Cyclists...do you wear a helmet?

photon said:
He jumped a red light! :bang:

As long as your hatred doesn't lead to deliberate harm, I'm sure you'll do cyclists a favour by ensuring there's the "invisible protective bubble" between them and you (y)

I'm sorry to hear that the incident has had such an impact on you and hasn't been resolved. You may be able to get some trauma counselling and it could be worthwhile you taking up cycling, yourself.
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I have always been cautious of cyclists and given them wide berths. I used to cycle quite a bit, but stopped as all I see are idiots on the road and for some reason has made me not want to ride.

I will cycle in the local woods or parks with the kids, but will not ride on the road.

If you cycle on the road...

1. Wear a helmet
2. Ride the right size bike
3. Have the saddle at the correct height so you don't sway as you pedal.
4. You are a road user so obey all rules of the road including red lights
5. If you aren't a car driver, find out what it is like for drivers to avoid you and how you can help yourself. There are 2 sides yo cyclists vs drivers, look at it from both sides.
6. Always remember car vs cyclist, the cyclist always loses, so don't take chances and be there to be seen.

Following a cyclist at 10mph an hour blocking you going past who then when they approach traffic pop on to the pavement for a few seconds, the pop back on to the road and hold up the traffic rather than following the kerb. Its not because the road is in poor condition or they are avoiding drains, its because they don't think about it from car drivers point of view.

Don't even start me on the pedal cyclist I saw on the m27, no helmet, 1 hand on the handlebars while cycling along the hard shoulder.
 
Stuff it, there's no law being broken by cyclists not wearing helmets. Vive le Vélo, and safe and enjoyable journeys for all road users!
 
dinners said:
Silly thing is I crashed in my early 20s - dozen stitches in the chin, night in hospital but still don't wear one.
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Doesn't sound like it would have been much use if you had been wearing one, unless you had it on upside down
 
antihero said:
maybe it should be made law? after all, motorcyclists have to wear one?
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Not sure if its been mentioned but do quad bikers with regs on the back have to by law wear one...as plenty round our way don't...

..but going back to quote above...how enforceable would it be...and by whom... Ie large numbers not wearing.... just asking that Sunday afternoon question..
 
antihero said:
maybe it should be made law? after all, motorcyclists have to wear one?
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another freedom of choice removed, just what we need

You don't have to wear a helmet on a trike or quad bike
 
Helmets were not an option when I was a kid (born 1973). I rode my bike over homemade ramps as a kid and all the other things boys do without too much harm.

If my son was riding to school on a busy road then that's a different story, but on his bike with stabilisers at three and a half going through a quiet villlage to the park I see no need. He has fallen off, grazed the odd knee and elbow but gets straight back on.

We do not need yet more rules.
 
SamuelSlade007 said:
Not sure if its been mentioned but do quad bikers with regs on the back have to by law wear one...as plenty round our way don't...

..but going back to quote above...how enforceable would it be...and by whom... Ie large numbers not wearing.... just asking that Sunday afternoon question..
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it was only a question?

how can something that will probably save lives be a bad thing? Yeah, I look like a twonk in mine, but it might make the difference in me being round to see my kids grow up after yet another dip****** driver doesn't check his mirrors.
 
I'm a life long cyclist and originally used to ride on the roads without a helmet but have always worn one whilst mountain biking, in later years I used to wear one on the roads as well.

Since moving to the Netherlands I only wear one when on a 'proper' ride; commuting I don't bother, why?, well mainly because I can get to work without riding on a single road (I can do a 75km circular route without going on a road, further if I really wanted) and secondly nobody wears them here, ask a Dutch person why and they just ask you if you wear a helmet for walking or running? I know there are dangers even at low speed (a mate of mine fell off in Cwmcarn car park and fractured his skull) but I have only ever fallen off my road bike due to being hit by cars.
 
i bought a bike this year with a view to getting more exercise and cycling to the stables at weekends etc Haven't ridden a bike for years so it was always going to be a bit of a test! two test rides out on the road (with helmet) and it scared the bejeezers out of me! :eek:

I'm used to lorries and all sorts going past me ridiculously close when I'm on my horse who is far more likely to have a prat attack and i cope with that no problem but on a bike I felt soooo vulnerable and very wobbly, then there's all the pot holes and cracks to avoid without hitting car as well. I'm told it will get better but to be honest I'm having second thoughts...........although I desperately need the exercise!
 
