Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Andrew M on August 10, 2012 at 14:59

how about we leave it at that?  You think I'm inconsistent, I think you're a fool.  That's fine with me.

Permalink Reply by Edward @bikeadelaide on August 10, 2012 at 22:40

A little harsh perhaps?

This debate comes up time and time again. The inconsistency is in the law that requires safety gear for a simple and safe activity (riding a bicycle) whereas there is no such requirement for other activities that are the cause of many more head injuries.

There is no real doubt that it deters people from cycling and almost no other country in the world has followed us. Other countries actually take concrete, effective steps to make choosing to get around by bicycle. We do very little but force people to wear what is a generally ineffective piece of safety equipment.

Hence the objection.

Permalink Reply by Frank on August 12, 2012 at 20:10

Ineffective safety equipment hey?

That's a good one!

Aussie rules has so many head injuries, helmets should be compulsory there too!
Building sites are now hard head areas, ineffective!
Yeah right!
I been all around the world, many wear helmets and those that don't, are fools!
I ride a ducati too, perhaps around town I leave my helmet off like in the united states!
Talk to some emergency nurses and or doctors!
Talk to the head chef at Matsuri in gouger street, he rode 50 meters on his motorbike, no helmet and had a stack, week in coma and now half his walnut removed due to swelling!
Seen him walk around town and come to my bar many times, u think helmets are ineffective! Think again but not from the hip, use the most powerful computer in the world, yep, the one on your shoulders, that's the one.

Protect it.

Permalink Reply by Tim on August 12, 2012 at 20:46

So Frank you ride your bicycle wearing a motorbike helmet? Or are you just ranting for the sake of ranting? Hard hats on building sites are meant to protect your head from projectiles - pretty much the converse of bicycle helmets where your brain is the projectile that is being protected - anyway that's the theory. I agree not wearing a bicycle helmet in Australia is foolish - but only because they offer very good protection from petty infringement notices.

Permalink Reply by rossmg on August 13, 2012 at 13:40

@Frank - The Aust Standards require that a bicycle helmet be able to withstand a fall from 2 metres - which is pretty much what evolution has done to the strength of the skull. I would think that a helmet should be better than that.

Permalink Reply by Tim on August 12, 2012 at 19:07

>how about we leave it at that?  You think I'm inconsistent, I think you're a fool.  That's fine with me.

Oh my, name calling is it? What an excellent way to make a point - it's like being at kindergarten. You started with uncivil comments and you end with them, why or why
do I ever engage such mental giants in any sort of discourse? You support helmet wearing - only fools wouldn't wear one. But you let your little girls ride bicycles without helmets in breach of the criminal code. Bit rich to be calling anyone else a fool - look in the mirror sunshine.

Permalink Reply by Frank on August 12, 2012 at 20:58

I wear a motorbike helmet whilst riding bicycle? Where did I say that again?

R u just ranting for the sake of ranting? What the?

It's a forum you goose!

Permalink Reply by Tim on August 13, 2012 at 13:03

Frank you were lauding the benefits of motorcycle helmets - with plenty of exclamation marks (which is the hallmark of a rant) - I was questioning how this was at all relevant unless of course you wear a motorcycle helmet whilst cycling. So remind me - how does a couple of kilograms of full face, reinforced, fibreglass and lexan bear any relation to a couple of hundred grams of EPS that sits on top of your head? Apart from the fact they are both worn on the head and are both called helmets they are entirely different things. I'm sure calling people a goose is a Teutonic form of endearment - but really keep it civil.

Permalink Reply by Andrew M on August 12, 2012 at 23:24

Tim, anyone who thinks road cyclists shouldn't wear a helmet has quite obviously never hit the road with his head,  looked at the buggered helmet afterwards and not thanked god, thanked the helmet.  I'm not talking about the law, I'm talking about the wisdom of telling people at a cycling enthusiasts' forum that they shouldn't put a disposable barrier between their brain and the bitumen.

Permalink Reply by Frank on August 13, 2012 at 11:25

Amen!

Permalink Reply by Dale (rouleur) Riggs on August 13, 2012 at 12:05

Well put Andrew.

Permalink Reply by Tim on August 13, 2012 at 13:18

Andrew, I thought this site was for anyone who rides a bicycle in Adelaide, not just sports cyclists. As mentioned above I think it is unwise for anyone in Adelaide not to wear a helmet when cycling as they are in breach of the criminal code and subject to fines. I do not think it is foolish to ride a bicycle without a helmet in jurisdictions without helmet laws. Sports cyclists by default wear helmets - nothing I could say would affect this and I'm not advocating that they stop wearing helmets - that is not my position so why say it? I am saying that calling people foolish with defective genes for not wearing a helmet whilst riding a bicycle is petty and untrue. Due to the health benefits, it is actually safer to ride a bicycle than not to ride a bicycle, with or without a helmet - anyway that seems to be the consensus amongst experts who have studied it. The thing is helmet laws completely ignore this.

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