Should Cycling Helmets Be Compulsory?

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

Not a fair comparison. Everybody should wear a helmet, while riding on the road. However, it should be common sense, not something you're forced to do. This is what's holding the human race back: It's no longer survival of the fittest, health and safety law is keeping the idiots alive.

same logic though.

How many people could legitimately survive without shops and houses and TV and shit? We'd all be shafted without it. apart from Ray Mears, and I'm going to go out on a limb and assume he's not the most virile chap to repopulate the planet.

[Skoze]

apart from Ray Mears, and I'm going to go out on a limb and assume he's not the most virile chap to repopulate the planet.

Especially with what those shorts and all that crouching must have done to his testes over the years.

[Rusevelt]

Would be interesting to know Rachel Atherton's thoughts on this topic after her little life and death moment last year.

[Mark W]

How many of you wear seatbelts when in the car?

Thought so...

If you're in the back seat of a car and don't wear a seatbelt, if you crash then you can potentially kill the person sitting in front of you. I don't really see how there's any form of parallel to that at all when you're riding a bike. I'm also fairly sure that most people don't ride at speeds they drive at. Equally, if I ride my bike head on into an object chances are I'll get sent over the bars. There's not a massive block of engine and a big metal box around me for me to get catapulted into.

Just No. Paying for someone that broke their back wearing a helmet is helping somebody who at least tried to protect themselves, but paying for somebody who cant be bothered saving their life isnt right, as its their own fault

I don't drink and I don't smoke. However, part of the money I pay to the government goes to sorting out people on the piss who get themselves in a spot of bother, people with smoking related illnesses, people with drinking related illnesses, etc. There's absolutely no way that smoking can be considered beneficial, yet people do it. Why should I have to pay for them?

[MadManMike]

Motorbike & car vs. bike thing is complete bs.

In that case, lets make cyclists take a test, charge them tax, make sure they register their bike, insure their bike and have a yearly MOT.

A bicycle is a completely different kettle of fish - I can't remember doing 95 on the M25 on my DMR...

I know what your responses will be, something along the lines of "You don't have to be going 95 to die..." - well no, but I could easily trip over and hit my head, or get barged off the pavement and hit by a bus or something.

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

In that case, lets make cyclists take a test, charge them tax, make sure they register their bike, insure their bike and have a yearly MOT.

DON'T GIVE THEM IDEAS!!

[Mark W]

Boris/Ken wanted to introduce that scheme in London. Was pretty glad they didn't. Used to get heckled enough though by people saying "You don't pay road tax on that thing, rar rar rar."

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

Common sense does, occasionally, prevail... When they were talking about registering every single motorbike in the country they kind of forgot that track bikes and racers would be included too. Can't really see Valentino Rossi riding round Silverstone with a tax disc and numberplate on the back really! All comes back to the retarded and overpaid MP's with no common sense I guess.

[N.Wood]

It'd be good to see it mandatory for under 16s, but policing it would be difficult... ID'ing people out riding wouldn't work great.

[anzo]

As previously posted; 'Helmets are proven to save lives and prevent serious injury'.

Your brain is probably the most vital part of your body, your command centre. It doesn't take much to knock it out of function and I've nearly been there 4 times.

When I was little I decided to jump a concrete hump outside my house (seriously steep) - in the end it went badly wrong and I smacked my head on the floor, fortunately I escaped with a huge lump on my forehead and a bruised confidence. I wasn't wearing a helmet and it could have quite easily killed me.

The second time I was in Derby about 2 years ago, I was on a wall, lost my balance and my foot slipped off the wall, I then managed to fall from about a 4ft wall straight onto my head. I was wearing a helmet at the time, a 2 day old Xen, it cracked all the way through...a crack which could possibly have been my skull.

It's a simple helmet but it saves lives - what about your parents, who may ultimately have to look after you for the rest of your life when you can't wipe your own arse anymore.

Back when I rode trials, I didn't wear a helmet - a few scares made me wear one, from then onwards it didn't feel natural not to wear one! People who complain that they don't like them and find them distracting...all I can suggest is finding one in the shop that is comfortable and that fits correctly.

It's not 'elf and safety gone mad. It's common (ha!) sense.

[Rusevelt]

Today's street bmx scene wouldn't approve despite the crazy brakeless sh*t they are doing these days.

[Mark W]

It's not 'elf and safety gone mad. It's common (ha!) sense.

Forcing people to wear them sort of is though...

[MadManMike]

You can re-post about the dangers all you like.

The point is, it should be a choice. Not a rule.

[Mr Motivator]

I voted yes. I think it's a bit like seatbelts at the end of the day.

