Do you use protection?

Just trying to see how people are with the topic of wearing helmets for commuting.

Do you wear a helmet when cycling? If so, did anything in particular spark you into wearing it? Or have you just always done so.

I have been commuting by bike since july, and until this week have never worn a helmet. I was confident in my abilities to avoid an accident, and was arrogant/cocky enough to believe I'd never be hurt.

Anyway, on Tuesday I was cycling home when some pedestrian stepped off the path directly in front of me, we collided at about 25mph, and i was thrown over the handlebars. I landed on my back and other than a few cuts and general stiffness, I'm fine.

But I decided that this was my wake up call, and decided to invest in a helmet. So I bought a good, Met helmet today. It looks okay, for a helmet, is comfortable, and was well sold by the reliable bike shop salesman.

So what about you? Do you wear a helmet when commuting?

daymobrew

Been wearing a helmet since 1994. Just copied my girlfriend at the time.
Been wearing a Sam Browne belt and gloves since 1988.

Civilian_Target

Used to wear out of sense of responsibilty, but not 100% of the time. Then fell off and cracked the helmet, but walked a way a little dazed instead of in an ambulance. So now wear a helmet 100% of the time because I don't want to find out what my head could look like!

RainyDay

Been wearing a helmet since a fellow cyclist showed me his cracked helmet after getting taken down by a car. Better a cracked helmet than a cracked skull.

Not that I particularly like the helmet. That icky feeling when putting on the helmet for the evening run home to find the morning's sweat hasn't dried off yet -yeuck. It's always the first thing I take off when I reach my destination.

But I wouldn't leave home without it - My 3-year old will reprimand any cyclist she sees without a helmet.

Bunnyhopper

I always wear one - have done since about 1990, when I had a lovely one with a stretchy pink and grey fabric cover. Nice. Now I've got a Met 5th Element - it was pricey, even in the sale, but has plenty of vents so it's less sweaty than a lot of the others I've used.

I came off recently - back wheel went on a lefthander - and got a nice collection of road rashes (ankle, knee, hip and elbow). The speed and ease with which you can come off a bike is a good reminder of why it's sensible to wear a helmet, particularly if there's traffic around. I managed not to hit my head but that was probably as much down to luck as anything.

EDIT: yay, 100 posts - I get another star from teacher.

hunnymonster

I've been wearing one for 5 years now. I first started when I moved to Dublin and cycling became my primary mode of transport. I've got a very expensive one for racing and a clunkier one for everyday cycling. I've had a couple of tumbles and always replace my helmet after an impact.

Johnny Jukebox

I always always wear a helmet. I've seen too many cracked and broken ones after crashes not to, and too many bashed skulls after crashes with no helmet.

When I see someone without a lid, I think.... muppet.

Morgan

Johnny Jukebox wrote:

When I see someone without a lid, I think.... muppet.

That'll be a lot then

I wear a helmet while mtbing or on my road bike. Never while commuting.

Tails142

When I cycled to school I used to never wear a helmet. But now that I cycle into the city centre, I always wear a helmet - its just too dangerous not to.

daymobrew

Morgan wrote:

I wear a helmet while mtbing or on my road bike. Never while commuting.

As a helmet wearer, I am curious why you don't wear one while commuting?
I think I can understand why you wear it mtbing - uneven terrain, etc
IMO commuting has its own dangers - hard, heavy vehicles, jaywalking pedestrians, uneven terrain.

Morgan

It's habit I suppose. I've been regularly riding to school and then work for 18-20 years or so. The only head protection back then would have been a leather hair net, which were strictly for racers. Bike helmets have become more common in recent years but I'm just very used to going without.

Bettyboo2u

To not wear a helmet is like having a death wish. Other than brakes and lights, it is the most important thing a cyclist should have.

