Bike helmets
Those of you who cycle might be aware of the current debate about the merits of cycle helmets, and about whether they should be made compulsory. A couple of weeks ago, the BMA (British Medical Association) threw more mud in the water by voting—-against many of their members’ advice—-in favour of compulsory helmet wearing by cyclists.
I’m in favour of compulsion in safety matters where there is a clear benefit of the safety measure (seatbelts in cars and motorcycle helmets, for example), but the evidence in favour of cycle helmets saving lives seems very contradictory at best. A few studies have concluded that helmets can provide protection, but only if they are worn correctly (most people wear them too far back on the head), and only in certain kinds of accidents. Other studies report that helmets can increase neck injuries by causing the head to rotate on impact, and some argue that cyclists ride take more risks when wearing a helmet because of a false sense of security.
It’s also true that compulsory helmet use will almost certainly reduce the number of people who cycle—-either because they think it makes them look stupid, or because it makes cycling look like a hazardous activity. This could negatively impact on health in two ways:
- Obesity is going to be one of the biggest killers in coming decades in this country. Fewer cyclists means more deaths through obesity-related causes, particularly among children.
- There are statistics floating around that suggest that accidents involving cyclists rise steeply as the average distance cycled per person per day decreases. So the weaker the culture of cycling, the shorter the trips that people make, and the risk for the hardy remainder (whether they are wearing helmets or not) increases.
In both cases, it’s arguable that the extra deaths and injuries caused indirectly by helmet use would exceed the deaths and injuries that wearing a helmet might prevent. Personally, I wear a helmet, mostly because it makes me feel safer (despite the lack of evidence that it actually does make me any safer). The one time I had an accident involving a car, I suspect that the helmet did save me from a bit of concussion, but that was whacking the back of my head on the tarmac; I’m not sure that it would have been of any use if I had hit a car at high speed. Even though I wear one, I’m against compulsory use given the mixed evidence. I think it’s up to individuals to make the decision.
Some sane and practical countries (Holland, France and Germany, among others) seem to manage to ride safely, comfortably and elegantly every day, wearing their normal clothes and shoes (no lycra), and no helmets, and they manage to survive quite well. All of this talk of helmets masks the fact that what we really need is better provision for cyclists (proper cycle lanes and priority for cyclists, as in the Netherlands), and more vigilance by drivers.
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More cycle lanes are definately a neccessity. I know of at least one person who used to cycle to work everyday, but now drives after he nearly got pushed off the road by a van. If the 'die hard' cyclists are abandoning the roads, there's no hope for the masses.----- interesting this caught my eye as I have cycle not used in god knows how many months must be nearly a year...
Why mainly the time it takes me to get to work on bike makes journey to long so at moment use public transport...
But been thinking as over next 6 weeks dosn;t matter if in late as can make time up etc so might start to rid to work again..
Russ
by Russell Dyas @ 10/07/2005 7:07 pm • Permalink •
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<blockquote cite="bsag"> Even though I wear one, Iâm against compulsory use given the mixed evidence. I think itâs up to individuals to make the decision. </blockquote>
Do you support seat-belt laws?
I'm in favor of laws like this for the masses of people who think that its stupid looking to wear a helmet.
Then again, I think its stupid looking to ride your bike around cars without a helmet. Helmets lead to less suffering all around. If a person dies from getting hit by a car and its because his or her head hit the ground (and could have been saved with a helmet...) the driver of the car will suffer for their life knowing they they killed someone, the victims family will suffer, etc.
Then again, maybe helmet companies are lobbying for such laws... it's a complex matter, but I don't think its too different then wearing a seat-belt.
by Robby Russell @ 10/07/2005 8:07 pm • Permalink •
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I'm one of those who doesn't wear a helmet because it looks stupid, but I know it's utterly irrational and idiotic on my part. I think a lot of my peers think like this (30s) so maybe it's a generational thing that will fade out over time, rather like middle-aged drunk drivers. I do cover myself in hi-viz though and ride defensively, if that's any defense.
I do wonder, when I see little kids cycling in helmets and kneepads and the like, that they're missing out on something. Surely coming off your bike at speed and scraping your legs up is part of growing up? Teaches them where the limits are and such. But what do I know...
by Pete Ashton @ 10/07/2005 8:08 pm • Permalink •
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Even though I wear one, Iâm against compulsory use given the mixed evidence. I think itâs up to individuals to make the decision.
I agree, but then that's my stance on almost all forms of prevention/safety enhancement. If someone wants to risk only their own life (and in a car vs bike incident, that's what it is) they shouldn't be forced.
