Helmets - increase injuries

tunney · 10-08-2009 08:26AM #1

On a few threads multiple posters, whose opinion I'd respect (for freds), stated that "helmets increase the likelihood of some types of injuries"

So how many posters have first hand, and i stress first hand, experience of a crash in which they had a spill and came away from it thinking - "thank god I wasn't wearing a helmet, if I had been I would have been fcuked"?

And a second question how many have had a spill and came away from it thinking - "thank god I was wearing a helmet, if I hadn't been I would have been fcuked"?

Raam · 10-08-2009 08:30AM

I had one outside my work, wasn't wearing a helmet at the time. Wish I had been. Whacked my head off the ground and had some nice face rash for a long time. It's still there but not as noticable. I was a bit of a zombie for a couple of weeks. Woke up every morning like I had a hangover.

ednwireland · 10-08-2009 08:32AM

i shall regail my usual 2 accidents

1 hit a bad road surface coming out of work in the uk split helmet sore neck some road rash

2 trying bike out from shop no helmet, fell off ( talk about embarrassing) ended up with fractured eye socket 5 stitches and still had a sore neck (brake lever also broke my little finger but i dont think a helmet wouldve saved me)

all other scrapes never hit my head on the road

i always wear a helmet btw

TinyExplosions · 10-08-2009 08:35AM

Neither for me. Any crashes I've had (with or without helmet on) I've always thought that it wouldn't have made a difference either way.

Maybe I just don't crash enough/badly enough

rottenhat · 10-08-2009 08:36AM

You couldn't have waited until Friday for this?

Oh, and +1 on Tiny's post - of all the accidents I've had, never once have I come close to hitting my head. Still wear the helmet though

DJsail · 10-08-2009 08:38AM

On the few times I have tasted the National Road Agency's development plan first hand I've continuously thanked God for the good people at Giro and their efforts in providing me with such a good piece of kit!

Me thinks this thread will be popular!

Canis Lupus · 10-08-2009 08:41AM

Two crashes in my cycling life both involved going over the handlebar, rolling along the front wheel and pretty much landing on my arse/feet. Much to my own amusement. Both crashes caused by pretty women as well. So pretty that I took my eyes off the road in front of me to look at them.

So no a helmet was of no use and I still don't wear one.

rottenhat · 10-08-2009 08:47AM

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Both crashes caused by pretty women as well. So pretty that I took my eyes off the road in front of me to look at them.

So no a helmet was of no use and I still don't wear one.

Sounds like a pair of horse blinders might be in order though.

Beasty · 10-08-2009 08:48AM

Only one major accident (in over 40 years of cycling), which involved going over the handlebars and hitting the tarmac helmet first. Ended up in hospital for 3 days with concussion and needed skin graft around the corner of my eye (plus plenty of roadrash across face and arms). Helmet absorbed major part of the impact, and without it I am sure I would have had much more serious injuries.

Ddad · 10-08-2009 08:50AM

Not me, but my good buddy Noel, had a spill in a group of cyclists caused by dog walkers in the middle of the road. Showed me the helmet; split back to front. Methinks he'd be relearning the alphabet if he hadn't been wearing it.

MadHatter · 10-08-2009 08:52AM

All bar one of my spills have involved the rear wheel sliding out (on ice or greasy road) and me going sliding along the road on my back or shoulder, no fear of hitting my head.

However I did come off earlier this year on the way to work, going down a hill, front wheel hit some ice and it went from under me. I was thrown forward (not sure how exacly) and landed upside down with my shoulder and head taking the impact simultaneously. Very glad to have been wearing a helmet. I won't claim that it saved my life, but it certainly prevented a some road rash, a serious headache, and possibly a trip to A&E.

Jawgap · 10-08-2009 08:54AM

In the few spills I've had only once did I reckon a helmet saved me from a sore head.

Coming around a corner at speed and hit some ice - the back wheel stepped out and I came down hard breaking my right collar bone and smacking my helmeted head off the ground.

On looking at the state of the helmet afterwards I felt I was lucky to be wearing it or my headache would have been a lot worse.

On reflection - I reckon the helmet did it's job, but if I'd been a bit more sensible in choosing my route and my speed I probably wouldn't have had the accident in the first place.

Making helmets compulsory would be a nonsense. One of my more favourite arguments against compulsion goes like this - it would be llike blaming gunshot victims for failing to wear a bullet proof vest!!!

If the authorities really want to make cycling safer they should address road user behaviour.

peterako · 10-08-2009 08:59AM

Not riding quite a long as Beasty, but close to 40 years. And have had a few nasty accidents in my day (Mountain and Road).

