View Poll Results: What Are Your Helmet Wearing Habits?
I've never worn a bike helmet
52
10.40%
I used to wear a helmet, but have stopped
24
4.80%
I've always worn a helmet
208
41.60%
I didn't wear a helmet, but now do
126
25.20%
I sometimes wear a helmet depending on the conditions
90
18.00%
Voters: 500. You may not vote on this poll
The Helmet Thread 2
#2651
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I was just wondering why ppl single out biking. Like, if in the past you'd hit your head often while biking. Or maybe as an adult you feel slightly wobbly on a bike and so want to armor up a bit. I'm trying to see if there's any connection to be found to biking. If there isn't then maybe the angle is just pick any activity randomly?
I can understand -- like anyone can -- that it's really bad to get a head injury. But I just don't know when to wear the helmet. Personally, I've slipped most often in my driveway.
As was just posted after your post, 98% of TBI's are from non-biking, so I just don't see the biking connection.
Helmets are also really common for rollerblading. Less so for ice-skating but they'd fit there, too. ...The old "whoops out go the feet!" fall is probably a common source of TBI for all types of skating.
Tripping, slipping, being in cars, and peds being hit by cars -- bet those are the most common TBI sources.
I can understand -- like anyone can -- that it's really bad to get a head injury. But I just don't know when to wear the helmet. Personally, I've slipped most often in my driveway.
As was just posted after your post, 98% of TBI's are from non-biking, so I just don't see the biking connection.
Helmets are also really common for rollerblading. Less so for ice-skating but they'd fit there, too. ...The old "whoops out go the feet!" fall is probably a common source of TBI for all types of skating.
Tripping, slipping, being in cars, and peds being hit by cars -- bet those are the most common TBI sources.
#2652
Senior Member
First:
I can point to *many* studies on the effectiveness of helmets in many applications.
I am unaware of a single study on the effectiveness of house helmets, stair helmets, bathtub helmets, sidewalk helmets etc.... If there are any, at all, would you like to share cites?
Second:
As far as most cars still in use don't have full airbag protections, that's been untrue for some time. In 2006, well over half of cars sold in the US had side airbags. Since 2010, 100% have. We've crossed the threshold of where most registered vehicles have the "full complement" of front/side airbags. ...
-mr. bill
I can point to *many* studies on the effectiveness of helmets in many applications.
I am unaware of a single study on the effectiveness of house helmets, stair helmets, bathtub helmets, sidewalk helmets etc.... If there are any, at all, would you like to share cites?
Second:
As far as most cars still in use don't have full airbag protections, that's been untrue for some time. In 2006, well over half of cars sold in the US had side airbags. Since 2010, 100% have. We've crossed the threshold of where most registered vehicles have the "full complement" of front/side airbags. ...
-mr. bill
As for helmets in the likely slip'n'fall scenarios of daily life -- or for trail walkers and runners, which is more of a hobby -- it's not done because users would consider it a bother even though it wd prolly save billions$ in TBI costs. They might however be persuaded if they were nagged enough. One wd need to mount a equivalent campaign that hobbies have.
#2653
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So your answer is there are no studies on shower helmets etc....
I prefer health policy to be based on facts.
-mr. bill
I prefer health policy to be based on facts.
-mr. bill
#2654
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So your answer is there are no studies on shower helmets etc....
I prefer health policy to be based on facts.
-mr. bill
I prefer health policy to be based on facts.
-mr. bill
#2655
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Good to hear that airbag cars aren't helped by helmets. A lot of 1990's/etc era cars are still used. Our family fleet has 2 cars w bags, 2 without. I agree that eventually they all will have. Until pre-bag cars age out probably drivers should wear helmets. I wonder if some seatbelts are also better than others -- like the race-car type. If ppl care about safety they shd use better seatbelts.
As for helmets in the likely slip'n'fall scenarios of daily life -- or for trail walkers and runners, which is more of a hobby -- it's not done because users would consider it a bother even though it wd prolly save billions$ in TBI costs. They might however be persuaded if they were nagged enough. One wd need to mount a equivalent campaign that hobbies have.