That said.. what about children? Children's bike accidents tend to be at lower speed, and I'd say that, perhaps, helmets should be mandatory here as they don't have the capability to weigh up the evidence versus the risks.
by Peter Cooper @ 10/07/2005 9:07 pm • Permalink •
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I live in Australia, and we already have mandatory helmet wearing enforced by police to the tune of ~ $60AUD fine (I think it's $60 - it may have gone up to $120). Honestly, it's one of the smarter moves our government has made in recent years. Think about it for a minute, what would you rather be: silly looking, or brain damaged?
by Tony Arnold @ 10/07/2005 11:08 pm • Permalink •
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A cheap helmet costs about £20, and for something that is half comfortable and well ventilated you are looking at more like £50. When you can pick up a bike for less than £100 that is a big percentage for someone who is looking at a bike as a cheap form of transport. Personally I tend to wear a helmet, thought in all the crashes I have had, it wouldn't have made a difference as it tends to be my hands and shoulders that take the hits instead. It would be inconvenient though, while flying headfirst towards a tree, to think 'bugger, I knew I should have worn my crash hat today'. As with many things, I think compulsion is wrong approach. What should be done is provide the facts so people can make their own informed decision.
by Ian @ 11/07/2005 9:08 am • Permalink •
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Clair: Yes, sadly, I think that's true.
Russell Dyas: Go for it (helmeted or not!) Just keep your wits about you and assume that every car driver and pedestrian is an idiot who is out to get you---then you'll be safe.
Robby Russell: Yes, I do support the helmet laws, because they do keep people safe. Of course, seat belts also cause injuries (severe bruising, collapsed lungs, broken ribs), but on the plus side, you don't go head-first through the windscreen
. The point that I was trying to make was that the evidence just isn't clearly in favour of helmet wearing giving a net health benefit. If there was, I wouldn't have a problem with the law (whether it was popular or not---the seat belt laws weren't when they were brought in). If you're aiming to improve the health and safety of the population, you also have to take the other downsides (an increase in obesity-related diseases and deaths) into account.
Pete Ashton: That's a good point. I feel slightly fogey-ish every time I express this opinion, but I do feel that kids aren't very good at assessing risks themselves these days, because they don't get any practice at it.
Peter Cooper: Hmm, making decisions for children is tricky, but I would argue that it makes it even more imperative to weigh up all the risks. Potential life-long problems with obesity probably affect kids even more than adults today.
Tony Arnold: Silly looking, of course, but I'm glad you brought up the Australian laws. I couldn't put my hands on it when I wrote the entry, but there's quite a body of opinion in Australia, that the helmet laws have decreased cycle usage by up to 44 percent, with barely measurable decreases in fatalities. Safer driving campaigns had a much greater effect on decreasing deaths and injuries. It's a fascinating page, and also has some data pertaining to the effect I mentioned about the risks per cyclist decreasing as numbers cycling increase (Table 1.)
Ian: That's a good point too. Cycling should be a cheap, healthy and fun form of transport, and anything that further fetishises it into something requiring expensive, specialist kit is a bad thing, in my opinion.
by bsag @ 11/07/2005 5:08 pm • Permalink •
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I oppose helmet laws.
If you want to wear a helmet, wear a helmet, but don't force me to wear one -- it doesn't endanger you.
Live and let live.
by Brian @ 11/07/2005 8:07 pm • Permalink •
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I wear a helmet myself almost all the time (the exception being when I have wet hair - I'm alright with looking stupid with a helmet on, but after the helmet comes off I'd prefer to look normal). It's possibly saved my life, but certainly saved one of my exams (on the way to a physics exam a car didn't see me and I came off over the handlebars to stop myself going into a bonnet and windscreen - landed head first). I've always been taught (by parents and by school) that helmets improve safety and it's certainly been my experience, but the evidence that's now being publicised is certainly food for thought. For the reason of the example of Australia, I would be opposed to the laws - that, and some roads just aren't as dangerous as others. One thing's for certain though - we need better cycle lanes and laws.
by Matthew @ 12/07/2005 1:08 pm • Permalink •
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living in germany and holland, i tell you more people are wearing helmets these days. kids usually have them and more and more adult dare to look ridiculous. i'll buy one, once i have enough money to buy a "better" one... the discussion about helmets are going on in both countries, so don't feel singled out from the sane ones.
by dacarrot @ 13/07/2005 4:07 pm • Permalink •
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I'm not sure whether you noticed this? I was reading your feed last night, and also caught Xeni's post at boingboing. It would appear that her friend Keith swerved to avoid a child in his path and hit a fence-post full on. Keith wasn't wearing a helmet.
