When people don’t wear bike helmets

[Blackbinsack]

I know there un cool not the comfort-ablest thing and pain to have to carry once your bikes locked up. but why don’t more people where them I once fell off my bike and my helmet completely cracked could of
Been my head had I not worn it 26,000 people are treated in hospital for brain and head injuries every year due to not wearing a helmet.

My ex was hit by a car and travelled 54 feet down the road, after going over her car, he had multiple injuries and 54stitches in his head, brain haemorrhage along with other injuries to his body. No helmet saved him, he lived

We can all tell a tale but no one can say for certain that a helmet saved them

a helmet didn't prevent DP's other serious injuries in different accidents (back, shoulder, hip). Cars drive aggressively and most drivers get the rage when they see someone in lycra.

cars are the problem. not helmets (or the lack off).

Queenofnights

Here are a few signs that Facebook friends have found around our local area. Spell correct away!!

more cycling without or with helmet word actually save the NHS money as we are a country full of fat and unhealthy people. Cycling on a large scale (Holland etc) would change that.

there is actually a lot of research out there which clearly shows that (and why) enforceing a helmet won't save lifes (even the opposite may be true)

bettytaghetti I have come down a hill on a bicycle at over 30mph without a helmet on

Cars are not the problem - motorists can be a problem and they like to victim blame

I wonder if people give as much thought to placing their children in a metal box that has the same affect as smoking. Cars pollute inside and it is poisoning children

I wonder how damaging it is for toddlers to be towed around in those trailers that people tow behind bikes? The poor kids are practically level with the exhaust pipe of a lot of vehicles so will be getting a faceful of fumes in traffic. It doesn't stop people doing it though.

They also don't often take into account that, while the adult on a bicycle is well within view in a driver's door mirror, once along the inside of a car the trailer is below that level and pretty much invisible. I once saw one of these outfits overtake a car on the inside while the driver was indicating left. He waited for the bike to pass, but started to turn before the trailer trailer had moved out of the way, he simply couldn't see it. They need some sort of high level indicator that there is a trailer behind imo.

When were in the States we'd often see people on motorbikes in shorts and vest tops, complete insanity.

Dutchie here.

Although there are cycle paths you do end up on the same road as the cars in most city commutes. I don't believe that it matters that the country is flat (flat is almost an understatement in that sentence). I do believe that the motorists are more aware of the cyclists because they are cyclists too. You do have cyclists everywhere so it isn't the odd one you encounter once in a while. Everyone cycles here. I have to say that I wouldn't wear a helmet unless legally required too. I cycle as easily as I walk (really true) and I don't use a helmet for walking on the street either.

The grammar police can FOTTOSOFATFOSM. This is a chat forum for people of all languages and spelling abilities. Start your own little perfect spelling forum if it's so important to you.

Because it's not illegal. Cycling on the pavement is illegal though and I've seen a person cycling on the pavement wearing a helmet shouting to someone cycling on the road coz they were not wearing a helmet. The hypocrisy was astounding - the guy on the pavement obviously gave little thought to the pedestrians he was putting in danger as he was breaking the law, meanwhile the other guy, cycling perfectly legally on the road without a helmet got an earful.

The most protection a helmet will give you is from the judgemental stares from others!

Life is a risk, I will wear my helmet on my racing bike or my mountain bike if I'm doing fast stuff because that carries a greater risk but I reserve the right not to wear one when I'm happily ambling along a forest track or cycling slowly into town for the shopping.

Hi vis is much more relevant as it'll increase the chances of you being seen in the first place.

You are allowed an opinion if grammar isn't 100% but it doesn't carry much weight or authority.

Opinions are like arseholes in that everyone has one, much like this thread does.

I wonder how damaging it is for toddlers to be towed around in those trailers that people tow behind bikes? The poor kids are practically level with the exhaust pipe of a lot of vehicles so will be getting a faceful of fumes in traffic. It doesn't stop people doing it though.

