To tell everyone who goes cycling (and their kids) to wear a fucking helmet ?

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

Had a phonecall off my sis last night about eldest brother who's a keen, confident cyclist.

She'd phoned him to nag for something or other and found out he'd been laid up for the past ten days after flipping over the bonnet of a car, doing a here's Johnny moment through the windscreen (his head smashed the window) and flipping over the roof.

Luckily he's a bit of a cycling nerd, he wears a high vis vest, refelective strips on trousers etc and most crucially A DECENT FUCKING HELMET

The helmet he was wearing was smashed into little pieces, it protected him from major injury and ultimately saved his life. Leaving him with a few cracked ribs and a dodgy coller bone, without it he would have been killed, a 42 year old guy who has everything to live for. He would have left behind a family who love him, and a 12 year year old daughter who he lives for.

So please, do a shocked cheese a big favour and if you don't already have one, go out today, buy a fucking helmet for everyone, including the soddin dog if needs be.

I thank you.

Thanks so much OP for starting this thread. I put up a similar post in Parenting a few weeks ago to encourage parents and their DCs to wear helmets while cycling during the holidays. I didn't get any replies - possibly I should have used AIBU.

I also have a personal interest - my son skidded on gravel and hit a viaduct while cyclying before rolling on the ground. His face was badly cut and he lost his front teeth but without a helmet he would have been brain-injured or dead.

Cycle accidents don't have to involve cars - this was caused by him cycling too fast on gravel.

i took ds (6.5) to the park yesterday on his bike. i make him wear his helmet whenever he's on the thing, although he was the only one out of about 15 child bike riders. it was only in the park so not as dangerous as a road, but some kids go bloody fast and they only have to go head first over their handle bars and they will be seriously injured. plus i bet they all ride along a road to get from their house to the park and back again.

my ex is still alive today - he travelled 54 foot own the road after the car threw him over her bonnet - roof and then bumper - his face was untouched but he had 59 stiches in his head - he wasn't brain damaged or dead - and no he wasn't wearing a helmet. His leg had extensive plastic surgery as there was no skin left on his left leg at the rear below the knee, his right leg was a mess and the tops of his legs where used to take skin and inplant on his left leg. he broke his collar bone and fractued his scull at the base.

There is a lot of information on the ctc website about whether to where helmets or not and if they are as good as people think they are.

i have witnessed a cycle helmet being smashed by a cricket ball - it was left in tiny shards - very sharp tiny shards of plastic

YANBU. Twenty years ago I lost control of my bike riding down a hill, and ended up in the middle of the road. I fractured my skull, broke my nose and dramatically altered my eyesight. I still suffer problems related to my accident to this day. No other vehicles were involved.

I understand the reasoning behind wearing a helmet making you more vulnerable in traffic, but not all cycling accidents involve another vehicle.
I recently got back on a bike for the first time since the accident. I wore a helmet, and make sure my DP and DCs do when they go out on their bikes.

Hope your brother makes a full and speedy recovery OP.

Ladyofthemanor "Virtual, what about idiotic cyclists? The type that don't have lights, or don't indicate, or cut up on roundabouts? What about those that insist on pavement and red light hopping? Or are neglecting them because you think boy racers are to blame for cyclists' injuries?"

Absolutely! Make other cyclists pay for their mistakes! Next time you see a cyclist, make sure you do just that!

That cyclist who annoyed you 2 months ago, they must be related, or at least know the one you might see tomorrow! Remind them of their relationship!

Of course, no cars ever have defective tyres, or lights, or are driven without insurance, or tax, or MOT, or license. And the driver that tried to park on the pavement while I was running along it when there was snow on the ground, skidded and nearly hit me? Why should he have been inconvenienced by the courtesy of waiting til I was past!

"If cyclists insist on using the roads, they should protect themselves"

Personally I advocate the use of a metal protective wheeled box, roughly 8 feet by 4, in which the cyclist can pedal, so the cyclist can cycle protected while insisting on using the roads. Much the best approach! Why should those pesky car drivers be responsible for controlling a 1.5 tonne vehicle after all!