Should wearing helmet be optional?

[TForan]

it almost sounds as if some don't wear helmets because their exercising their freedom and rights.

No, I don't because I don't want to muss my hair.

 

[Riversurf]

On the other hand,

the inverse square law is natural law, and as such cannot be argued against; ie: the impact force at 20mph is four times that of 10mph.

Accepting that natural laws cannot be argued against, each of us makes a personal decision for each ride, whether to wear a helmet.[/QUOTE]

So every social law is artificial, by that reasoning, and you're OK if everyone just chose which ones to follow? (I'd argue that every law may be arbitrary, but they're not artificial if they can be enforced by penalties, such as $$ or jail. That's pretty real.

 

[Reid]

So every social law is artificial, by that reasoning, and you're OK if everyone just chose which ones to follow? (I'd argue that every law may be arbitrary, but they're not artificial if they can be enforced by penalties, such as $$ or jail. That's pretty real.

In my state there is no helmet law for adults.

All I wish to stand for is our individual freedom to make good or bad choices for ourselves,

when the choices are not against the law. In this case, in my state, an adult need not wear a helmet.

Several million people besides myself agree.

"People stop cycling in every region, in every country of the world where helmets have been promoted."

Proposed billboard per the speaker above,

Please try to not maim or kill our villiage bicyclists or pedestrians with your multi ton car today.
Welcome to Coconut Grove, 122-year-old home of common sense and tolerance.

(The fake Colonel's grandson lives not fifty feet from where I write.)

 

[Riversurf]

In my state there is no helmet law for adults.

All I wish to stand for is our individual freedom to make good or bad choices for ourselves,

when the choices are not against the law. In this case, in my state, an adult need not wear a helmet.

Several million people besides myself agree.

"People stop cycling in every region, in every country of the world where helmets have been promoted."

Proposed billboard per the speaker above,

Please try to not maim or kill our villiage bicyclists or pedestrians with your multi ton car today.
Welcome to Coconut Grove, 122-year-old home of common sense and tolerance.

(The fake Colonel's grandson lives not fifty feet from where I write.)

You're right, everyone's entitled to make bad decisions. I have links, too:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...-serious-head-injury-by-nearly-70-study-finds

http://gawker.com/tedx-speaker-talks-about-how-ted-talks-are-bullshit-1496985980

Then there was one of my surgeon's quote: "If you hadn't been wearing a helmet, you'd be dead or paralyzed."

 

[Reid]

If you allow this surgery I will save your life.

If you elect me president I will make America great again.

If you take my every word to be the truth I will make you my chump.

*well meaning surgeons in turns killed both my parents. *your vote counts. *Our resident president.

 

[Riversurf]

If you allow this surgery I will save your life.

If you elect me president I will make America great again.

If you take my every word to be the truth I will make you my chump.

*well meaning surgeons in turns killed both my parents. *your vote counts. *Our resident president.

I think you're mistaking me for... Actually, I have no idea what you're talking about. Have a nice one.

 

[PDoz]

You're right, everyone's entitled to make bad decisions. I have links, too:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...-serious-head-injury-by-nearly-70-study-finds

http://gawker.com/tedx-speaker-talks-about-how-ted-talks-are-bullshit-1496985980

Then there was one of my surgeon's quote: "If you hadn't been wearing a helmet, you'd be dead or paralyzed."

If you cynically read the 2016 analysis that the guardian article is based on, it's possible to come to some very different conclusions:

Eg There is only a small amount of data showing increased neck injuries with mandatory helmets because most of the studies trying to show the benefits of helmets stopped including data on neck injuries. Why do you think that is? Who funds these studies?

As for your surgeons comment, without knowing the details of your incident, I'd disrespectfully argue it could possibly show the limitations in most of our data on helmet studies - it's opinion based data from medical staff working in hospitals rather than scientists trained in physics or forensics. For what it's worth, I have a relative with a phd in physics who works in forensic crash investigation, and another with a phd in psychology who works in road safety science - I'd put a lot more faith in their opinions than my medical degree.

 

[Reid]

Off topic. Anything to distract from anyone being unhappy.

1930, Any televisions? "Will you give me a dollar to put in my bank?"

The setting is, of course, you know it, Florida.

...kicked to death by two infuriated canary birds...

...someone had been feeding them meat.

A popular Rosetta Stone they use is to look for uses of the number 17.

Given these facts , should wearing helmet be optional?

 

[Camac]

Wearing a helmet is compulsory here. We won't take anyone in our group unless they have a helmet and a floro jacket. Just 3 weeks ago a woman went base over apex, landed partially on the helmet but still required 5 stitches in a cut to her forehead. Helmet needed to be replaced. Fortunately we had 2 retired nurses in the group.

 

[ElectricBikeRevolution]

I have to agree with you @ElectricBikeRevolution
If only I could find a helmet that not only fit my gourd comfortably AND didn't look so bad, I would probably wear one.
Until anything changes, it will just have to remain up to personal preference.

That is the problem, isn't it! Maybe we should just start a company that makes them! Haha.

 

[larry-new]

It's for your own good.....I know, I know. I wear one, because bodies heal, but brains may not. Whether someone else wears one doesn't affect me,and I'm really averse to telling others what to do.