As for helmets in the likely slip'n'fall scenarios of daily life -- or for trail walkers and runners, which is more of a hobby -- it's not done because users would consider it a bother even though it wd prolly save billions$ in TBI costs. They might however be persuaded if they were nagged enough. One wd need to mount a equivalent campaign that hobbies have.
"Less than half" means that the airbags and seatbelts do appear to reduce head injuries, they don't eliminate them by any stretch.
#2656
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We cut the incidents way down by being healthy adults and riding with sanity and full command of our faculties. You can dig into the causes of bike accidents - all of those things that you never do on a bike like riding drunk, wrong way at night without lights etc - eliminate those and it might be hundreds of thousands miles per ER visit.
#2657
Senior Member
My head is waaay too important to me (even though I have a face for radio), so I always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorcycle, even though there is not a requirement to wear one.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
#2658
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That's likely dubious. "For the head-injured occupant at all injury severity levels (Figures 1, ,3,3, and and5),5), the belt restrained and airbag- and belt restrained occupant demonstrated consistently less than half the percentage of injuries compared to the unrestrained population".
"Less than half" means that the airbags and seatbelts do appear to reduce head injuries, they don't eliminate them by any stretch.
"Less than half" means that the airbags and seatbelts do appear to reduce head injuries, they don't eliminate them by any stretch.
Again, there are NO studies of the effectiveness of helmets + seatbelts + airbags of passenger cars on public roads.
Just as there are NO studies of the effectiveness of shower helmets.
-mr. bill
#2659
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There is no evidence supporting shower helmets, stairway helmets, etc....
-mr. bill
#2660
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2nd generation airbags were mandated in 1998. The paper you quote studied crashes from 1991-1998.
Again, there are NO studies of the effectiveness of helmets + seatbelts + airbags of passenger cars on public roads.
Just as there are NO studies of the effectiveness of shower helmets.
-mr. bill
Again, there are NO studies of the effectiveness of helmets + seatbelts + airbags of passenger cars on public roads.
Just as there are NO studies of the effectiveness of shower helmets.
-mr. bill
#2661
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There's no conclusive evidence that proves bicycle helmets even work at all. there's some research that suggest they might have some netto positive effect, but that's the extent of you evidence-based "proof" bicycle helmets work.
#2662
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What do you mean by « conclusive evidence »? There certainly is a lot of evidence.
Perhaps you could provide some links to the research you found?
Perhaps you could provide some links to the research you found?
#2663
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Note that I in fact do think that despite their laughably flawed design , I do think that bicycle helmets do have a positive netto outcome on bicycle accidents.
#2664
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Yes. +1. I don't usually participate in this thread, but you have hit on a point I have also noticed. That point is the helmet as a talisman. Wear it, and you are seen as being safe. Helmets become a sort of lucky charm that we hyperfocus on while losing the big picture.
#2665
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the by-far #1 hugest source of head injury is the bathroom -- if safety was actually anyone's concern, it seems likely that in one year that billions$ could be saved if everyone was mandated to have a helmet on a hook outside their bathrooms. i suppose it would be ok to take it off during haircare but otherwise, get it back on right away.
One could argue it's none of my business if someone wants to wear his bathroom helmet on a bike, but if I see one I have to wonder what he's up to. Is he planning to hit someone on purpose, or is he planning on reckless and dangerous riding? Shouldn't he consider the safety of others more and concentrate on avoiding accidents?
#2666
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Just some facts about bathroom accidents.
Bathroom related ER visits in 2008: 234,000
Percentage related to falls: 81%
Head or neck injured: 31%
from the CDC statistics
Compare to approximately 418,000 bicycle-related ER visits in 2009. About the same rate of hospitalization (16% vs 13%), but cycling has a lower percentage of head injury than bathing. (19% involving intracranial head injury - see Table 3 and the last bullet point)
I'll point out that there are more people taking baths and showers than there are cyclists, and generally they do it more frequently than bicycle trips, so there is less risk taking one shower than one bike ride. But the overall magnitude of the number of injuries is similar, and extrapolated head and neck injuries are nearly the same.
