https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45312756

Thats him off my xmas card list

The Welshman also revealed that, apart from races, he had “never ridden a bike in London”.

He added: “I’ve watched from a taxi and it does seem a bit crazy. “

Thats it you **** paint the vulnerable road users as the crazies.. knobber….and his book was unreadable shite

This is the third thread I’ve seen now, not sure which to support 🤔

Mine…obviously..

Well, this is the only one of those three threads to actually mention either his name in the title. The other two give nothing away

I did have a look first too. Nothing about helmets ir Thomas jumped out..

Anyway what a **** stupid thing for him to say

Thomas, however, argues the development of helmet design in recent years now means there is “no reason not to” wear one.

Apart from the reasons for not wearing one of course.  When a sponsored professional starts saying people should do something that involves buying a product I am a bit sceptical.  Making helmets compulsory would clearly increase helmet sales which may bring him something from a sponsor or two…

I got stung by a wasp that flew in my helmet this week. There’s a reason not to wear one.

What if I was just an average bloke rather than a keen cyclist and wanted to nip down the road for a paper…if I have to wear a helmet I couldnt find I’d go in the car instead.

I’ve watched from a taxi and it does seem a bit crazy.

Depends how how you read it I guess. You read it as he was describing the riders as crazy (blame on riders); I read it as the situation is crazy (blame on volume of all forms of traffic and town planners). I suspect the way it reads says more about the attitude of the reader than it does about the person being quoted.

Re helmets – spent a couple of days in the Netherlands this month- not Amsterdam but out and about. Always refreshing to see the huge propensity of people riding bikes in normal clothing and not an atypical ‘cyclist’ to be seen. Or a single helmet.

Agreed though, Thomas seems a nice guy but suspect also not the brightest- no surprise his book is unreadable.

Thats it you **** paint the vulnerable road users as the crazies.. knobber….and his book was unreadable shite

That’s not my interpretation of that line. Most unitiated people who look at the melee of cyclists and motorised traffic in parts of London would think ‘it’ was a bit crazy. I used to think just driving generally in parts of London was a bit of a mad experience.

Also, he’s allowed to have a view on whether helmets are worthwhile/necessary, and you’re entitled to disagree. Whether you feel the need to do it respectfully or not is more a reflection on you than him.

Not sure he’s stupid just because you don’t agree with him….and I just took the “its crazy” comment as referring to London traffic, not London cyclists.

Yes – my first thoughts too were that his comment/opinion must be financially benefitting him.

He somehow has a reputation as this down to earth working class fella. But he is anything but.

He has had a privelidged life since his teens from cycling; never done a days work in his life. Soon as he starts earning big money from cycling he ups to Monaco to avoid paying his taxes here that would benefit youngsters coming up behind him to have the same opportunities as he did … then writes a few books to squeeze the titty a bit more.

His own line of GT cycling helmets to be released soon is my guess.

Agreed though, Thomas seems a nice guy but suspect also not the brightest-

He clearly is not that bright when listening to him so anything he says should be taken with a pinch of salt and not published on the BBC.  He has hardly done his research and saying things like “why wouldn’t you” doesn’t appear well thought out.

never done a days work in his life

So true. Not even an iota of effort to get where he is. Should’ve been down the pit at 14 with his candle.

Who can see behind the pay wall? Does he say that he thinks everyone should wear one, or that they should be made compulsory? As these things are not the same.

Also, he’s allowed to have a view on whether helmets are worthwhile/necessary, and you’re entitled to disagree.

Oh yes the old everyone is allowed an opinion, even **** stupid ones……

Don’t worry, as soon as you win a major sporting event, your top notch views on the future of cycling will be broadcast nationally to the rest of us worthless plebs.

Does he say that he thinks everyone should wear one, or that they should be made compulsory? As these things are not the same.

Not looked but the bbc says compulsory, I’m assuming thats what he said

Don’t worry, as soon as you win a major sporting event, your top notch views on the future of cycling

So winning le tour makes him know more about cycling to the shops for a paper. Is his view more worthwhile than Chris Boardmans? Or does it just upset you that I am critical of your hero?

Is his view more worthwhile than Chris Boardmans?

No, which is why the BBC also covered his views.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29894590

As I say, you’re allowed to disagree with him, but sadly you’ll be restricted to promoting his views by posting a link on here.

So just to be clear what upsets you about me saying his comments are stupid?

Bbc headline said compulsory but then seems to suggest he said everyone should wear one.

I think everyone should wear a helmet but I don’t think they should be compulsory

Anyone seen the actual article?

Or does it just upset you that I am critical of your hero?

It upsets me that you start a thread berating someone in nasty personal terms, tbh, especially someone you don’t actually know.

Nothing. The only spittle-flecked rant is your OP.

Anyone seen the actual article?

Yes, he calls for them to be compulsory. I disagree with that. But the amount GT falls off his bike colours his personal perspective on helmets, I imagine. And if he gets asked the question, he’s going to give an answer.

