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Roadies not wearing helmets?
happy 
| 20 Jul 15:00 |
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Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 302 Bike: Orange P7 with Rock Shox, Michelin Wildgripper Lites, XTR Chainset My Profile | Hi all, I can never quite understand why I see so many roadies without helmets? Is there some secret reasoning for this? Strikes me as mad, especially when they are cycling along a dual carriage way changing lanes without a thought assuming the cars behind them are quick enough to react. I wear a helmet all the time basically because I worry more about what drivers will do. Interesting to hear the thoughts of any roadies who don't wear helmets? Happy |
| My Latest Route: Oct 2010 Livingston to Ayr Avoiding A71 | |
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sallyann
| 21 Jul 11:57 |
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Joined: 29 Jun 2010 Posts: 38 Bike: My Profile | Hi Happy. Loathe and detest wearing a helmet mainly as I get severe 'helmet' hair! And mine doesn't seem to sit properly and wobbles about a bit but I wouldn't cycle with one! |
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annieslandmissile
| 21 Jul 17:03 |
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Joined: 13 Jul 2010 Posts: 85 Bike: My Profile | I always wear a Helmet, wherever i go! Safety first |
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mr.mole
| 22 Jul 13:14 |
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 Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 47 Bike: My Profile | I would never leave the house without my helmet like. Ive seen a few nasty looking accidents which were very bad even wearing one, Id hate to have seen what they would have been like without wearing one. Most cycle accidents apparently are from the side, and i can understand that after nearly been knocked off my bike a few times from drivers pulling out on me. |
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longbob
| 23 Jul 06:41 |
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Joined: 22 Jul 2010 Posts: 23 Bike: My Profile | I have read a few bits about the wearing / not wearing a helmet argument. Some say that wearing a helmet can cause drivers to be more careless as cyclists are seen to me more competent, capable and experienced over those that do not. A driver approaching a non helmet wearing cyclist will view the cyclist as being less capable / experienced and given more room. Another argument is based on the fact that Cycle helmets are only designed and tested to withstand an impact equivalent to an average weight rider travelling at about 12 mph falling onto a kerb from a height of around a metre. So being hit my a car doing 30+ MPH, your helmet just isn’t designed to take that kind of impact, hence the size and weight of a motorbike helmet. I say that I would still rather have a helmet on my head than rely solely on my hair and skull to take the full impact! Another argument is based on the ‘danger’ side. Enforcing people to hear helmets makes it less appealing to those new to cycling. If people feel there is a real danger to cycling then the argument says they are far less likely to cycle. The idea that someone popping out for a short ride needs get geared up in high viz jackets, lights and helmets is argued to be a turnoff to get more people on bikes. I think it’s a case of riding smart and wearing what’s right for the conditions. Helmets a must and if you are riding at dusk / night then lights and some bright clothing is also essential. The other is pure vanity. Some people don’t like ‘helmet hair’ (something I suffer from having fairly long hair!!) and the overall look and feeling of wearing a helmet. I for one always wear a helmet and as a keen cyclist I invested in a Giro Ionos, it set me back a fair few quid but keeps my head nice and cool, is super lightweight and really comfortable. With the helmets on the market now (some of which do look damn cool) I really don’t see why everyone doesn’t. Until we are given a road system with proper cycle lanes and drivers start to treat us as equal users of our roadways, then wearing a helmet really is the best way. And even if we did get these I have seen someone fall from their bike much like the tests outlines above, and without a helmet, would have done themselves some real damage. |
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happy
| 23 Jul 06:50 |
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Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 302 Bike: Orange P7 with Rock Shox, Michelin Wildgripper Lites, XTR Chainset My Profile | Hi Longbob, Cheers for the reply :) Just some brief answers to the points you made :) Regarding experience : The cyclists I see are clearly professional racers, all lycra up'd, decent bike, and travelling at speed along busy roads, confident enough to move in and out of lanes without a thought. Regarding design : I still hedge my bets on surviving an accident with a helmet more than without regardless of what it's designed for. Regarding danger : As above, I'm really referring to what appear to be experienced cyclists. Vanity : Yes I could well believe that, but someones hair won't look so good matted to the ground (gruesome)...sorry. Happy |
| My Latest Route: Oct 2010 Livingston to Ayr Avoiding A71 | |