Hermy

Banged my head against a wall as a kid on a bmx. Started wearing a helmet when I was in my twenties and would turn back if I forgot it. Regardless of terrain or duration, if I'm cycling I wear the lid. Having said that none of my bad crashes, and I have had four since the bmx thing, would have been any worse for not wearing a helmet. That's not to diminish the importance of wearing a helmet, it's just that my helmet doesn't afford my teeth or my back or my knees any protection. The thing to keep in mind though, is the signifcant difference between a broken head and broken teeth or limbs.

RainyDay

Morgan wrote:

It's habit I suppose. I've been regularly riding to school and then work for 18-20 years or so. The only head protection back then would have been a leather hair net, which were strictly for racers. Bike helmets have become more common in recent years but I'm just very used to going without.

This doesn't add up - the same would apply to your MTBing and road biking - Why wear a helmet for those activities, but not for commuting?

uberwolf

I used to have a funny double standard, helmet if I was wearing lycra, otherwise I went without

jeawan

i and my brother wear helmets simple reason , my brother works with people who have had bad accidents , and one of them was a guy not cycling with a helmet again person walked out he crashed and now he is learning to do the basic skills again , so i wear a helmet , working with that person scared my brother major as he never wore a helmet before and comutes every day

RasTa

Right this thread has scared me a little. Commuting for a couple of years now and never with a helmet. Recommend me one plz,

roadmanmad

Cycling 35 years.

Had a really serious crash in 1984. High speed down hill crash into a large dog. Not wearing any helmet.

Head completely undamaged in the fall, but everthing else broken, damaged or torn. Haunted.

In the A&E I was alongside a man who had fallen off a roof fixing an aerial and FELL ON HIS HEAD. Short fall off a low roof.

The consultant was quite agitated. Young man in high speed crash - Fine: older man with family, simple fall - his life would never be the same.

Since this I have worn a helmet. Who knows it might work.

Titiritero

I´m a bit like Tails142. I wear it when offroad but never when commuting or touring. I guess I find it too uncomfortable when not in the bike, which is most of the time when I´m using it as a way of transport.

I know it´s not the most clever and safe way to do it, but...

aldark

The subject of helmets is hotly debated by international cycling and medical experts. I don't subscribe to the view that a helmet is at all beneficial to cyclists.

First of all, look at the testing requirements for helments, Europe has its EN 1078 standard, the states have CPSC and there is also the largely ignored Snell. Any helmet sold in europe must conform to en1078. Snell standards are rated as being the hardest to pass while the european ones are easiest. There are almost no snell rated helmets sold in europe.

All of these tests are based on weighting the helmet and dropping it from a height of 2-3 metres. In other words, the helmet will only be of use to you if you fall off your bike while stationary!! There is no way that the current plastic and polystyrene helmet can help you in any serious collision.

Another issue with helmets is that they're designed to work with linear forces - ie. head on impacts etc. If the impact force causes your head or neck to twist, the helmet will act to increase this force. A helmet will not protect your neck from this type of impact. Also, your helmeted head is larger making it more likely that it could snag on an object causing your head and neck to twist e.g. the path.

Lastly, the reports that "a helmet saved my life" are fallacious - you couldn't know that for sure as you didn't have the same experience without the helmet! Medical opinion seems to be that the helmet is useful to prevent road rash - scrapes etc. but not for any impact which would cause brain injury. BTW a soft hat would provide the same road rash prevention.

Having said all that, most of the literature I've reviewed has been arguing about statistics - in countries where helmets are mandatory, have head injuries reduced etc. I'm most interested in the personal view ie. if I thought that a helmet might, in any circumstances, prevent serious head injury then I'd wear one. So far, I've seen nothing to suggest this. Some resources for you to decide yourself :-

A Pro Helmet site

A very contrarian view

A nice balanced summary of the state of play

ednwireland

only had one major accident trying a bike out from a shop !!!! guard was down wasn't concentrating fell off smacked head broke little finger. got to hospital and had a head x-ray and 5 stitches and had a cracked bone vertically down my eyesocket. the only time in 20 years i've not worn a helmet but now ive got bad sinuses and headaches wouldn't get on a bike without a helmet no matter what the situation.