I don't wear a helmet when I ride to work. It's a 1 mile ride, all pavement, through a housing estate. Nor do I when I ride to the gym, which is a 0.5 mile ride through a city centre (as in, the pedestrian area).

I used to be a keen mountain biker (mainly downhill and dirt jumps), and I'm a keen skier. I wouldn't dream of not wearing a helmet when riding or skiing properly. I could come off my bike while on the way to work through those empty streets on the pavement, but then I could just as easily trip over with my hands in my pockets and crack my head on the pavement.
 
I wouldn't bike to work without wearing mine, I came off a few years ago and cracked the back of my helmet now I buy decent headgear rather than the ten pound offers from supermarkets, I cycle in the ice and snow rather than risk taking my car and last year some kids that were throwing themselves down a hill on a sledge ribbed me for being on my bike!!! Whateeevvveerrr!!!!
 
My commute (when I can be bothered) is 11miles each way, a mix of fast long hills, an urban dual carrige way, village and more hills.

I will not even consider doing it without a Helmet on, fartoo many idiots drinking their coffee, doing the make up etc
My son knows, no helmet, no bike ride.

Heads are too precious to risk, as I used to tell my students when teaching CBt & up to test, 'if you have a £50 head, buy. A £50 helmet.
 
I've been cycling for several years, admittedly mostly mountain biking. To date I think I have wrecked a couple of helmets, but more importantly, never wrecked my head!

I have actually stopped riding on the roads if at all possible due to the number of close shaves I've had, I just don't think its worth it. Admittedly the roads down my way are mostly 60mph country A and B roads though.
 
Helmet has saved me a good few times. Got a full face helmet at home that has quite a few battle scars!

I came off a BMX without a helmet as a youngster. Had a nasty concussion. Vomiting and couldn't actually see straight to the point I couldn't read for a day.
 
I knew someone who suffered severe brain damage age 9 when he was knocked off his bike (no helmet). Not a scratch on him apart from the head injury. He was a relative so my kids grew up knowing what had happened and to this day they all wear helmets (they are adults now). I also always wear a helmet. It doesn't detract from cycling and it's not heavy or awkward to wear so I don't see why people don't wear them.
 
I always wear one, can't see a reason not to, but Chris Boardman did make a very good point a few years ago.

He commented that it was better to ride a bike without a helmet than not to ride a bike at all, and die on the sofa aged 50.
More people would die of heart attacks from not riding a bike, than would of head injury.
 
I used to cycle a lot, 160km a week and ALWAYS wore a helmet. about 15 years ago I had a bad accident (collarbone never did knit back together) and I'm convinced the helmet saved me from serious injury. At the time I didn't realise I'd broken a bone, the most memorable thing was the impact of my head on the road. So, yes I'm all for helmets.
That said, earlier I did a ride up to a village in the mountains that involved 522m of climbing. I left at 7:30 and it was already 28C. For the climb I took the helmet off just because of the heat. When I reached the summit it went straight back on. Max speed on the way down 65.8kmh yee-ha! (y)
 
Never use a helmet on a cycle
 
Scrap that my other half has just said if you can spend £1500 on a bike you can wear a helmet. So guess what im going to buy.:LOL: She worries bless:love:
 
The problem with legislating for compulsory helmet wearing is that it further misrepresents the situation.

For better or for worse (and the subject for a whole other debate) "what is the law" is used by many to represent "what is fair" and "where the responsibility lies".

Most cyclists are killed by HGVs. HGVs kill far more pedestrians than cyclists every year. Not many cyclists would have been saved by helmets. No one I've heard is clamouring for pedestrians to wear hi-viz and helmets.

Somewhere in all that is a disconnect between the real problem and the proposed solutions.

(I wear a helmet every time I go out - it's by far and away the best protection from the wife's nagging!)
 
Shouldn't be on the road full stop! Start paying tax and insurance and following the highway code then yes you have the right.

As for wearing a helmet - you would be a fool not to, I (amongst many others) kicked up merry hell when they were made compulsory on motorbikes - I wouldn't even ride round the corner without one now.

Guy sat opposite me rides a push bike to work everyday, last week his chain snapped - he remembers nothing except waking up in the ambulance and swears blind if he hadn't been wearing a helmet he wouldn't be here.

.DAVID.
 
foggy4ever said:
Without going into too much detail I had a mild road rage incident with a car on the way to work which left me battered grazed and laying flat on my back at a busy rounder bout.

