I couldn’t quite believe my eyes when I saw this article in FIRST NEWS, a weekly children’s newspaper.
It states that there is little point in adults wearing helmets because they do not protect against and that not enough people died from cycling related accidents for it to be made law.
The report, located on the British Medical Journal web site states that wearing helmets will simply encourage cyclists to take even more risks. I can’t quite believe what I am reading! They even argue about the principle ‘prevention is better than cure’ stating that there is not enough proof to justify this theory.
‘It seems to me that there are potentially at least three additional disbenefits. These are: the problems of enforcing a law mandating the use of cycle helmets; that cyclists wearing helmets may feel safer than if not wearing a helmet and so take greater risks; and that mandatory cycle helmets may be a deterrent to cycling. The potential problems of enforcement’
I would welcome your thoughts on this theory. As far as I am concerned I still think that if I had a choice between my head bouncing off the ground, or a helmet, I would choose a helmet.
Last July and my mysterious cycling accident being the prime example.
The report goes on to state that promoting cycle helmets will discourage people from using bikes, therefore counteracting the main argument that cycling is a health benefit.
How do they know that? Where is the evidence that cyclists would think that? SHOW ME THE RESEARCH!
Personal freedom, public acceptability, whatever the argument, please leave comments, because I am amazed that a children’s newspaper are stating that adults don’t need to wear helmets, and researchers are arguing that cycle helmets do not save lives.
I agree that helmets save lives. Myself or the kids would not get out without a helmet on.
ReplyDeleteWhat planet did these people do their research on.
Neither my wife or I would dream of going out without ours on and our boys just ask for their helmets in the same way as the ask for their shoes.. it's just a part of getting dressed for cycling.
ReplyDeleteIn a sense... there is an opportunity for natural selection here.. only the clever will survive!
I think I'd be dead if I hadn't been wearing my lid when I crashed a few years back. I hit a patch of ice, came down and smacked the side of my head heavily on the road breaking the helmet in the process, I stayed conscious and was able to avoid being run over by a car that had lost control on the same patch of ice. If I hadn't been wearing it and had been knocked out then the car would have certainly gone straight over me. I never ride without one.
ReplyDelete