Ghost Rider

About four years ago, a computer programmer I worked with got hit by a car and came off his bike, hitting his head off the road. He ended up in a coma for about 6 weeks. Upon returning to work, he was like a different person - a slower, less witty person who had trouble concentrating on his work. After a year or so, he was given a redundancy package and delicately asked to leave.

I wear a helmet all the time now.

Deleted User wrote:

Just trying to see how people are with the topic of wearing helmets for commuting.

Do you wear a helmet when cycling? If so, did anything in particular spark you into wearing it? Or have you just always done so.

I have been commuting by bike since july, and until this week have never worn a helmet. I was confident in my abilities to avoid an accident, and was arrogant/cocky enough to believe I'd never be hurt.

Anyway, on Tuesday I was cycling home when some pedestrian stepped off the path directly in front of me, we collided at about 25mph, and i was thrown over the handlebars. I landed on my back and other than a few cuts and general stiffness, I'm fine.

But I decided that this was my wake up call, and decided to invest in a helmet. So I bought a good, Met helmet today. It looks okay, for a helmet, is comfortable, and was well sold by the reliable bike shop salesman.

So what about you? Do you wear a helmet when commuting?

Hermy

aldark wrote:

The subject of helmets is hotly debated by international cycling and medical experts. I don't subscribe to the view that a helmet is at all beneficial to cyclists.

Hermy wrote:

Banged my head against a wall as a kid on a bmx.

This attitude to the wearing of helmets has been aired at length in the past on the Wicklow 200 forum and I just don't understand the logic behind it. If I had been wearing a helmet when I hit my head against a wall all those years ago I wouldn't have been the bloody mess that my neighbour found outside her garden. And I dare say Chris Boardman isn't sorry he was wearing a helmet when he was introduced to a dry stone wall as the Tour made it's way to Cork in 1998. Fine if you don't like wearing a helmet, that's up to you, but I remain unconvinced that wearing a helmet is not beneficial!

Although a cousin of mine did have his collar bone broken while out walking many years ago by a careless helmet wearing friend of his so maybe there are some inherent dangers that have yet to be discussed...

youcancallmeal

RasTa wrote:

Right this thread has scared me a little. Commuting for a couple of years now and never with a helmet. Recommend me one plz,

Yea I'm beginning to feel the same way now after reading this thread. I've had few accidents over the years but none that would of made a difference if I had been wearing a helmet. Don't want to push my luck anymore. So anyone got any recommendations for helmets?

Gavin

There has been a _lot_ of talk regarding cycle helmets already on this forum.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054976385&referrerid=&highlight=helmets+cycle
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054897712&referrerid=&highlight=helmets+cycle

cyclopath2001

Ghost Rider wrote:

I wear a helmet all the time now.

I don't wear a helmet in conditions that I judge to be low-risk.

daymobrew

youcancallme>al wrote:

So anyone got any recommendations for helmets?

Visit a local bicycle shop and describe your needs.
I have an almost 4 year old Met Stradivarius II. I wanted something with lots of ventilation. Previously I've had Specialized and Giro helmets.

delta_bravo

cyclopath2001 wrote:

I don't wear a helmet in conditions that I judge to be low-risk.

Just because it's bright and dry doesn't mean you won't have an accident. You have to judge for other peoples error also.

copacetic

daymobrew wrote:

Visit a local bicycle shop and describe your needs.
I have an almost 4 year old Met Stradivarius II. I wanted something with lots of ventilation. Previously I've had Specialized and Giro helmets.

i have this met one too, pretty comfy...

cyclopath2001

delta_bravo wrote:

Just because it's bright and dry doesn't mean you won't have an accident. You have to judge for other peoples error also.

Do you wear one while walking? If not, why not?

delta_bravo

cyclopath2001 wrote:

Do you wear one while walking? If not, why not?

1. Because I don't walk on a road.
2. Because pedestrians dont weigh over 2 tonnes and travel at speeds of over 50kmph
3. Automobiles generally don't drive on footpaths.


