the Dutch Cycling Embassy, Roelof Wittink , said that Berlin had left far too many multi-lane main roads thoughout the city, when he rides there he gets frightened that an airliner might mistake the roads for a runway and try to land on the road.
Roelof gave us an interesting presentation on reducing danger and street design.

The BBC's Stephen Evans writes, "Berlin is enjoying a cycling boom, with miles of new cycle paths and more than half a million bike journeys made every day - but controverisally, a helmet is rarely seen." The only thing controversial about it is that he bothers to mention it.
Less controverisally he writes, "There is an argument now that if cities insist on helmets for bike-hire schemes, then people simply don't ride bikes. And if people don't ride bikes, then they're less fit and that means that more of them die of heart-attacks.
On this argument, insisting on helmets raises the overall death rate."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20068083

The test of whether cycling has really taken off in a city is who does it. In New York, it is urban warriors, young men usually, who zip aggressively between lanes.

     In London, it's a bit of that, but also, I suspect,  eco-zealots who are asserting their credentials - though the Boris bike  scheme may be taking it more mainstream.

When did he write that piece of crap? I don't know any urban warriors or eco-zealots.

We do not wear helmets. It is foolish, but we don't. I always mean to - but I don't. I realise that the brain is man's second favourite organ - but I still leave my helmet behind.

And that piece of crap. Why is he even raising that question propagating the helmet myth in this piece

Why is he even raising that question propagating the helmet myth in this piece

Because the myth is very widely believed. He did that piece for FOOC, he's a foreign correspondent going off his specialist subject, so his comments are no better informed than the vox populi

Helmet talk on 5live with Wiggins.

I got a lid about a week ago, i was 50 50 for a while, but i am spending a stupid amount of time riding and mostly in the dark, get clipped at least once a week, passed with mm's to spare, my average speeds almost doubled and I have got the baby one for his balance bike, kind of show and he'll follow.

I am used to wearing helmet's from riding motorbike's but I still can't get used to looking like I have a shiny bell end on top of my head.

I'd like to think, knowing the idiots around here, it'll lessen the going through a windscreen backwards impact and also stop me cracking my head on railing's when I have spd fail.

I am realistic in that if i get head on'd I am pretty much mushed, I got head injuries through a £400 AGV helmet made of carbon and all sort's of shit, this is just going to take certain impacts, I,e into a car that's slowed and turned kind of thing, not a say 30 mph sprint with a car turning into you at 35.

That's my take on it, I feel a little safer wearing it, in some circumstances it restricts view a little, keeps my head warmer than id like but its only budget, has a light on the adjuster so I am a little more visible, may lessen an injury, may not.

I've chosen to wear one for my own reasons, mainly cos i've got a little boy, 30 years without one but I now live in the worst place to be on the road in the country, no cnut knows how to drive here (worked all over the country and driven all over the world).

I do however look like a cock in it.

All this chat, but I think it is pretty simple: it should definitely be illegal to not use punctuation.

I agree

^^ A point well made.

^ Commaaahhhhn.

I think the punctuation police are just a big anally retentive. It's time for you to release the colon.

'bit'

Otherwise very good. :)

iPhone + podgy fingers + wine

MPs have just tried to summarise this thread:-
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2012-11-21a.176.1

I just took a pretty huge spill and am quite convinced that my helmet saved me from some damage. Only started wearing one this week and partially because of this thread so thanks, I guess.

MPs have just tried to summarise this thread:-
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2012-11-21a.176.1
Helmets as a panacea for cyclists safety, yet again.

Perish the thought that a paradigm shift in responsibility, accountability and general attitude would do far more than more helmet wearing.

Congratulation on your spill spiderpie.

compulsory helmets is bollocks to take away the fact that there are a load of drivers on the road who are fuckwits and shouldn't be behind the wheel. i shouldn't have to pad-up like a keirin rider because someone isn't looking where they are going/on the phone/driving too fast/not safe enough to be on roads

Helmets as a panacea for cyclists safety, yet again.

Perish the thought that a paradigm shift in responsibility, accountability and general attitude would do far more than more helmet wearing.

That's not really a fair reflection of the debate. Of course, there are dickheads in parliament, as there are outside it, who think helmet compulsion is a good idea, but the debate contained both the opposing views* on helmet compulsion and plenty of comment on the points you raise.

*Obviously, as this was parliament where every discussion is weighed down by the dogma that government can solve problems, only the statistical public benefit counterarguments were put. The thing which always seems to be conspicuous by its absence in parliamentary debate is what one might call the Cato viewpoint - individual liberty, limited government, free markets and peace.

Individual liberty - helmet choice is a matter for the individual,
Limited government - there is no public good to be had by compulsion because the effect of helmet choice bears principally on the individual,
Free markets - the costs and benefits of helmet use can be priced individually by each market actor without state intervention,
Peace - compulsion degrades society because all impositions of government invoke dispute.

The person chairing basically ignored the evidence against helmet compulsion.

Some might like to skip to the end though and see the minister for transport saying that although they would do everything to recomend helmets they werrn't going to bring in compulsion. Debate ends.

Also liked the comment saying that helmets for peds and drivers would have a greater effect on deaths and injuries.

Michael Hutchinson had a good skit on helmets in the Comic this week.

Isn't he the dead guy from inxs?

No, that was Michael Hutchence. But you know that.

wasn't he playing with his helmet when he died?

Belt up DJ, you can't hang a cycling argument on an auto-erotic act.