when fundamentally it isn’t a dangerous activity?

It’s not an especially dangerous activity, but there is some danger. I’ll be drilling them on the highway code and good roadcraft too when they are old enough, because of the risks. I’m often to be found telling them to be careful* when they are out front, and pointing out cars coming down the hill – because there are risks.

Walking around outside is not especially dangerous, but I often prompt them to wear shoes.

* My eldest has just learned to ride without stabilisers and sometimes she’s too preoccupied with staying up right to notice she’s about to ride into something.

There are probably individuals who say ‘well he wasn’t wearing a helmet so it’s his fault’ but there are individuals who spout all sorts of bullshit for all sorts of stupid reasons.

well I believe there’s judges currently saying things along the lines of ‘well he wasn’t wearing a helmet so it’s xx% his fault’ Legislating against them would indeed be a good idea.

Agreed. If that’s true. If it’s a case of setting compensation value.. could be a complicated case.

I’m prepared to go out on a limb and say it would be higher though how much higher I dunno

Sadly it is true. The Sheriff mentioned lack of helmet in the Audrey Fyffe case.

“Mrs Fyffe wasn’t to blame in any way for the accident. However, she was not wearing a safety helmet and that in my view contributed to her death.”

That was the second cyclist that driver has killed. He got 300 hours community service and a five year driving ban.

If anything truly “contributed to her death” (other than the driver himself) it was the court system allowing him to drive again after he was convicted of death by careless driving the first time!

I do wear a helmet, it does not bother me if other people don’t.
I was against the law against smoking with children in cars not because I think smoking in a car with children is a good thing but because I do not wish to live in a nanny state with our civil liberties constantly being eroded .

Where will it end. Compulsory wearing of safety goggles when, ahem, viewing exotic ladies on the internet.

You look after your noggin I will look after mine.

“Mr Smith wasn’t to blame in any way for getting shot. However, he was not wearing a bulletproof vest and that in my view contributed to his death.”

helmet vs bullet proof jacket compulsion, in the latter (mostly) society aims to get rid of the cause of harm but in the former the victims are expected to save themselves.

“Mrs Fyffe wasn’t to blame in any way for the accident. However, she was not wearing a safety helmet and that in my view contributed to her death.”

He was very wrong to use this as a mitigation in the sentencing of the driver, however the reason he said it was becasue IIRC she had her back wheel clipped and fell over at slow speed bamging her head on the ground. The problem then is not whether the helmet could’ve saved her life, but the way in which victim blaming/driver exoneration takes place. However….

“Mr Smith wasn’t to blame in any way for getting shot the other car pulling out in front of him. However, he was not wearing a bulletproof vest seatbelt and that in my view contributed to his death.”

just sayin’

But seatbelts are a legal requirement, helmets are not. A more accurate parallel would be:

“Mr Smith wasn’t to blame in any way for the other car pulling out in front of him. However, his car did not have side impact airbags and that in my view contributed to his death.”

with our civil liberties constantly being eroded

Where should your liberties end?

What about parents who make decision for their kids? Should they be allowed to make stupid decisions that endanger or hurt their kids?

What about people who are major parts of other people’s lives? (ie most people) Should they be allowed to gamble away their own lives at detriment to others?

Who gives a shit!

Live and let live, there is no right or wrong in this debate*.

And that is FACT! IMO of course 😉

*Edit: Apart from, it’s definitely bad to try and kill cyclists regardless of their headgear!

I understand why you’ve done this, and I probably will too, but do you not find it a little sad that we live in a world country where we have to teach kids that it is dangerous to cycle, when fundamentally it isn’t a dangerous activity?

Not really mate. I don’t think of it like that. It’s a safety measure, they like I ride mostly off road, being safer allows them to push further with a little more confidence.
I want to think about safety equipment as normal rather than forcing them to wear it when they’re older and thinking its uncool.
They’re forever crash and burning and this allows them to brush themselves down and crack on more.

I always throw a helmet on and don’t think anything of it.

http://www.copenhagenize.com/2008/07/cycle-helmets-and-other-religious.html

Useful graph,.. Not..