Same level as a pushchair or buggy

cars are the problem

No, drivers are the problem, although a small minority of cyclists seem to have a death wish (like the one I regularly see who stops at a red light at a crossroads, mounts the pavement, cycles across the next road without bothering to check the pedestrian lights and frequently crosses the path of cars as they're pulling away - wtf?)

If all road users had more consideration and respect for others, travelling in this country would be safer and less stressful.

To all the helmet advocates - can I ask s question and get a response?

there are clear statistics showing that the biggest cause of head injuries are car accidents (that is, drivers or passenger of cars, not helmet less cyclists getting hit).

Helmets would clearly provide a much needed extra layer of support. do you and your children wear a helmet whilst being in a car and if not, why not?

if riding a bike without a helmet, surely driving a car without is too!

I wear a helmet. It doesn't make me take unnecessary risks. When I came off my bike before Christmas, the first thing to hit the road was my helmet. Thanks to my helmet I was fortunate to make it to my destination on that day.

'Could of' grates and we should learn to avoid using it.

@ivy

I appreciate that, but buggies don't tend to be in amongst the traffic: they may be alongside it, or passing through it, but cyclists tend to be in amongst it and often stationary.

Lakielady Did you read the link?

There is less pollution cycling and walking and more in the back of a car where you put your children

The reason they don't wear them on netherlands is prob cos there are less vehicles. Having said that a fall onto concrete from a bike can be fatal. What annoys me is adults with dcs expecting dcs to wear them but don't wear them themselves-not setting a good example.Scooter riders should also wear them and perhaps if they started with them then such a fuss wouldn't be made by the time they ride a bike. A nurse in my area launched a massive campaign years ago for helmets to be worn as she had seen so many injuries during her years in paediatrics. Maybe if it were made a legality to wear them and they were subsidised this would help. Also help those 'cool' teenagers who think they look good racing down a main rd without one-not so cool a look being wrapped around a lamp post though.

A big difference in Holland I feel is that the automobile is always responsible in a collision between a car or a bike. So car drivers are more careful with regards to cyclists on the roads.

Also in the 70's the infrastructure was put in place for safe cycling, a comprehensive network of cycle lanes were put in place, cycle tunnels etc.

Mind you if any dcs are in one of those material type tag on things on the backs of bikes they don't stand a chance anyway helmet or not. Those always look like death traps to me. Steps down off soapbox puts on helmet waits for barrage of abuse from angry parents defending use of such hideous contraptions.....

I wonder how damaging it is for toddlers to be towed around in those trailers that people tow behind bikes? The poor kids are practically level with the exhaust pipe of a lot of vehicles so will be getting a faceful of fumes in traffic. It doesn't stop people doing it though

Do you think that pollution stays at toddler level or that fumes dont go onto pavements? or into cars?

More people cycling means less people commuting in cars and trains, less pollution, more demand means better infrastructure too.

Helmets are not compulsory on bicycles, its an individual choice.

Elitist because someone would like someone else to type words with the correct spelling?

Do you want bread with your chip?

Surely we all want the best for everyone and dumbing down isn't it.

occamsinfrastructure-do u mean Holland or here? The one here isn't taken much notice of by motorists from what I've seen. I didn't know that about Holland-makes more sense though injuries can still occur from falling/riding into someone else-they all wear them in the Tour de France!

People who only pay attention to information that is correctly spelt and grammatically perfect are cutting themselves off from a wealth of important information from people who know a lot about their field but can't spell very well. Clever people look at what's said as well as how it's written.

I sometimes find correction of grammar and punctuation to be disablist. Depends how it's done, the attitude with which the info is delivered. I wouldn't dream of just nitpicking my dyslexic friend's SPAG if she sent me a message on Facebook though, that's just weird. I'm not her teacher and I'm not better than her as a person because of some spelling mistakes etc. It can come across as very arrogant too, when the topic is bypassed to hone in on the s/g: "Oh I couldn't possibly discuss the issue at hand with someone who writes 'could of' instead of 'could have'" Why? Its not unintelligable, they aren't speaking a foreign language that you have no experience in.