My main point is I had a quite heavy hit to the back of my head when I landed which was taken fully by my helmet. I see a lot of commuters/cylists that still don't wear helmets.....it only takes 1 second so please wear one.
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I have been hit by:
Wagons, Buses, Cars, nearly by a tram, trees and lamposts that jumped in front of me and been forced over the curb by *****ers more times then I can count... Which includes ****s who think its impressive to hang out the passenger window and push me as well as overtake me while signalling that I am turning right (arms been clipped more then a few times).

Gone through many helmets in all these years (talking some 20 years riding on the road?), and I can say without doubt that the helmet stopped serious damage, had quite a few crack and leave me thinking that could have been my skull.

So quite happy to look silly in the process.

Now if only could find a way to stop the shock that my legs always get leaving them numb and useless for several minutes and I am on to a winner.
 
realspeed said:
Slightly different tack, I think all cyclists should be insured and pay road tax and take a test on at the minimum the highway code. On top of that they should wear reflective and protective clothing. Failing to do so would incur sever penalties and be liable for any and all accidents. The bikes should have proper mud guards- proper lights and reflectors.

As a motorist I get fed up with stupid cyclists who take up as much room on the road as a car by cycling down the centre of the road (often 2 side by side)-turn without indication right infront of a car- jump traffic lights- ride on pavements- sneak alongside a car waiting at lights -etc etc.

No wonder there are so many accidents with cyclists and most are their own fault

Realspeed
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Agreed. "Filtering" absolutely infuriates me - even just to watch. I completely agree with the insurance, road tax and highway code test too.
 
British bicycling is brilliantly Darwinian, isn't it?

At one end we have Olympic Gold medallists and World Record holders and at the other, the most arrogant and incompetent riders are taking themselves out of the gene pool by their determination to undertake HGVs at junctions!
 
Yves Geza said:
British bicycling is brilliantly Darwinian, isn't it?

At one end we have Olympic Gold medallists and World Record holders and at the other, the most arrogant and incompetent riders are taking themselves out of the gene pool by their determination to undertake HGVs at junctions!
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Gets my vote:clap:



One of my family members was knocked of his cycle - the reason he didn't have a helmet on.....simple VANITY he's dead now so there you go.

I suppose its up to you what you do as a cyclist - but don't expect everyone to be looking out for you on the road early in the morning - you have some responsibility in this area too. Accidents also happen - why not be prepared best you can to cope with it.....

Saw a lad on a sports bike today 100 mph plus with jeans on - on the M6.....Its no wonder they are called donors :bonk:
 
I love the "road tax" argument. It's so wonderfully self-defeating. There's no such thing as road tax. There's few other arguments where one side put forward such an inadvertently eloquent demonstration of how ignorant they are and therefore how worthless anything else they have to say is!
 
Garnett said:
I love the "road tax" argument. It's so wonderfully self-defeating. There's no such thing as road tax. There's few other arguments where one side put forward such an inadvertently eloquent demonstration of how ignorant they are and therefore how worthless anything else they have to say is!
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Totally agree with this!

Also, most cyclists (like myself) are also car drivers. I also choose to have bike insurance (through British Cycling).

Back on topic, I do wear a helmet and have been grateful for doing so after landing on my head.

(y)
 
Garnett said:
I love the "road tax" argument. It's so wonderfully self-defeating. There's no such thing as road tax. There's few other arguments where one side put forward such an inadvertently eloquent demonstration of how ignorant they are and therefore how worthless anything else they have to say is!
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Well said sir!
 
snipsnap said:
Perhaps Band A cars should pay tax too?
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...and Bands B, C & D vehicles in their first year of ownership, vehicles made before 1973, electric cars, vehicles used by disabled drivers, tractors, towed caravans, invalid carriages, horses and of course pedestrians should pay road tax to cross the street. Otherwise they'd have no right to be on the road, obviously.

By the same logic, Band M vehicles have the most rights to use the road and everyone else should probably clear out of their way...
 
Garnett said:
I love the "road tax" argument. It's so wonderfully self-defeating. There's no such thing as road tax. There's few other arguments where one side put forward such an inadvertently eloquent demonstration of how ignorant they are and therefore how worthless anything else they have to say is!
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Beautifully put and reflects the frustration I feel each and every time some moron in a tin box regurgitates this drivel. (I am also a car and van driver).
 
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