Tuesday, 4 August 2009

Helmets

I've had an enquiry from another club asking do we have any rules (or views) about making the wearing of hard shell helmets compulsory on club social rides (ie not racing) and did we know of other clubs' rules about this matter. I said we didn't and I gave my opinion that I didn't think we should but it would be a good idea to canvass opinion and the experience of others more widely. What do you think?
Posted by Mick Ayliffe at 15:05
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4 comments:

  1. steve6 August 2009 at 11:02

    I normally wear a helmet on road rides and off-road rides but I would not like to be made to wear one and prefer to use my own judgement. I don't wear one off-road if the terrain is pretty safe and don't wear one around town when shopping by bike.

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  2. Anonymous8 August 2009 at 15:50

    Wearing a helmet should be a personal choice since accidents on bikes usually cause abrasions rather than skull fractures.Every cyclist is vunerable once the leg is over the crossbar irrespective of the terrain,so it is a judgement call for each ride.
    I would like to mention that as far as head injuries are concerned most are incurred by passengers in car accidents but so far I've yet to see a helmet being worn in a car.

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  3. Anonymous13 August 2009 at 13:17

    Mick

    I believe I know where the initial enquiry came from. It is a matter of choice. There is the "helmet saved my life brigade" and the "helmet caused my head injury because it added 2-3" to the circumference to my head brigade." Both valid and both, together with one's own personal experience, need to be taken into account by the individual when deciding on helmet use. I use one off road because of the speed which is slower and low hanging obsticals like branches. Through my experience on the road, including a few spills, one serious, I choose not to wear one. I believe that it does not make one a better or worse rider and I personally do not look upon helmet wearers any differently to non-helmet wearers.

    I think that Steve put it very well where he obviously takes into account for himself the risk involved on any particular bike ride.

    I have had numerous bashes to the head which have included teh odd concusion (which some say explains a lot); but that is because being 6'4" I have hit my head on numerous low door frames and roof beams. Perhaps I should wear a helmet when not riding the bike!

    All the best

    Ev

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  4. Ev2 September 2009 at 12:51

    Another thing crossed my mind regarding the rider safety issue; and that is tri-bars. In safety terms why are they allowed on open roads? Picture this: you are time trialing through a village or a town or in a country lane at a nice 25mph. You see a hazard 30 yards ahead, which if you are quick, you can break for. At 25 mph you will cover that 30 meters in 4 seconds. Where would you rather be? On your drops with your fingers on or next to the break levers or on tri bars (worst still on a TT bike) where you would have to physically move your position which will take up perhaps half of your breaking time?

    I think that there are a lot more pressing issues than helmets.

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