Bathroom related ER visits in 2008: 234,000
Percentage related to falls: 81%
Head or neck injured: 31%
from the CDC statistics
Compare to approximately 418,000 bicycle-related ER visits in 2009. About the same rate of hospitalization (16% vs 13%), but cycling has a lower percentage of head injury than bathing. (19% involving intracranial head injury - see Table 3 and the last bullet point)
I'll point out that there are more people taking baths and showers than there are cyclists, and generally they do it more frequently than bicycle trips, so there is less risk taking one shower than one bike ride. But the overall magnitude of the number of injuries is similar, and extrapolated head and neck injuries are nearly the same.
#2669
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Actually, lots of people care. Particularly of 65 and older, there have been MANY studies on how to reduce fall injuries, particularly bathroom injuries.
FACT BASED recommendations
What isn't in that set of FACT BASED recommendations? Shower helmets.
-mr. bill
FACT BASED recommendations
What isn't in that set of FACT BASED recommendations? Shower helmets.
-mr. bill
#2670
Member
My head is waaay too important to me (even though I have a face for radio), so I always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorcycle, even though there is not a requirement to wear one.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic[/URL] shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic[/URL] shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
#2671
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My head is waaay too important to me (even though I have a face for radio), so I always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorcycle, even though there is not a requirement to wear one.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
#2672
Senior Member
My head is waaay too important to me (even though I have a face for radio), so I always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorcycle, even though there is not a requirement to wear one.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
Every time I purchase a new helmet I always select the model that is best suited to my application.
Thank goodness, in over a half century of two-wheeled operation my head has yet to touch the ground.
This topic shows my Bell Z20 helmet. I am very happy w/ this helmet and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
People have the right to choose to obey helmet laws, or not. They have the right to lobby for or against helmet laws. In many locations people have the right to choose to wear helmets or not.
IMO, adults should have the right (continue to maintain the right) to decide on wearing a helmet or not. I also support the requirement that mandates children wearing helmets.
Thanks, but I have an acceptable command of language and stand by my words.
In both the USA (all states) and in France, adults maintain the legal right to decide on their own helmet usage.
#2673
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Please enjoy living in France.
Thanks, but I have an acceptable command of language and stand by my words.
In both the USA (all states) and in France, adults maintain the legal right to decide on their own helmet usage.
Thanks, but I have an acceptable command of language and stand by my words.
In both the USA (all states) and in France, adults maintain the legal right to decide on their own helmet usage.
Originally Posted by iihs
Many cities have local ordinances that require bicycle helmets for some or all riders.
Back from another trip to Seattle and a ride courtesy of Timbuk2.
I do not understand West Coast Capitalists - free loaner bike, free loaner bag, free loaner Kryptonite u-lock, even free loaner toolkit for as long as open-to-close. Also free helmet, leading to an interesting misunderstanding:
"I don't need a helmet."
"Oh yes you do, in Seattle you have to have one. It's the law."
"I know but I brought my own helmet."
"Oh, that's all right then."
I do not understand West Coast Capitalists - free loaner bike, free loaner bag, free loaner Kryptonite u-lock, even free loaner toolkit for as long as open-to-close. Also free helmet, leading to an interesting misunderstanding:
"I don't need a helmet."
"Oh yes you do, in Seattle you have to have one. It's the law."
"I know but I brought my own helmet."
"Oh, that's all right then."
-mr. bill
#2674
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Please enjoy living in France.
Thanks, but I have an acceptable command of language and stand by my words.
In both the USA (all states) and in France, adults maintain the legal right to decide on their own helmet usage.
Thanks, but I have an acceptable command of language and stand by my words.
In both the USA (all states) and in France, adults maintain the legal right to decide on their own helmet usage.
Can I suggest night school?
#2675
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Ummm, right. Unless you are making the law...