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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cyclists without helmets on..

259 replies

Writerwannabe83 · 06/10/2013 09:52

Am I the only one who gets really annoyed about this?

If it is the law that us drivers have to wear seatbelts why is their safety choice an optional one?

IF we knocked a cyclist of his bike and he suffered irreparable brain damage or death as a result of a head injury it is us who would have to live with that guilt, even though they made the choice not to wear a helmet.

And then you see some parents out with their children on bikes and although the children always have helmets on, not all the parents do. It is great they are protecting their children, but why do they think their own brains don't matter? I don't mind cyclists on the road at all, but I wish they would wear helmets and keep themselves safe.

Maybe I'm just overly anxious about hitting one....or do they think it will never happen to them?

OP posts:
bearleftmonkeyright · 06/10/2013 22:11

It doesn't take any sort of bravery. You just sit on a bike and pedal, not difficult in the slightest. There are no medala for cycling. It's a perfectly normal way to travel. I do question people who have such strong opiniona on an issue which has no consequence to them. Just pass cyclists carefully. Not hard is it?

Pan · 06/10/2013 22:16

When cars over take each other they give what 3 feet at the very least?

So what's so hard about giving cyclists at least that without banging on about how 'careful' you have to be? Just do it?

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:18

Cyclists can also be at fault too. A misjudged taking of a junction whilst not wearing a helmet and wearing headphones (something I see quite a few lone cyclists doing) killed a close friend of our family...not before he'd been in a coma for months, which was devastating for his entire family. The Drs were emphatic that had he been wearing a helmet he would have sustained far fewer injuries and would probably have walked away with just the broken bones he also suffered.

The person who hit him has to live with the vision of him lying in the road with his skull caved in. We know from local people that he is a wreck because of it. I'm not sure I could live with that even if a court had ruled that the accident was not my fault. OP yanbu.

aliasjoey · 06/10/2013 22:19

I don't wear a helmet because I believe cycling should be a normal everyday activity like walking - thinking you have to wear special equipment discourages people who then worry that it is a "dangerous" thing to do. Viz the Netherlands where most cyclists don't wear helmets.

Accidents often occur at low speeds, at junctions. I do wear high viz though, and have a flashing light!

LessMissAbs · 06/10/2013 22:19

I have a God complex because I asked why some cyclists choose not to wear helmets?

No. Its because you wrote an OP which showed sociopathic tendencies somewhere on the spectrum, then regrouped and pretended to empathise with those you previously treated as being barely being worthy, while continuing to pointlessly question them in order to court popularity but with no genuine interest in what you proclaim to be able to discuss - cycling.

I for one was horrified at what you wrote with such blithe disregard for other road users and victims of dangerous drivers. I was still horrified, although more mildly, by your evident inexperience of doing a normal healthy activity, such as riding a bike, which is something you think you load into a car to take to a safe place for exercise. What a lifestyle! Do you do any activity outwith driving at all?

FWIW DH had a serious accident causing a brain injury, and we (ie inc the doctors) are unsure whether the helmet caused a concussive effect between his skull and the kerb as he bounced along it. It also fractured his eye socket, when his sports sunglasses arm became trapped under it. Nevertheless cycle helmets do probably help in minor accidents but they are too flimsy in comparison to motor cycle helmets or riding hats to make a huge difference, and it is utterly impractical to expect everyone who uses their bike to nip to the shops to don helmet and hi viz. It would make more sense to pass law making all drivers automatically responsible for collisions involving cyclists (or pedestrians). I actually do wear a helmet, but am aware of the risk of neck injuries should you fall backwards - broken necks and paralysis due to spine damage is relatively common and is often associated with helmets, particularly when mountain biking. Helmet design has changed over the years to tackle this, but it is an inherent design concept.

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:19

This was on a country road in the middle of the day. Visibility was good.

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:21

It would make more sense to pass law making all drivers automatically responsible for collisions involving cyclists (or pedestrians

This is possibly the most insane thing I have ready on MN this year. ??????

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:21

Read, sorry.

LessMissAbs · 06/10/2013 22:23

Vinegar There is evidence to suggest you are wrong. See also - women, people dressed in "normal" clothes, people with kid seats on their bikes (I can definitely attest to this one being true - the difference in how I am treated is amazing) ....

