Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Daniel Lynch on April 18, 2012 at 14:55

I recently came off of my bike, and I now have 11 stitches above my left eyebrow. The helmet shows clear dents above my temple, and I also have a temporal lobe contusion on my brain. Imagine what would have happened if I wasn't wearing a helmet.

I too prefer no helmet, as it is cooler and more free, but I now have the sobering experience of a helmet saving my life. So it's all safety for my noggin' from now on!

Permalink Reply by Will Matthews on April 18, 2012 at 15:26

Great feedback Daniel, sounds like your helmet saved your noggin for sure. I would love to hear more details regarding this crash as I am trying to avoid blanket solutions to more particular issues. My point is I would like to be able to choose to wear a helmet or not wear a helmet depending on the type of riding, and the location of my riding. If I want to ride casually around the city and it's parklands or along the Torrens linear park or perhaps along one of the bike paths down the beach, I believe that as a grown adult capable of making reasonable decisions, I don't need to be forced to wear a helmet.   

Permalink Reply by Belinda Hoare on April 18, 2012 at 15:42

You don't need to be forced to wear a helmet, Will - just choose not to.  Ride where you want, with wind through your hair.  But the price you pay for that is a fine if you get caught, because whether you like it or not, we all live in a society where laws are made that our consciences are asked to obey, and not all of those laws suit everybody, all of the time.  Your other option is to accept an imperfect world in which we can't have what we want all the time, and pay a few bucks and wear a helmet on your head.  Is it really that big a deal to wear a bit of foam on your head to the shops? I personally wear a helmet and apart from the 2 seconds it takes to physically put it on my head, I am completely unaware I'm wearing it - and that's because I choose for it to be a non-issue.  If its really that important to you - enough to call for global law change - then like others, I encourage you to stand for parliament or go through the formal processes to have the law changed, rather than just rehash the same old arguments on a cycling forum.   

Permalink Reply by Juz on April 18, 2012 at 18:48

Brilliantly said Belinda.

Permalink Reply by hozozco on April 18, 2012 at 15:54

I'm not sure that basing a determination of when you should and shouldn't wear a helmet based on a relatively small number of anecdotes is a useful activity.

You can think through most of these examples yourself.

It is obvious that riding on bike paths should reduce accidents with cars (a common cause of accidents).  However, if we change the law to 'you don't need a helmet on a bike path' - what about the roadies flying down the veloway doing 50kph?  (Or myself doing a lot less than that.)  Clearly this falls into the more dangerous category.

If we changed it to 'you don't need a helmet on a bike path if your going less than 15kph', well that's just getting silly!

Also most people ride on a road to get to a bike path.

I think we need a simple 'it's compulsory' or 'it's not'.  I'm not sure which, but I do believe it needs to be consistent.

The issue regarding minors in interesting, but it could lead to all riders around 16 (or 18) having to carry proof of age if they want to ride without a helmet!

Simon

Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on April 18, 2012 at 15:05

Your augment is competently hypocritical and poorly constructed because.

"I think minors should be made to wear helmet" Why?????

If riding withour a helmet is safe it is safe.

It is not safe for some and dangerous for others.

If if cycling is dangerous.

It then seems bizarre to suggest that it is only dangerous for certain cyclists.

Permalink Reply by Mike Brisco on April 18, 2012 at 15:15

".......... i never felt my life was in grave danger

........... If the roads of London became too scary i

".... as a adult member of a free society i am quite capable of deciding when and when not to take my helmet on a ride."

I believe you are fully entitled to ride without a helmet, as you must be  a person of exceptional ability.   You  psychically foresee trouble, so accurately, you always manage to avoid it, so never need a helmet!  Or when you feel things are safe .. .., you have again looked into the future, and foreseen accurately,  there will be no trouble,and again is safe riding without a helmet!. You get it right every time!

I know of no other human being who has this ability to look into the future . My fellow cyclists,  all  at one time or other,  have encountered the unexpected - drivers pulling out; turning right carelessly; just not seeing them. 

The other issue, is  how far liberty extends. General principle: I can do what I please, as long as it affects only me. Should your psychic abilities fail you one day - and a driver unexpectedly crash into you - it will affect others : family, friends, etc.  Also  us  who pay the Medicare levy and CTP insurance. Who have to shell out extra, to treat road injuries that were preventable!

Permalink Reply by Will Matthews on April 18, 2012 at 15:52

Great comments Mike. Therefore we need to make the city more bike friendly. Adelaide can become the City of Bikes! Those Copenhagen bike lanes were a great idea. The problem was they put them only on Sturt St. I can't remember ever riding down Sturt St in the city in my life. I will always wear a helmet commuting at speed down a busy road with parked cars and the like, and no I'm not a future seeing person of exceptional ability or anything, but if I want to amble along a bike path or cafe strip in the city then I don't believe I need a helmet.

Permalink Reply by Simon Lownsborough on April 18, 2012 at 15:20

There is, apparently, arguable evidence that more people cycle where helmets are not mandatory. I wonder if there is an associated increase in cycling head trauma?

It would be lovely to be allowed to, say, not wear helmets below a certain speed, so you can do your local shopping or pub run sans helmet. The problem is, once you give society an inch it will try to take a mile.

And how then do you tell your kids they need to wear one for safety?

A more useful approach might be to look at helmet design. Maybe industrial designers could come up with some funky helmet options that make helmet wearing less of an issue? 

Permalink Reply by Will Matthews on April 18, 2012 at 15:59

Really liking this feedback Simon.

Permalink Reply by Edward @bikeadelaide on April 18, 2012 at 16:36

Hi Simon,

You say "There is, apparently, arguable evidence that more people cycle where helmets are not mandatory. I wonder if there is an associated increase in cycling head trauma?"

The answer is "no, there isn't". That's the point. And it's not just about infrastructure. London and Paris illustrate that.

Permalink Reply by Mike Brisco on April 18, 2012 at 16:43

Fair comment - there are other helmet designs around eg in Europe.

What have currently, is dictated by Australian Standards presumably.

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