Bicycle helmets?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Heard this on local radio today:

Australia is the only country in which wearing a bicycle helmet is mandatory.

The law was introduced over a decade ago. It is claimed that today the gender ratio is skewed as a result. Only 25% of bicycle riders are now female.

MY view; I do not have enough information to make a meaningful assessment. I have yet to see any evidence that proves conclusively such helmets save lives or even significantly reduces serious injury.

A cynical person might say such a law is a political exercise in tokenism. The most obvious way to make bicycle riding both safe and more attractive is to build the infrastructure needed. Eg such as Copenhagen, which has over 400 kilometres of dedicated bike paths..

[Entropist]

I thought NZ also requires helmets for bicyclists...?

Working in the ER (in the US), I know I'd rather have people wearing helmets. I have no stats, but I can say, based on what I've seen come through the door, helmets certainly make things a lot less messy for us...

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Working in the ER (in the US), I know I'd rather have people wearing helmets. I have no stats, but I can say, based on what I've seen come through the door, helmets certainly make things a lot less messy for us...

Well, that's the most pragmatic argument I've heard. Ambos here say the same thing about seat belts. (also mandatory)

[leo-rcc]

The Netherlands has over 81400 km of cycling roads and 18 million bicycles ( http://www.fietsplatform.nl/public/Samen...nitief.pdf sorry it is in Dutch). Amsterdam alone has 400km of cycling roads, and roughly 40% of all above ground travel is done on bicycle there ( http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/th...do/cycling ).

As a consequence, the amount of traffic injuries and deaths related are the second highest amongst bicyclists and only more amongst automobile crashes (http://www.swov.nl/rapport/Factsheets/NL...offers.pdf again in Dutch, sorry just look for fiets which means bicycle). In the period from 2004 till 2009 every method of transport has seen a decline in injuries and fatalities in traffic, except bicycles who have seen an increase.

Bicycle helmets are not mandatory in our country but they are highly recommended and there has been talk about making these helmets mandatory for years now. Given that moped drivers are required to wear helmets and their injury and fatality rate in comparison even in percentage to the rest is much lower, I'd say such a law has merit.

[Zen Badger]

A friend some years back lost control of his pushie and fell off landing fair square on his helmet.

It shattered(literally) but saved him from serious head injuries.

As a motorcyclist I wear all the gear all the time(ATGATT) and I cringe when I see riders crash during the Tour de France etc.

Imagince the road rash.

[Dotard]

Pushie?

[Zen Badger]

Pushie is Aussie slang for pushbike

And it's a pushbike 'cos when you get to a hill you get off and push ;D

[KichigaiNeko]

A friend some years back lost control of his pushie and fell off landing fair square on his helmet.

It shattered(literally) but saved him from serious head injuries.

As a motorcyclist I wear all the gear all the time(ATGATT) and I cringe when I see riders crash during the Tour de France etc.

Imagince the road rash.

Have to give a thumbs up to cranial protection. I would like to see more development in regards to kevlar clothing for pushie riders...I don't think lycra is all that good for the road rash issue.

(Another Motorcyclist here who has had some injuries @ low speed and thanks whatever inventor for the ATTGAT equipment)

[downbeatplumb]

Heard this on local radio today:

Australia is the only country in which wearing a bicycle helmet is mandatory.

The law was introduced over a decade ago. It is claimed that today the gender ratio is skewed as a result. Only 25% of bicycle riders are now female.

MY view; I do not have enough information to make a meaningful assessment. I have yet to see any evidence that proves conclusively such helmets save lives or even significantly reduces serious injury.

A cynical person might say such a law is a political exercise in tokenism. The most obvious way to make bicycle riding both safe and more attractive is to build the infrastructure needed. Eg such as Copenhagen, which has over 400 kilometres of dedicated bike paths..

I was knocked off my bike by a motocyclist last year, flying a good six feet through the air landing head first on the ground the other side of the car I was next too. Without the helmet my wife wouldve been widowed.

[parrotpirate]

Back in high school, a friend of mine dumped his motorcycle. He told us that the ER nurses scrubbed the gravel out of his leg with a wire brush. (Don't ride wearing shorts,kids!)