I suppose he’ll get used to people getting ragey because he happens to have a contrary view, which gets prominence because he has won the biggest bike race in the world.

Clearly says more about those giving a torrent of abuse while hiding behind their keyboard.

He’s entitled to an opinion.

It is the right opinion as well. Love how conspiracy theorists also link it to him wanting to make money out of it, brilliant.

Perhaps he just wants to increase people surviving accidents. The idiot.

Dangerous to assume that headlines relate to facts. Indeed as in this case better to assume to opposite to a void looking stupid as a reader

I am anti cumplusion. I rode for two hours without a helmet yesterday and loved it and yet cannot see any reason to object to anything he said

I also used to ride a Boris bike to work every day and his comments on riding in a London seem pretty spot on and his views on bikes and car coexisting hit the spot

time to put him on the Xmas card list

I think everyone should wear a helmet but I don’t think they should be compulsory

I wear a helmet, except in a once a year occurence that I forget it. I think its mostly a good idea but should it be compulsory for people off to get a paper who will hardly get over 15mph? I dont think so.

Also when they can make it compulsory for parents to put the **** things on the top of kids heads rather than the back of their heads I might change my mind for under 16’s

bit stupid?

Bit harsh.

A bit harsh.

Has the O.P. had too much coffee this morning?

It upsets me

Bless, do you want a hug?

He’s entitled to an opinion.

And I am, his idiotic opinion is stupid.

Dangerous to assume that headlines relate to facts.

Thats a fair point

Indeed as in this case better to assume to opposite to a void looking stupid as a reader

It has “compulsory” the reader would not be incorrect to interpret it that way. The writer would be pretty stupid in the case that they have got it wrong.

It’s compulsory in my house. But so is drinking Stella.

Has the O.P. had too much coffee this morning

Maybe not enough

They would. To do otherwise would not be very clever.

Its a classic of it’s kind and merely highlights the need for media channels to sensationalise and misrepresent the truth to satisfy the endless appetite to hyperbole

as for the writer being stupid, well either yes or see above. You decide

I think anyone who rides a bike in London is crazy. I wouldn’t do it.

as for the writer being stupid, well either yes or see above. You decide

I should point out that he also says he’s a Remainer. Does that help?

There’s a difference between being wrong and stupid. I don’t think helmets should be compulsory, but that doesn’t mean that people who disagree with me are stupid. Nothing in that article screams “stupid” to me, even if I don’t agree with everything. It’s generally more useful to argue the merits of your case than just call anyone who disagrees with you “stupid”.

I ride a bike in London and I am confident that I am only a little crazy. I do wear a helmet coz I iz well quick init! 😉

Well this is a *great* thread, the OP should be proud.

I can’t read the article, because I’m not a subscriber but, although the BBC headline says he thinks they should be compulsory, the nearest they get to quoting him saying that is that he thinks “there’s no reason not to”, which isn’t the same thing at all.

That’s like me saying there’s no reason not to pack some snacks before a long drive – no suggestion it should be compulsory, just advice.  And coming from his background of competition, where they are compulsory, he may not have thought through the “reasons not to”.  I wonder how many times Boardman came out as a helmet-sceptic while he was still competing (I don’t know and I support and admire him and his stance as an advocate for cyclists’ safety, now, so this isn’t a criticism).

The BBC has policies on helmets – presenters, I believe, are not allowed to appear on a bike without a helmet (although, presumably, they can’t compel guests), which is part of normalising helmets despite the issues/doubts which are well documented. Headlines like this back their pernicious campaign for cumpulsion.

He has had a privelidged life since his teens from cycling; never done a days work in his life. Soon as he starts earning big money from cycling he ups to Monaco to avoid paying his taxes here that would benefit youngsters coming up behind him to have the same opportunities as he did … then writes a few books to squeeze the titty a bit more.

Yeah imagine spending most of your life living out of hotels on team busses and then picking where to live. Given how much he will be out of the country picking somewhere nice to live where you can ride most of the off season makes sense. If he was living in the UK and taking UK services that would be an issue of course but he isn’t.

As for the OP banging rant there, nice levels of abuse and vitriol going on.

On the issue? I lived in a compulsory helmet country, meh we just jot on with it. There were more people riding than I see in the UK at times with a tiny population. There was also much better infrastructure and planning in lots of places too.

I love the “I was in the netherlands” comments – if the UK ever gets close to 50% of the cycling infrastructure they have then maybe their attitudes can be brought over.

It is the right opinion as well. Love how conspiracy theorists also link it to him wanting to make money out of it, brilliant.

It’s an opinion, there is no right opinion (other than mine of course which is that helmets should never, ever be compulsory)

And hardly conspiracy theory to think that a sponsored person may have an interest in helping their sponsor sell something.  Not saying he is doing that but naive to not think it may be the case.