Helmet versus nude melon

[PBO]

In Australia we are 'forced' to wear helmets when we ride bicycles. I personally wear one & very willingly, so I have no hesitation making sure my kids do also

Anyway, there's a vocal minority of riders who are anti helmets & the legislation that makes wearing them compulsory. They cite all sorts of information that supports the theory that wearing them is actually more dangerous. From my personal experience I cannot see any merit in the anti helmet propaganda or theories

Anybody have any theories or opinions on the subject?

[Brow]

I think they are a great idea. When the laws first came in I objected mostly because it was cooler (temp wise) not to wear one and I was living in Darwin at the time. I was forced to wear one when racing velodrome and when a mate came off, broke his collar bone but his helmet saved his head big time, it convinced me they actually work so have been wearing one all the time since then. It does not take much to cause concussion and a minor knock from hitting the road can be a source of damage affecting you later in life too.

[pinkpanda3310]

Isn't there a loophole in the law regarding kids? You can't charge them with a traffic infringement because there a minor?

I wear a helmet all the time and if my kids intend to go furhter than the driveway they do too, even for scooters. The law doesn't bother me since I ensure we all wear helmets but when it was introduced I have to admit I wasn't keen on the idea. Too young and too cool for a helmet I never really spent much time without one really, since mum made me wear the ol' stakhat from an early age.

What brings this subject up? Having more debates in your area?

[suicideneil]

Originally Posted by PBO

From my personal experience I cannot see any merit in the anti helmet propaganda or theories

Anybody have any theories or opinions on the subject?

There was a rider in America who died quite recently when he came off his motorbike in a collision; he was not wearing a helmet and was in a large procession of other bikers who were protesting against being forced to wear helmets.

I've seen videos of kids hitting their heads while skateboarding- they ended up with serious brain damage when a helmet would have saved them from any injury at all.

I'd love to see the evidence that backs up the anti-helmet crowds viewpoint that not wearing a helmet is safer somehow...

[snellemin]

I grew up not wearing helmets....Ever. That changed once I started mountain biking. I cracked 3 helmets in one year, and kept my skull intact. I also wear gloves.

[K1RC]

I'm just a kid but I know the importance of wearing helmets, my friend was killed crossing the road on a bike with no brakes and he wasn't wearing a helmet a few years ago. Ever since I've always tried to encourage my other friends to wear helmets whatever they are doing on a bike, scooter or skateboard and I never go out without mine. I don't see why people risk their lives by not...

[PBO]

Originally Posted by pinkpanda3310

What brings this subject up? Having more debates in your area?

Yep. There has been a recent crackdown by Police in NSW & VIC, which has brought out cries of foul play from certain elements

The most vocal appears to be this group http://crag.asn.au/ who claim to have 'done the research' & have posted complimentary reports to their website. The so called research/reporting itself looks poor to me & makes significant generalisations which skews the statistics into results that to me are virtually worthless

I'm with everyone who's posted here & have seen first hand some seriously injured riders who were either not wearing a helmet or a poorly designed/fitting helmet

[Brow]

A quick read of some of that stuff indicated the main argument for not wearing a helmet is that it does not stop fatalities or serious head injury.
Getting hit by a truck is going to kill you or seriously injure you no matter what!!!
They are overlooking all the less serious and minor injuries that will be prevented which also reduces strain on Accident and Emergency rooms as well as cost associated with that.
They are saying the reports are biased due to being policy driven and I saw their own findings are biased due to their anti policy attitude.
Wearing helmets won't prevent accidents, but common sense dictates they will help reduce injury.
Good to see we all generally agree with common sense.

[PBO]

Yeah, the pro-smoking lobbying delayed sensible policy making by 'paying' for beneficial reporting/findings...seems kind of similar

IMHO: Everyone should make his own decission: wearing a helmet or not. It's for his/her own safety, not for others, and therefore it's redicolous when someone gets a penalty from a cop when someone's not wearing a helmet. Personally, I don't wear a helmet when riding a bike, though I know it would be safer with helmet.
The same applies to wearing a belt (what's the English word?) in a car. It's not for the safety of others, but for your own. It doesn't make sense to force someone to do something for his OWN safety. If it would be for others than I would totally agree, but it does NOT.


Maybe it will be forbidden to get out of your house in the future, as so much could happen when your out of your house.

[PBO]

Byte, in principal I agree however in practice it's a little different, certainly in Australia

Our health care system doesn't discriminate - it treats everyone & it's the cost to taxpayers for treating people who may not wear seat belts for example therefore means it's not necessarily an individual choice. If in making a choice you exclude or include yourself from the general system - then that is fair but I personally don't feel happy about paying to treat (possibly for lifetime care) injuries that could have been prevented

[Semi Pro]

that sucks in Mn USA we aren't even forced to ware helmets on motorcycles

Originally Posted by PBO

Byte, in principal I agree however in practice it's a little different, certainly in Australia

Our health care system doesn't discriminate - it treats everyone & it's the cost to taxpayers for treating people who may not wear seat belts for example therefore means it's not necessarily an individual choice. If in making a choice you exclude or include yourself from the general system - then that is fair but I personally don't feel happy about paying to treat (possibly for lifetime care) injuries that could have been prevented

I didn't know that, but then I totally agree with you!
I have to pay for my own health care, but still I'm forced to wear a helmet on a motorcycle (not that I would drive without helmet anyways) and wear a seatbelt in the car. If not, I get a ticket of €120 (about $160) which is way too expensive if you ask me!

[bumsnogger]

Hi. This is an old one. When helmets were made compulsory in the UK, Bikers found that the rear of the helmet could in some rare circumstances break your neck. Thats OLD motor bike helmets, from the early 70's. Modern helmets (esp cycle helmets) have the rear shaped to stop this happening. I've wrecked a full face MTB helmet, 2 open face mtb 1's, & a motor bike helmet. Wouldn't be able to type this if I hadn't had 'em on :)

[K1RC]

In the states I agree it should be up to the individual if they wear a helmet because you have to pay for your own treatment should you injure yourself however in the U.K where the taxpayer have to pay its not fair to make the majority suffer from a careless individual...