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longbob
| 23 Jul 07:05 |
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Joined: 22 Jul 2010 Posts: 23 Bike: My Profile | Hi Happy, yes, i see a lot of those riders about where i live and i really dont know why...its only really road bikes as well, on their all carbon jobbies...when i hit the forest you stand out and get looks if you dont wear a helemt, as if to say 'what are you doing!!!' I know if you go back a few years Tour rides never use to wear helmets (espically on climbs)...i know this has now changed and can only imagine it must be down to rulings on all professional races i could only guess that it is down to the feeling of not wearing a helmet...like you, i dont fully understand it and will always wear a helmet. Next time i see someone i'll ask them, be interested to know why, espically as like you say, they look the part and are clearly good riders...maybe it is just that...they feel they arent going to full off / get knocked down (maybe they read their stars / tea leaves before each ride!) i'll let you know if i hear anything...that is as long as i dont get a smack:) have a good'n! |
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darking
| 23 Jul 08:06 |
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Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 19 Bike: My Profile | I mostly wore a helmet cycling in London, until my first and only accident on a day when I didn't. I got a hard bang on my head and bled a bit from my foreheas which normally was protected Now I always wear one, even popping down to the Caf. The same sort of arguments rant about seat belts. Our bodies are fragile, and how much is your head worth? |
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darking
| 23 Jul 08:08 |
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Joined: 05 Nov 2009 Posts: 19 Bike: My Profile | I mostly wore a helmet cycling in London, until my first and only accident on a day when I didn't. I got a hard bang on my head and bled a bit from my forehead which normally was protected Now I always wear one, even popping down to the Caf. The same sort of arguments rant about seat belts. Our bodies are fragile, and how much is your head worth? |
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Pesmo
| 25 Jul 17:49 |
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Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 89 Bike: My Profile | I always wear one now. When I was a teenager many years ago Helmets were not routinely sold in shops and I didn't have one. I fell off my bike and fractured my skull on the kerb. This resulted in a detached retina in my left eye and as a result I will be partially sighted for the rest of my life. For anyone who wants to see how bad head injuries from vehicle accidents can be, have a look on the i-player for 'Between life and death' (Available until tomorrow night). Its a harrowing overview of what three people went through after severe head injuries one of whom was wearing a crash helmet. Based on that and my own experience, I would always do whatever I could to avoid a head injury. |
| nige1966 | 26 Jul 06:54 |
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 Joined: 19 Jul 2010 Posts: 5 Bike: | I bought a bike and helmet last week. Didn't even think twice about buying one ....... Safety is my first priority. Most of the people I see on the roads with NO Helmets are kids! Makes me wonder what the parent are like! Cheers Nige. |
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bloomp
| 26 Jul 07:08 |
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 Joined: 14 Apr 2010 Posts: 69 Bike: My Profile | When this thread started I thought it was mainly weekend and job commuters who were guilty of not wearing proper headgear. I must admit, when I started cycling again I rode in jeans and tee-shirt and didn't wear a helmet on canal paths etc but when I started getting adventurous on the off-road tracks and then took to the road, I realised I was endangering my life jumping streams and shooting down single tracks and taking to the road and I did need some protection! Clocking cyclists since this post started I've primarily only seen commuters / oldies not wearing headgear (and few of them) except . . yesterday I witnessed two guys all lycra'd up who ran a red light on a Lancashire Cycle Route at Egerton across a busy junction - this is a well used training run for the local clubs and I was aghast that firstly, they broke the law in running a red light and secondly, apart from lycra, they had NO protection apart from the smiles and waves of two fingers they stuck up at the guy in the car in front of me who had to brake violently to avoid turning them into roadkill. Thanks whoever you were for the negative publicity - NO-ONE is exempt from the Highway Code or the Law. Wait at lights like the rest of us . . . you are NOT a Wiggins or a Cantador and - even if you are - you are on a public highway - respect the rules or be disqualified !!!! With such a vast selection of available kit promoted by the top names in the sport, you'd have thought poseurs like these two would have had top notch protection for their scant brain cells - unfortunately not. Losers. |
| My Latest Route: Sep 2010 Middlesborough to Thorpe Thewles Circuit | |
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