Putting on a helmet should be as natural as putting on a seatbelt, it may be annoying but might save your life some time

uberwolf

cyclopath2001 wrote:

I don't wear a helmet in conditions that I judge to be low-risk.

kinda like not wearing your seat belt on the way down to the shops?

cyclopath2001

uberwolf wrote:

kinda like not wearing your seat belt on the way down to the shops?

Not a good comparison, wearing a seatbelt is legally required.

A better comparison would be not wearing a helmet while walking across a road.

delta_bravo wrote:

1. Because I don't walk on a road.

Many people do, when crossing a road or if there is no footpath.

Ghost Rider

Well said.

delta_bravo wrote:

1. Because I don't walk on a road.
2. Because pedestrians dont weigh over 2 tonnes and travel at speeds of over 50kmph
3. Automobiles generally don't drive on footpaths.


Putting on a helmet should be as natural as putting on a seatbelt, it may be annoying but might save your life some time

onesoma

loads of people are missing the point here, and not reading, or choosing to misunderstand other peoples posts- particularly aldark's one.

everybody, read his post again and try hard to understand it and the pages he links to. it doesn't matter if a helmet saved you or a friend. that's not the point.

the way i see it, by concentrating on issues such as helmets, lights, reflectors, you take the emphasis and importance away from the fact that it is how you ride your bike that ultimately determines your safety.

basic training in bike riding skills is infinitely more beneficial than all the safety equipment in the world.

cyclopath2001

Ghost Rider wrote:

Well said.

Not really.

It's incorrect say that pedestrians don't use roads. How do they cross without using a road? And they're very much at risk from cars that lose control and end up on the path.

might save your life some time

So wear one while walking?

youcancallmeal

Yawn :rolleyes:

Can't we just all agree it's a good plan to wear a helmet and leave it at that?

roadmanmad

Sorry, I disagree.

I think I am highly skilled, have nerves of steel, that my road and traffic discipline is top class.

I can however make a mistake. I know this because I have had 4 crashes in 35 years that were serious.

I wear a helmet.

There are too many variables that you are not in control of. Skills only addresses part what happens on the road. How many of you have spent a wasted youth, learning the experience of going over the handlebars. I did deliberately practice this, to experience the sensation and not to sieze up. I know that this 'SKILL' has saved my life twice. First of those incidents I was not wearing a helmet, the second time I was.

It might be as simple as when you have cycled as many years as I have and covered as many miles in a huge variety of conditions. Experience tells.

As I said earlier in this forum. Wear the helmet, who knows, it might work.

uberwolf

cyclopath2001 wrote:

Not a good comparison, wearing a seatbelt is legally required.

well I was working with your vision of being able to second guess when exactly the idiot is going to open the door in front of you.

Not that I can really claim to be any better, as I posted earlier, for years I used a wearing lycra = wearing helmet rule, otherwise I wouldn't

As being pointed out defensive riding is of far more use to you than a helmet. But you may as well be wearing it as not. My only problem with helmets is the cold days where it would be warmer not to wear the helmet as the vents are giving me brain freeze!

copacetic

onesoma wrote:

read his post again and try hard to understand it and the pages he links to. it doesn't matter if a helmet saved you or a friend. that's not the point.

maybe I am too stupid to understand but isn't this whole thread about wearing helmets (or not)? it is the point.

onesoma

daveym wrote:

maybe I am too stupid to understand but isn't this whole thread about wearing helmets (or not)? it is the point.

sure it is. i wear a helmet sometimes, sometimes i don't. mostly i do wear it.

a side point is that helmets do not live up to the beliefs of many people about their safety benefits. for example, to anyone who mentioned cars: helmets are designed for falls in which no other vehicles are involved.

cyclopath2001

youcancallme>al wrote:

Yawn :rolleyes: Can't we just all agree it's a good plan to wear a helmet and leave it at that?

Then there'd be nothing to discuss.

The question is when is the risk such that should one wear a helmet?

In many countries they're mostly worn only in competition.