"I'm well good, I don't ever fall of so I don't need a helmet" - No matter how good you are, there's not much stopping your chain from snapping etc. 10 foot in the air and sending you over the bars onto your noggin. Or riding from spot to spot and getting battered by a car.

[casualjoe]

I voted yes. I think it's a bit like seatbelts at the end of the day.

No matter how good you are, there's not much stopping your chain from snapping etc. 10 foot in the air and sending you over the bars onto your noggin.

Uh, regular lubrication and replacement does the trick fine.

I voted no, i prefer freedom.

[MadManMike]

Seriously, it's nothing like wearing seatbelts.

[Mark W]

I voted yes. I think it's a bit like seatbelts at the end of the day.

Then you think wrong.

Yesterday, I had a pedal along the sea front at Blackpool just looking at the world. It was a nice, warm sunny evening and I rode along wearing a T-shirt - the first time it's been warm enough to do that without 'proper' riding in ages. I wasn't wearing a helmet. It was quite nice to just go out and ride my bike without having to 'prepare'. Nothing bad happened, no-one died. I've many-a-time gone out without wearing a helmet just to have a cruise around, and I don't really see it as a massive issue. I certainly have no idea why you or the government or any kind of authority figure should have any involvement with it at all. Riding is one of the few things I get to do in life that people have virtually no control on. I'd like it to remain that way.

[FINDUS]

Does anybody recall seeing a TV program on the use of bike helmets?

it basically said helmets were only safe in certain types of fall or accidents

the test they did was to send some people out on a ride everyday of the week for a month all with helmets.

the next month they were sent without helmets on the same route at the same times.

riders with helmets were hit so much more than without, they put it down to drivers of the cars, buses ect as less cautious and would drive much closer.

so the end of the program was basically saying don't use a helmet!!!

they did a final thought and it was along the lines of stunts and things along that line should use helmets and on the road dont..

i guess most people would disagree with this!!

but i believe its true, my best mate when i was younger always biked to school never used a helmet never a problem unless he got his shoe lace stuck in his chain set lol

anyway the school decided to do a cycle guide for the pupils and advised we all get helmets to be safe.

A few weeks later there was a accident that involved my friend, he had fallen into the path of a truck and was crushed the helmet strap broke his neck!

i don't want to give to much detail but from then on i have always taken my helmet off to ride A to B

[Captain Scarlet]

Thanks for the feedback guys, exactly the kind of response I was after.

As said, I'm no way inclined one or the other, from my own personal injury a few years back I'll still continue to wear one, even I do believe the chances of such accident occurring again would be very slim, but its hardly a chore to wear a helmet when out riding. I was also very close to death previously so to have had the NHS come to my rescue, so for me to continue not wearing a helmet would be a big middle finger to the NHS and inconsiderate to how lucky I am.

[JT!]

so the end of the program was basically saying don't use a helmet!!!

I remember reading about that, although this is only with regards to potential accidents involving a car passing you, which is only a tiny fraction of reasons as to why you could fall off your bike and hit your head.

No matter what you're doing on your bike, you could fall and hit your head and die. You could fatally hit your head repairing a puncture (insanely unlikely but not impossible) you should wear your helmet when you think the chances of you falling and hitting your head become greater than the sum of your reasons not to wear one. The problem is is that people don't value their safety enough over 'looking cool' and all the other reasons not to wear a helmet.

However because it is only yourself you're putting at harm and it in no way can harm anyone else, it should be up to the rider to decide, not the government.

[konstant]

I certainly have no idea why you or the government or any kind of authority figure should have any involvement with it at all. Riding is one of the few things I get to do in life that people have virtually no control on. I'd like it to remain that way.

You could fatally hit your head repairing a puncture (insanely unlikely but not impossible) you should wear your helmet when you think the chances of you falling and hitting your head become greater than the sum of your reasons not to wear one. The problem is is that people don't value their safety enough over 'looking cool' and all the other reasons not to wear a helmet.

However because it is only yourself you're putting at harm and it in no way can harm anyone else, it should be up to the rider to decide, not the government.

I'm actually shocked that so many people think they should be compulsory. I almost always wear one though.

[shamus]

I ride to the shop at the end of my road, I don't want the hassle of putting a lid on, when i'm going to sepnd more time in the shop then on the bike, making the helmet a nuisance. I wear one when i ride trials and most of the time on my BMX, but my XC bike (It's also my pub bike, shop's bike, works commute and occassionally uni commute) I wear the lid if I'm riding seriously.

On my commutes there are cycle paths, so if i get hit by a car, it's mounted the curb, and was going to kill me anyway.

If helemts became compulsory I'd hate it. I wear one most times but if I'm just rolling lesiurely down to the pub, or to a mates yard, I don't 'need' a helmet, by law, to enusre that i complete my journey with being killed/vegitated