I stopped wearing my helmet a few weeks ago. Not for any reason really - I was just getting hot and bothered wearing it in this recent sunny spell. I put it back on today.
by Kev @ 13/07/2005 8:07 pm • Permalink •
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I was riding one day, helmet hanging on the handle bar (stupid I know). When I was hit by a car, fairly hard. I went over the bonnet, my bike was wrecked. The doctor checked me out and said 'consider yourself lucky, you could have died if you weren't wearing your helmet'. Um, yeah.... I would still wear one though, but my city is fairly cycle friendly and safe anyway.
by Matt @ 14/07/2005 1:07 pm • Permalink •
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dacarrot: That's interesting. Do you know if it's had an effect on the number of people cycling?
Kev: I did see that---very sad. As far as I know, bike helmets were originally developed for mountain bikers to protect them against exactly this kind of injury (plus falling off onto rocky ground).
Matt: It's all a bit random isn't it, and that was more or less my original point.
by bsag @ 17/07/2005 1:07 pm • Permalink •
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I'm a bit late for the debate, but I used to cycle to work , 3 miles, every day. I retired and then took up a part time job 1.5 miles away The new short route was twice as dangerous. Why? ill-concieved cycle lanes !! One minute they were there, and the next, when the road narrowed, they had gone, just when you needed them most. The final insult came in the form of 18 inch wide lanes on pavements and around a roundabout, forcing you to stop cycling and become a pedestrian, or risk knocking down people in bus queues...the traffic was crawling, and vans or trucks would stop unexpectedly to allow people to turn right across from the opposite direction-straight across the cycle lane! I gave up and cycled down the parallel side streets,it was safer. As regards to helmets, as a former Motorcyclist I gave up pudding basin helmets in 1969 as the design was considered inferior to the Jet style which protected the sides and back of the skull. As I was unable to find an Adult reasonably priced Jet /BMX style helmet for cycling, I stuck to wearing a wooly hat. And for the style concious, a Jet style helmet would look even more out of proportion to the bike than the current pudding basins!! But if it was made compulsory...I think the outcome would be a decline in the popularity of cycling in general.....
by Zimmer @ 09/08/2005 8:09 am • Permalink •
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I would be really grateful for some straightforward statistics from a trustworthy, non-axegrinding party. Someone tell me; How many people died or suffered brain-damaged last year as a result of head injuries sustained while cycling? And what is that number as a percenatge of people who regularly use cycles.
The whole cycle debate thing (in London anyway) has nothing to do with common sense anymore, it's become a bitter battle ground between the ultra-extreme, lycra-clad right-on cycle brigade and 4x4 type motorists and any pedestrians who've been cut up on the pavement; I'm sick of it.
I use a bike most of the time because it's fun, it's good exercise and usually (in London) it's quicker than driving. I dont wear a helmet, probably because I'm 40 years old and grew riding a bike in an age when it was perfecly acceptable for my mum to drive around without a seat belt, with a fag on the go, in a mini car with half a dozen unrestrained children on board. When I was a skateboarding teenager I used to wear a helmet, but then I was always falling off some wall and twatting myself on the head. I have fallen off a bike plenty of times but have never managed to hit my head; if someone wants to examine the human locomative dynamics of that I be interested to see the results.
Anyway, whoever it was above, who said that they manage to cycle perfeclty happily in normal clobber in places like Holland and Denmark, got it exactly right. Cycling is not necessarily an extreme on-the-edge activity; for a lot of people it's just like riding a bike, for Christs sake!
by Tim @ 24/10/2005 4:10 pm • Permalink •
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Found while searching google for ciclosport cycling watches. Not what I was looking for but hello anyway.
by Mark D @ 07/04/2006 1:05 pm • Permalink •
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I was cycling on Monday, wearing a helmet, when I was forced to slow down for two jaywalkers with a baby stroller who ran into the street out of nowhere. I saw them a mile away, but a minivan did not and had to stop rather abruptly for them. Assuming she had stopped completely for them to pass, I quickly sped up to pass with them and get out of her way. She did not see me however, distracted by the jaywalkers, her two babies in the back seat, and possibly even her cell phone too, and instead of stopping for me, accelerated into me instead. It came out of nowhere. I'm still recovering right now. But the paramedics said that if I hadn't been wearing my helmet, I definitely would not have been this lucky to escape without any broken bones. So that's my story. Helmets are mandatory here in Canada, and there's a reason for it. Victoria is great for cycling, except for when one encounters drivers like this one in particular, but helmets are still mandatory. Be smart, it's the same thing as buckling up. Don't be stupid whilst trying to look cool. Will it really look that cool to be lying in a hospital bed, braindamaged? Or in a wheel chair for the rest of your life?
by Thandi @ 13/07/2006 5:08 am • Permalink •
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