So far only a few stand out as needing my helmet (which I always wear).

One:
Riding at low speed pushing my wife along and I lost balance.

Fell off the bike onto my back.

Was wearing a backpack and my head was thrown back 'whiplash' fashion.

I remember thinking (as my helmet hit the tarmac):

1. Thank God I have a helmet on!
2. I hope my daughters (who were riding behind) saw that!

My helmet did its job well, cracking and absorbing the impact which would surely have cracked my head.

Unfortunately my daughters didn't see me fall

Like previous posters many of my other accidents would not have resulted in head injuries, but for the few that could have.....
And rememeber, many of the accidents that occur are due to OTHER road users, and therefore outside your control

Now, like the seatbelt in the car, I feel 'naked' if not wearing my helmet on my bike.

Peter

Beasty · 10-08-2009 09:01AM

Jawgap wrote: »

If the authorities really want to make cycling safer they should address road user behaviour.

Agreed, but they also need to deal with the very poor quality of roads. I realise this is going down the priority list in the current economic climate, but I do find it staggering that there is major ongoing investment in certain motorways that are hardly used, when they are incapable of fixing potholes in roads that have probably not been resurfaced in decades.

mloc123 · 10-08-2009 09:01AM

Even *if* a helmet takes none of the force it still will act as a spacer between your face and the ground. Have only hit the ground hard once with my head and glad I had the helmet on.

keenan110 · 10-08-2009 09:01AM

A few years ago cycling to school i fell of my bike into a pebbel dashed wall, big chunks were taken out of my helmet, so im glad that wasnt my head!

Gavin · 10-08-2009 09:08AM

Anyone else notice that when helmetless, one gets strange looks from helmeted cyclists?

I get these disapproving looks which, after much pondering, I can only conclude are from lack of helmet. Particularly odd as the disapproving cyclists are bike salmon !

blorg · 10-08-2009 09:22AM

I have had accidents NOT wearing a helmet where I didn't hit my head but possibly would have (not seriously) had I been wearing the helmet, due to the increased head diameter. I still think in an accident a helmet on balance is likely to reduce the severity of injuries and would prefer to be wearing one if in an accident. However the likelihoood of serious accident causing head injury is also low.

ROK ON · 10-08-2009 09:36AM

@Blorg - the fact that the probability of any event is statistically low, is largely irrelevant if the consequences of that event occurring are too diificult to bear.
I see this logic in my job all the time, the ah sure that is unlikely to happen, rather than questioning the likely outcome if it did in fact happen.

Let me say, I wear a helmet out of a sense of safety (perceived). I don't like wearing one, they are uncomfortable, and I would prefer not to wear one - but can't feel safe without one.

Raam · 10-08-2009 09:37AM

I stopped wearing one going to work since I bought a load of cycling caps

Chips Lovell · 10-08-2009 09:40AM

I've had mercifully few spills and never one that involved impact on my head. Nevertheless I'd still wear it virtually all of the time (i.e. with the exception of maybe a spin down to the shops or across town). At this stage I'd feel naked without one.

Having said that, I wouldn't be a helmet evangelist, i.e. calling someone dumb for not wearing one or arguing for compulsion. At the end of the day, it's personal choice. I feel that it reduces the likelihood of injury, but I know that it doesn't make me immune from it.

tunney wrote: »

On a few threads multiple posters, whose opinion I'd respect (for freds), stated that "helmets increase the likelihood of some types of injuries"

I think these remarks are fuelled by studies that show helmets increase the likelihood of certain injuries. However, you have to take these things in context, i.e. balance the likelihood of those injuries against those that a helmet would prevent/mitigate. There was also that study that found that motorists drove closer to people wearing helmets than those without, though I remember reading that one and wondering a little about its methodology.

Canis Lupus · 10-08-2009 09:40AM

ROK ON wrote: »

Let me say, I wear a helmet out of a sense of safety (perceived). I don't like wearing one, they are uncomfortable, and I would prefer not to wear one - but can't feel safe without one.

I find the lack of that safety feeling makes me a safer and more sensible cyclist.

Having said that I was belting down a hill yesterday and the thought did potter into my unprotected head that I should possibly be wearing one seeing as I was keeping pace with traffic on a dual carriageway. I think I may invest simply for spins where I tend to be in places where I can get up a bit of speed rather than the daily commute which is mostly slow and 'safe'.

TinyExplosions · 10-08-2009 09:42AM

rottenhat wrote: »

You couldn't have waited until Friday for this?