One of the cycling magazines (I forget which one and wish I had a link) did a study as to overtaking width given by cars to various cyclists. It was found that attaching a fake long blonde ponytail to a cyclist resulted in a wider overtaking gap being used...

bearleftmonkeyright · 06/10/2013 22:25

Yes cyclists can be at fault. Motorist can be at fault. But noone sets out to.have an accident. Just pass a cyclist with plenty of room and enjoy the rest of your day. It's not hard, not difficult. It doesn't need any type of discussion. Lets just get from a to b as safely as possible. If you are going to start an internet discussion about it have an informed opinion. Cycling is not an activity for others. It's for everyone.

LessMissAbs · 06/10/2013 22:25

It would make more sense to pass law making all drivers automatically responsible for collisions involving cyclists (or pedestrians This is possibly the most insane thing I have ready on MN this year. ??????

Are you actually unaware of Things That Go On Outside The UK???

Are you actually unaware that this is standard in most northern European countries?

Are you actually unaware that a burden of proof can shift as it is only a presumption???

Seriously??? It might be time to do some reading.

Pan · 06/10/2013 22:26

No it isn't insane. I agree. When a vehicle hits a bike there are often no witnesses, so really bad driving with consequences go unpunished and cost free. Such a law would vastly and quickly reduce knobbish driving behaviour and make drivers aware that there are consequences to actions.

I t would not lead to more bikes riding into cars deliberately btw.

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:27

Less miss, I lived in Belgium for years, so quite aware, thank you. I still feel this is crazy, ESP with the incident I mention above where it was quite clearly NOT the drivers fault.

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 06/10/2013 22:28

Well I'm sorry if I caused you any offence Lessmissabs. You have clearly formed an opinion on me and so we will have to agree to disagree on the type of person which seems to be a not very nice one that you think me to be.

I'm sorry to hear about your family friend homicidal psycho - how very tragic for everyone involved.

OP posts:
Pan · 06/10/2013 22:30

if it was 'clearly not the drivers fault' then he/she wouldn't have anything to worry about re responsibility. It's a presumption, not an edict of responsibility where the evidence is contrary.

Pan · 06/10/2013 22:32

the other thing about that story is, how do we know the cyclist was at fault, if he was in a coma? Do we take the drivers word for it? Just asking.

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:34

Pan, of course it would not involve more collisions, but if someone pulled out in front of you without signalling or looking, and you hit them, and killed them, and had to live with the awareness that this had destroyed their families lives completely, then how would it be just or fair for you to also be labelled at fault and possibly face a prison sentence?

I live in the sticks, I cycle a LOT, I come across a lot of knobs in cars who don't know how to approach or overtake or leave enough space for a cyclist. I also come across plenty of thoughtful and careful drivers. Equally I also know several cyclists who take stupid risks and cycle, quite frankly like assholes.

Bike helmets save lives in some instances where collisions happen with any of these parties involved. They should be worn.

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:35

Pan, there were two witnesses. Both unknown to either party.

RIZZ0 · 06/10/2013 22:35

I'm really irritated by all the people saying helmets only protect you if you fall over, speculating that being in a proper crash they would do nothing etc... ill informed excuses.

My friend was hit by a car at speed, flew over it and smashed her (helmeted) head on a postbox. She is alive today because of her helmet. She has problems with her leg and a frontal lobe injury to recover from but she's alive. This would not have happened without a helmet and every single specialist she dealt with said so.

Pan · 06/10/2013 22:36

ok, thanks. just gets round the coma issue.

ILikeBirds · 06/10/2013 22:37

in which case presumed liability would make little difference

HomicidalPsychoJungleCat · 06/10/2013 22:37

And it's not a story. It happened, it was highly traumatic, and the picture of my very dear friend witha huge hole in his head and his face puffed up to three times its size due to injuries is something i will never forget. I think I need to step away from this thread.

bearleftmonkeyright · 06/10/2013 22:39

Writer it does seem quite clear you know nothing about cycling and don't want to know. I do wear a helmet. But that's up to me. I suggest you concentrate on giving cyclists plenty of room and let us worry about our own safety.

ILikeBirds · 06/10/2013 22:41

Rizzo, i also know people who have had doctors tell them their helmet saved their life. Thing is they weren't wearing one!

There are so many factors to consider when it comes to injuries that it is often not clearcut

microserf · 06/10/2013 22:43

I find this thread utterly ridiculous. Of course cyclists should bloody well wear helmets. I make the dcs wear helmets when cycling or scooting. Not to give a false sense of security nor give motorists the sense they can mow them down like skittles (these are the most ridiculous posts I think I have ever seen) but because they travel at speed and can injure themselves when they fall off or go head over the handlebars.

Helmets save lives. If I see a cyclist without one, I think they are an idiot.