Helmets on Tour

[Martin]

have I missed something: have they really forced all the TDF riders to wear helmets? or was it cos
of the dodgy sprint finish to yesterday's stage. OT anyone noticed the NZ tourism poster? your hat
won't do you much good hanging off the bars love!

 

[Dave Larrington]

martin wrote:

> have I missed something: have they really forced all the TDF riders to wear helmets? or was it cos
> of the dodgy sprint finish to yesterday's stage.

The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following the death of Cofidis rider
Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[Martin]

"Dave Larrington" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> martin wrote:
>
> > have I missed something: have they really forced all the TDF riders to wear helmets? or was it
> > cos of the dodgy sprint finish to yesterday's stage.
>
> The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following the death of Cofidis rider
> Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.
>
Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.

 

[David Hansen]

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 15:47:02 +0100 someone who may be "Dave Larrington" <[email protected]>
wrote this:-

>The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following the death of Cofidis rider
>Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.

Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
their helmets.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

 

[Msa]

> Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.

Why?

--
Mark

"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak"

 

[Chris French]

In message <[email protected]>, MSA <[email protected]> writes
>> Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.
>
>Why?
>
It's a shame that they haven't protested about it like they did a few years ago when they tried to
impose a helmet rule in the Tour.

Didn't they all get off their bikes and sit in the road or something?
--
Chris French, Leeds

 

[Msa]

I feel a helmet wars thread coming on!

Taking cover.

--
Mark

"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak"

 

[Stephen Ferguso]

> >The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following
the
> >death of Cofidis rider Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.
>
> Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
> one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
> might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
> their helmets.
>

and your point is that only reckless riders fall off bikes? I presume you've never fallen off
yourself? In case you hadn't noticed, even riders of the calibre of Lance Armstrong come off
sometimes...

During the London-Brighton this year someone clipped my wheel and I came off and landed on my head.
The helmet has a big dent in it, my skull doesn't. I wasn't riding recklessly and there wasn't
really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I not been wearing a
helmet I would at least have fractured my skull, if not severly damaged my brain.

I'm still around, Andrei Kivilev isn't. Go figure.

If you're ever unlucky enough to spend any time in intensive care, you'll probably see what happens
to people who hit their heads on kerbs without wearing helmets. Trust me, it's never pretty...

F.

 

[John B]

Stephen Ferguson wrote:

>
> During the London-Brighton this year someone clipped my wheel and I came off and landed on my
> head. The helmet has a big dent in it, my skull doesn't. I wasn't riding recklessly and there
> wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I not been
> wearing a helmet I would at least have fractured my skull, if not severly damaged my brain.
>
> I'm still around, Andrei Kivilev isn't. Go figure.

Today I was knocked off my bike by a motorist. I wasn't wearing a helmet. I wasn't riding recklessly
and there wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I been
wearing a helmet my knee would still be cut, bloodied and swelling.

I'm still around. Go figure.

John B

 

[Martin]

John B <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Stephen Ferguson wrote:
>
> >
> > During the London-Brighton this year someone clipped my wheel and I came off and landed on my
> > head. The helmet has a big dent in it, my skull doesn't. I wasn't riding recklessly and there
> > wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I not been
> > wearing a helmet I would at least have fractured my skull, if not severly damaged my brain.
> >

Sorry,I didn't want to start a h****t war, just could not believe that they could get away with the
rule for the tour after the aforementioned strike. I,m sure they'll find another reason for "Une
Greve" by the end of it. Having to come to London in 2006/7 could be one.

 

[Arthur Clune]

David Hansen <[email protected]> wrote:

: Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
: one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
: might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
: their helmets.

Where was that?

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester

 

[Abbey Engineer]

> Today I was knocked off my bike by a motorist. I wasn't wearing a helmet. I wasn't riding
> recklessly and there wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that
> had I been wearing a helmet my knee would still be
cut,
> bloodied and swelling.
>
> I'm still around. Go figure.
>
> John B
>
But if you had been wearing leg armour a la Downhill your knee would probably be unscathed. The
brain is a fairly vital organ.

KC

 

[Dave Larrington]

martin wrote:

> Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.

It's a UCI rule, so all events sanctioned by the UCI have to comply.

"[The] UCI said, as an exception to the rule, riders could remove their helmets during the final
climb provided finished the race finished on or at the summit of the climb and it was at least
five kilometres long. Racers had argued that the slow speed on climbs meant dangerous crashes
were unlikely.

Riders who raced without a helmet would be subject to fines and would lose ranking points. In some
cases they could also be expelled from the race."

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

[John B]

Abbey Engineer wrote:

> > Today I was knocked off my bike by a motorist. I wasn't wearing a helmet. I wasn't riding
> > recklessly and there wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure
> > that had I been wearing a helmet my knee would still be
> cut,
> > bloodied and swelling.
> >
> > I'm still around. Go figure.
> >
> > John B
> >
> But if you had been wearing leg armour a la Downhill your knee would probably be unscathed. The
> brain is a fairly vital organ.

I'll remember to put a helmet on my knee when I go out this afternoon ;-)

John B

 

[Henry Braun]

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003, MSA wrote:

> I feel a helmet wars thread coming on!
>
> Taking cover.

Is that a polystyrene foam cover?

 

[David Hansen]

On 10 Jul 2003 08:28:55 GMT someone who may be "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote this:-

>David Hansen <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>: Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets.
>
>Where was that?

One was in the USA. I suspect that the other one was too. A quick check through my archives did not
reveal the name of either person.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

 

[David Hansen]

On 10 Jul 2003 08:28:55 GMT someone who may be "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote this:-

>: Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
>: one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
>: might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
>: their helmets.
>
>Where was that?

I have now found a detailed reference. http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/, the June 2003 headlines.

>KIVILEV AND HELMET POLITICS. Much has been made in the cycling press of the tragic death of Kazakh
>professional cyclist Andrei Kivilev [snip] Not widely reported or discussed in the English language
>press was the role that Kivilev's radio earpiece may have played. The rider was seen adjusting it
>immediately prior to the crash. Ex-French pros Laurent Fignon and Laurent Jalabert called for
>earpieces to be banned because of the distractions they cause to riders. [snip] The reports of the
>Kivilev tragedy contrasts with lack of coverage of similar racing tragedies. On March 15th, only
>four days after Kivilev, Garrett Paul Lemire, 22, crashed and died during Saturday's (March 15)
>Tucson Bicycle Classic. [snip]
>
>Just over one month later on May 17th, Japanese rider Haruko Fujinawa died after a crashing while
>practising for the first round of the NORBA series, the US's premier MTB race series.
>
>Deaths of other helmeted riders in North American cycle racing include Canadian veteran cyclist Joe
>Hailey last year and world class US women's pro, Nicole Reinhart in 2000. Hailey crashed and died
>from head injuries in a race in March 2002 in Langley, British Columbia. [snip] Helmeted cyclist
>deaths rarely, if ever, get much of a mention in the press. One can only speculate they don't sit
>well with the life-style ideology of helmet advocates.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.