Oh, and +1 on Tiny's post - of all the accidents I've had, never once have I come close to hitting my head. Still wear the helmet though

I've hit my head on a couple of spills (both with and without helmet)

biomech · 10-08-2009 09:51AM

most if not all of the posts here seem to deal with road cycling.. fair enough.. i cycle off road (scared of cars so wont cycle road) on trails lined mainly with large boulders.. these things would stop a car not to mind a mtb... take on one of these babies and your checking out via the front door (super man style) and your on a collision course with the next boulder about 2 meters further on.. head first... nearly all my spills have been like this (at low enough speed tho) but ive been lucky enough not to connect with anything solid.... Just one question tho? How many of yee regret wearing a helmet?? and why??

bcmf · 10-08-2009 10:05AM

amnt really sure how a helmet can make an injury worse.
But I mainly wear one to try and eliminate the odds of my wife and kids having to feed me through a straw for the rest of my life.

blorg · 10-08-2009 10:06AM

ROK ON wrote: »

@Blorg - the fact that the probability of any event is statistically low, is largely irrelevant if the consequences of that event occurring are too diificult to bear.

Using that logic you would never get on an airplane.

tomasrojo · 10-08-2009 10:09AM

ROK ON wrote: »

@Blorg - the fact that the probability of any event is statistically low, is largely irrelevant if the consequences of that event occurring are too diificult to bear.

But surely one has to balance the severity of an outcome against its likelihood? Life would be impossibly complex if you spent all your time trying to protect yourself against unlikely but fatal things. There are a myriad of ways you could die. You just can't carry around that much safety equipment.

ROK ON · 10-08-2009 10:10AM

blorg wrote: »

Using that logic you would never get on an airplane.

If you were to live your life according to that mantra, then yu may be correct. My point was, however, that it is common for people to justify an action by reference to the fact that the alternative has a low probability of occurrance. I try to position myself so that I envisage what would be the worst outcome if the probability became actuality. Then I try to make a decision.

Ghost Rider · 10-08-2009 10:17AM

Even though I agree with the general sentiment motivating this poll (i.e. a suspicion that the "helmets can be dangerous" argument is spurious), the results, being taken from such a small selection of people, are hardly going to affect the debate one way or the other.

tomasrojo · 10-08-2009 10:17AM

ROK ON wrote: »

If you were to live your life according to that mantra, then yu may be correct. My point was, however, that it is common for people to justify an action by reference to the fact that the alternative has a low probability of occurrance. I try to position myself so that I envisage what would be the worst outcome if the probability became actuality. Then I try to make a decision.

Well, something could have devastating consequences and be extremely unlikely. A severe heartache in your early 20s is unlikely but potentially fatal. Should a young person schedule his or her life so he or she is always near to a cardiac unit? Or keep a defibrillator at home, just in case?

I know what you mean, but you have to accept some level of risk of death in everyday life. That's just life.

ROK ON · 10-08-2009 10:23AM

tomasrojo wrote: »

But surely one has to balance the severity of an outcome against its likelihood? Life would be impossibly complex if you spent all your time trying to protect yourself against unlikely but fatal things. There are a myriad of ways you could die. You just can't carry around that much safety equipment.

And it is that logic that has lead to most of the financial crashes that we have seen - I was trying to apply some sensible risk minimization techniques. It's all about a relatively simple weighing up of odds versus outcomes, and then overlay a decision.
For example, I cycle almost daily. I accept that I am going to have a spill, crash etc. I dont seek them out, and try to stay safe, but I accept that as a cyclist there is SOME likelihod of accident.
I still choose to cycle.
Now, I accept that the chance of a head injury while cycling is low, but I am not as prepared to bear the consequences of it, so I wear a helmet. If the worst was to happen, I may still end up a vegetable, but I FEEL safer (perceived) with the helmet.
So I am prepared to accept, cuts, grazes, broken limbs (up to a point), but want to have at least the minimum insurance against head injuries (that is all a helmet is IMO - minimum insurance).
BTW, I would not enforce helmet wearing, we all make choices, and with those choices comes personal responsibility. I will not dissuade someone from wearing a helmet, but will also try not to go on with the needless cant about from the hardcore anti-helmet crowd (not saying that applies to any here).

Finally, when I take my soon to be 5yr old kid out on her bike, I rarely make her wear a helmet, as she usually cycles on the footpath:D (where it is obviously safer to cycle).

Helmets - increase injuries

If you have had a spill have you come away from it thinking 10 votes

Comments