P
Peter Clinch
Guest
Ekul Namsob wrote:
> What I still don't understand is why the UCI made helmets compulsory.
> The cynic in me would believe that it was a result of pressure from
> helmet manufacturers.
Don't always put down to malice what you can put down to incompetence.
Could be as simple as, "X crashed and got a head injury. We must do
something. This is something. We'll do this, then!"
Beyond that, they look good for "improving" safety, the lid makers are
pleased, cycle shops have more toys to sell.
And to be fair, as with motor-sport, a race situation where sensible
riding has less priority than usual and going as fast as possible has
rather more /is/ a more appropriate place for a crash hat than day to
day A to B. In NL it's pretty clear that helmets are for (some) sport
riding and pretty much nobody else bothers. In a weekend in Amsterdam I
spotted 10 helmets: 7 on roadies, 1 enlycra-d MTB rider and a couple of
tourers who looked rather non-local. Putting 10 helmets in a weekend
into perspective, you'll see /thousands/ of riders in total.
Over here the way the market works is a lot about selling sporty
leisure. And if you're sporty you've got to look the part
(apparently...). It's a bit like replica football kit in some ways, I
suppose.
Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
> What I still don't understand is why the UCI made helmets compulsory.
> The cynic in me would believe that it was a result of pressure from
> helmet manufacturers.
Don't always put down to malice what you can put down to incompetence.
Could be as simple as, "X crashed and got a head injury. We must do
something. This is something. We'll do this, then!"
Beyond that, they look good for "improving" safety, the lid makers are
pleased, cycle shops have more toys to sell.
And to be fair, as with motor-sport, a race situation where sensible
riding has less priority than usual and going as fast as possible has
rather more /is/ a more appropriate place for a crash hat than day to
day A to B. In NL it's pretty clear that helmets are for (some) sport
riding and pretty much nobody else bothers. In a weekend in Amsterdam I
spotted 10 helmets: 7 on roadies, 1 enlycra-d MTB rider and a couple of
tourers who looked rather non-local. Putting 10 helmets in a weekend
into perspective, you'll see /thousands/ of riders in total.
Over here the way the market works is a lot about selling sporty
leisure. And if you're sporty you've got to look the part
(apparently...). It's a bit like replica football kit in some ways, I
suppose.
Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/