London to Brighton: h*lmets?

[Hel]

I'm doing the L2B ride for the first time this year... Quote from the ride
guide:

"Nationally, head injuries make up more than half of the reported
injuries in cycling accidents. We want to see every cyclist on the Ride
wearing a proper cycle safety helmet. Don't be a statistic - protect your
head!"

I've quite recently become a non helmet wearer. I do still have one, but
I'd really rather not wear it. Can anybody who's done the ride before
comment on this? I'm not sure whether they're just giving advice, or if it
means I'll get stopped over it.

Hel

--

(remove the last letter of the alphabet to e-mail me)

 

[Buck]

On 06/08/2005 12:03:59 Hel <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm doing the L2B ride for the first time this year... Quote from the
> ride guide:

> "Nationally, head injuries make up more than half of the reported injuries
> in cycling accidents. We want to see every cyclist on the Ride wearing a
> proper cycle safety helmet. Don't be a statistic - protect your head!"

> I've quite recently become a non helmet wearer. I do still have one, but
> I'd really rather not wear it. Can anybody who's done the ride before
> comment on this? I'm not sure whether they're just giving advice, or if
> it means I'll get stopped over it.

> Hel

Contact the organisors and see if it is compulsory, I doubt it is, I will beat Guy to the punch line here and say that the comments by the organisers do nothing other than discourage people from cycling as they make it out to be a dangerous mode of transport, whereas statistically it is proven that the health benefits greatly out weigh the dangers and that in the main, helmets do not protect most riders in the kind of accidents they are involved in.

--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk

 

[Dave Larrington]

Hel wrote:
> I'm doing the L2B ride for the first time this year... Quote from the
> ride guide:
>
> "Nationally, head injuries make up more than half of the reported
> injuries in cycling accidents. We want to see every cyclist on the
> Ride wearing a proper cycle safety helmet. Don't be a statistic -
> protect your head!"
>
> I've quite recently become a non helmet wearer. I do still have one,
> but I'd really rather not wear it. Can anybody who's done the ride
> before comment on this? I'm not sure whether they're just giving
> advice, or if it means I'll get stopped over it.

As it's held on an open public road, I would imagine that they cannot compel
you to wear one. If anyone official tries it on, tell 'em you're not on the
ride and just happened to be riding down the same road at the same time as
these other 27,000 people.

Commuted sans martlehat on two wheels for the first time in years today.
The lack of a mirror was more disconcerting than the lack of a martlehat.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Every establishment needs an opposition.

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 11:03:59 GMT, Hel <[email protected]>
wrote:

>"Nationally, head injuries make up more than half of the reported
>injuries in cycling accidents.

Really? I must check my data from the DoH again. I though it was
only 30% for adult cyclist hospital admissions.

Figures for 2003/2004 for pedal cyclists injured in transport
accidents (V10-V19)

Head injuries (S00-S09): 1554
Injuries to other body regions (S10-T14): 3577

yep, 30%.

The figure for pedestrians is 31%, trivia fans.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

 

[David Martin]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

> Head injuries (S00-S09): 1554
> Injuries to other body regions (S10-T14): 3577
>
> yep, 30%.
>

but.. but..
<badmath>
1554 is only just under half of 3577 so it is 43%
</badmath>

...d

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On 8 Jun 2005 05:06:16 -0700, "David Martin"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>1554 is only just under half of 3577 so it is 43%

YA Adrian Cook & ICMFP ;-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

 

[Jeremy Collins]

On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 12:03:59 +0100, Hel <[email protected]> wrote:


> I've quite recently become a non helmet wearer. I do still have one, but
> I'd really rather not wear it. Can anybody who's done the ride before
> comment on this? I'm not sure whether they're just giving advice, or if
> it
> means I'll get stopped over it.

Nope; none of our group of 11 wore a helmet last year, despite the
same "warning".

--
jc

 

[MartinM]

Hel wrote:
> I'm doing the L2B ride for the first time this year... Quote from the ride
> guide:
>
> "Nationally, head injuries make up more than half of the reported
> injuries in cycling accidents. We want to see every cyclist on the Ride
> wearing a proper cycle safety helmet. Don't be a statistic - protect your
> head!"
>
> I've quite recently become a non helmet wearer. I do still have one, but
> I'd really rather not wear it. Can anybody who's done the ride before
> comment on this? I'm not sure whether they're just giving advice, or if it
> means I'll get stopped over it.

not required; first time I did it (1991) it was about 10%, now about
75. Broken limbs seem more common on the day.

 

[Tony Raven]

Hel wrote:
> I'm doing the L2B ride for the first time this year... Quote from the ride
> guide:
>
> "Nationally, head injuries make up more than half of the reported
> injuries in cycling accidents. We want to see every cyclist on the Ride
> wearing a proper cycle safety helmet. Don't be a statistic - protect your
> head!"
>
> I've quite recently become a non helmet wearer. I do still have one, but
> I'd really rather not wear it. Can anybody who's done the ride before
> comment on this? I'm not sure whether they're just giving advice, or if it
> means I'll get stopped over it.
>
> Hel
>

I always wear a "proper cycle safety helmet" when cycling, recognising
that the safest form of cycle helmet is none at all of course.

--
Tony

"Don't argue the matter, the difficulties will argue for themselves"
-W.S. Churchill

 

[Patrick Herring]

| Hel <[email protected]> wrote:
|
| I'm doing the L2B ride for the first time this year... Quote from the ride
| guide:
|
| "Nationally, head injuries make up more than half of the reported
| injuries in cycling accidents. We want to see every cyclist on the Ride
| wearing a proper cycle safety helmet.

There's no such thing - they're not [designed/sold as] safety gear, in
the sense that they will save your life, AIUI.

--
Patrick Herring, http://www.anweald.co.uk/ph