GreeBo

Funnily enough I wear my cycling helmet when Im cycling.
I use a cars seat belt when Im in a car.

Much the same as I wear my golf shoes when Im playing golf....

Arguments against wearing it due to it not being as safe as you think are, IMO, akin to not wearing a bullet proof vestin Bazra;

1) It slows you down making you more likely to be hit
2) It doesnt protect you from lots of different shots, head, armpit, leg
3) its uncomfortable

Would you not wear a BPV in a gun hazardous situation?

Ghost Rider

Of course you're right on both counts - but only from a hair-splittingly narrow point of view. Pedestrians do use roads. And cars do sometimes mount pavements. However - and it pains me as much to have make such obvious points as I'm sure it does anyone to have to read them - pedestrians don't use roads anything like as much as bikes do, and most car-related accidents take place on roads, not on pavements.

To conclude, to suggest that it would be logically consistent to wear a helmet while walking is to fail to acknoweldge the role of risk assessment in deciding whether or not to wear a helmet when cycling.

Personally, I adjudge most situations in which I cycle to be situations of significant risk, and that's why I always wear a helmet. Just getting up on the bike and putting my feet into the toe-clips (as I always do) incurs a risk, as far as I'm concerned. If I cycled off-road, I might feel differently about it, because the ground under me might be softer. Even still, I'd have to think about it.

cyclopath2001 wrote:

Not really.

It's incorrect say that pedestrians don't use roads. How do they cross without using a road? And they're very much at risk from cars that lose control and end up on the path.

So wear one while walking?

cyclopath2001

Ghost Rider wrote:

To conclude, to suggest that it would be logically consistent to wear a helmet while walking is to fail to acknoweldge the role of risk assessment in deciding whether or not to wear a helmet when cycling.

Is there a factual/statistical basis for the risk asessment or is it a matter of personal judgement?

uberwolf

cyclopath2001 wrote:

Is there a factual/statistical basis for the risk asessment or is it a matter of personal judgement?

Pure fact based I'd say, given the new cateye bike computer which as well as giving you your lottery numbers for the evening also gives a 98% accurate reading of the likely requirement for a helmet on your next spin.

I certainly have seen conflicting reports on the usefulness of helmets. I'm confident however that they prevent more damage than they cause. And any attempt to second guess the 'idiot opening his door in front of you' factor is doomed to failure (unless you get the latest cateye)

cyclopath2001

uberwolf wrote:

Pure fact based I'd say, given the new cateye bike computer which as well as giving you your lottery numbers for the evening also gives a 98% accurate reading of the likely requirement for a helmet on your next spin.

What model Cat-Eye computer is it?

Ghost Rider

What could they be except judgement calls? I don't think they substantially differ in quality from any of the hundreds of other risk assessments we make every day of our lives.

cyclopath2001 wrote:

Is there a factual/statistical basis for the risk asessment or is it a matter of personal judgement?

cyclopath2001

Ghost Rider wrote:

What could they be except judgement calls? I don't think they substantially differ in quality from any of the hundreds of other risk assessments we make every day of our lives.

I agree & therefore I think that helmet-wearers should respect the personal decisions of non helmet-wearers and vice-versa.

Ghost Rider

Not sure whose point you're contesting. I never insisted helmets should be mandatory.

cyclopath2001 wrote:

I agree & therefore I think that helmet-wearers should respect the personal decisions of non helmet-wearers and vice-versa.

tampopo

New to the boards and I saw this thread before I joined. Came across it again now...

When I saw the heading I thought there'd me more non-helmeted folks than helmeted. So I was very surprised to see all the people advocating wearing a helmet.

It made me consider my own behaviour, no helmet, no lights, and er, no brakes either (wheel was rubbing and catching the brakeblock so loosened it)

So, I must at least get the brakes fixed, that's my first task. I was sorry that when Hector Greys closed down and they were flogging everything off for a euro that I didn't get a pair of reflective cat collars for round me ankles cos they'd be great for cycling at night....