Bicycle helmets good and bad.

Message

Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:18 pm

Here, if you are under 18, you have to wear a helmet if you are on a bicycle. That was legislated about a year ago I think.

High_Side · Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:42 am

I never wore a bicycle helmet until I had a major concussion (but my motorcycle helment saved my life) 8 years ago. After having weeks of not knowing what happened 5 minutes ago I figured out how important it is to wear the helmet. I never ride without one now.

JC Viper · #23 Unread post by **JC Viper** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:55 am

It's just quite odd that it's potentially more dangerous to wear a helmet (from the study) and the local government want everyone to wear bicycle helmets without informing drivers to watch out for them.

Thanks for giving more info Pete. So they pass closer to the biker because a helmet means more experience? Avoiding something going 2x faster than you is pretty hard to do...

Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:05 am

JCViper528 wrote:Avoiding something going 2x faster than you is pretty hard to do...

Not to mention coming at you from behind. I don't know about the UK but in the U.S. you have to ride a bike on the right side of the road... which is of course the RIGHT side of the road

Nibblet99 · Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:19 am

CNF2002 wrote:Maybe we should just be required to wear helmets any time we leave the house

You mean you don't?

I never leave home without wearing all my protective gear

Nibblet99 · Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:22 am

JCViper528 wrote:It's just quite odd that it's potentially more dangerous to wear a helmet (from the study) and the local government want everyone to wear bicycle helmets without informing drivers to watch out for them.

Its a question of
Greater chance of an accident vs Greater protection in an accident

Yes wearing a helmet may cause more casualties, but it also saves some too. Its a question of which saves the most amount of people

Shiv · #27 Unread post by **Shiv** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:51 am

I think you start hearing about this more when you get into it. If you ride to get around campus, it's probably not a problem. If you're barrelling down a mountain, flying down a road or commuting alot through traffic then you start hearing the stories and seeing your fair share often enough.

Yah that's true. Like I never knew cages turning left was such a large problem for motorcyclists until I started getting into motorcycling.

I can't imagine commuting on a bike with cages around. I know a motorcycle won't be much better (if at all) but for some reason I picture bicycles as being on the side walks and not near the road.

I dunno. More of that twisted logic people seem to get.

And if I could go barreling down a mountain on a bike, I would. Sadly there's no mountains around here. Just hills.

However, I think the other day I built up enough speed to experience counter steering on the bike. There's one section of campus where it's a hill leading down into a valley type area and no one was around that day so I just flew down the hill. Tried to make my turn and found that I was going the other way and I ran into a tree. Luckily there was no one around lol.

Anyhow I don't know if that was counter-steering or target fixation but I thought it was pretty funny.

Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:48 am

Shiv wrote: but for some reason I picture bicycles as being on the side walks and not near the road.

Yeah... illegal around here. Side walks are for pedestrians

-Holiday · #29 Unread post by **-Holiday** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:52 am

storysunfolding wrote:
Shiv wrote: but for some reason I picture bicycles as being on the side walks and not near the road.
Yeah... illegal around here. Side walks are for pedestrians

exactly, as they are in almost all places. Thats a common misconception that a lot of non bicyclists have, that they should be on the sidewalk.
IN my home town, if you ride a bike on the sidewalk you get a ticket.

scan · #30 Unread post by **scan** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:05 am

storysunfolding wrote:
Shiv wrote: but for some reason I picture bicycles as being on the side walks and not near the road.
Yeah... illegal around here. Side walks are for pedestrians

That's a general society confusion I see. Some folks seem to get mad at people riding bicycles on the road, but that is where they are suppose to be for the most part. When I rode my bicycle a lot I always rode in the street, but there were times it was somewhat dangerous and there were times drivers would honk or yell at me to get off the road. I do think this is a great reason for more bike paths and "rail to trail" projects. A bike path is wider and allows for the conjestion of walkers and riders. A sidewalk is usually smaller in width, and if you've ever had a kid riding towards you while you walk down the sidewalk, you know it can be a tentative moment in time.