 

[Roxlimn]

Having helmet subsidies for commuters will probably encourage more helmet-wearing than otherwise. Having better designed and stylish helmets will help, too. Mandatory says, "You should drive your car instead." We always have to factor in the idea that making cycling more onerous will shift potential cyclists out of the activity.

 

[Athena]

Bike helmets are light enough not to be a problem. Try wearing a motorcycle helmet and see the difference. If the bike can travel at 20 mph then I think wearing a helmet vs a concussion would be better if you end up flying off. There are no helmet laws in Arizona, but even when I'm on an e-bike or motorcycle I will wear a helmet.

 

[kmccune]

Absolutely. And health care providers should be free to refuse you services if you sustain a head injury while riding a bike without a helmet. And health insurers should be free to cancel your coverage if you choose to ride a bicycle without a helmet.

Let freedom ring, but let it ring far and wide from the mountains, from the valleys, from the fruited plains, etc.

Not the Funeral parlors or assisted living facilities?

 

[kmccune]

A couple of times and survived them with abrasions. Had a friend who survived a direct faceplant with a deer (gutted it with his head) on a motorcycle. He swears a helmet would have broke his neck. With his head tucked down it just planted his head down into his shoulders and knocked him and his passenger (the bike owner) off the bike. Implanted deer hair in his face but that was an improvement. Always told him he didn't need a gun to deer hunt after that.

Heard that lament before, the caveat is I have heard the Troopers say they have never unbuckled a dead person, not quite the same as a bike you get the idea,I have seen a very, very few cases where I believed a shoulder belt would have made it worse( odds worse than some gambling).
Wear the freakin" Helmet ( Kids are petulant)

 

[kmccune]

I think that if helmet companies made more stylish and comfortable helmets, more people would wear them. Thoughts?

I want a wirecutter on mine and ballistic protection.

 

[kmccune]

But what if you bang into some projection, like tree limb or low awning overhang at any speed? You will be hurt.

However, I do not wear a helmet unless I am going to ride within heavy auto traffic.

No one has right in the USA to tell others how to live their lives. I appreciate that my state of FL, a police state, at least does not force helmets onto adult cyclists.

I started cycling at six. That would be 1960. Have not hurt my head yet. Your results may be different.

The only problem with laws VS freedom is this," when your "freedoms" are selfish and start to affect other people, is it still a "Freedom"? Despite all the crazy ludicrous laws out there most laws were designed to help people and of course justify jobs for some "busybodies", here in the good old "Commonpoorth" of VA we have a mandatory "lights on when the wipers are working" which makes perfect sense, have never seen or heard of it being enforced OTOH run a little over the speed limits under perfectly safe conditions and you are probably going to get ticketed as the "Officers" hit the "Bluelight Special" and give you a ticket to the 'traffic court ball'.

 

[kmccune]

I'll start with saying that wearing a helmet should be a choice. My point is not to encourage debate. It is my opinion and I think it's worth sharing. Perhaps it may encourage safer riding.

In my past did a lot of things not using a helmet (8 motorcycles, skydiving-20 years and professional bull riding). I was very lucky to escape any head injuries other than being scraped up a little. I defied the odds and was damn lucky, perhaps even stupid.

Unfortunately someone, somewhere, is going to hit their head today. As we know, these occurrence our usually random no matter how much you prepare to avoid it from happening. You can not control everything.

What sounds ridiculous to me is the excuses people use to not wear head protection. Such excuses as: 1) it's uncomfortable 2) doesn't look good 3) It's my right not to wear one 4) I've ridden without one for years and never been hurt 5) Just going down the street 6) It impairs my vision. The list goes on and on.

Have any of you seen or known a person with a bad head injury? it is very sad. Talk to a ER nurse or doctor about head injuries. Contrary to believe, many bad head injuries occur at low speeds,

Head injuries not only impact the injured but family members and friends as well. Stop being selfish, self centered and irresponsible (stupid). if you don't care about yourself at least care about those around you.

So next time you ride without a helmet at least, give its some thought. Is today your lucky day or not?

Please ride safe and keep the wheels on the road.

Crazy as it sounds I could understand pro bull riding not wearing a helmet, looks like that would give you whiplash OTOH everyone understands the risks from this extremely dangerous occupation, bike riding doesn't have to be dangerous.

 

[harryS]

Nowadays, riding a bike requires a helmet because helmets protect you from head and brain injuries. So, who is required to wear a bicycle helmet? In the United States, 22 states have bicycle helmet laws that require cyclists to wear helmets while on the road. The law requires cyclists under the age of 18 to wear a helmet when riding. Age requirements vary from state to state or city to city. For example, California requires those 18 years of age and younger to use a cycling helmet, while West Virginia requires those under the age of 15. New York imposes helmet use on those 13 and under.

Umm. No US state requires an adult to wear a bicycle helmet.

 

[ChezCheese:)]

Wear your helmet in remembrance of all those "free from nanny state" riders who did not, having died, or been paralyzed or brain damaged. Wear it in remembrance of all the families and friends who lost their helmet-free loved one, or who have to provide long-term care for them, or whose loved one's personality and competences changed because they couldn't be bothered to wear one.

Or just wear it because you've got something worth protecting in that skull of yours.