In all fairnes, and this is entirely anecdotal, but I don’t see that many cyclists NOT wearing a helmet these days

Apparently, London has the highest proportion with 40% wearing helmets.

If helmets were effective, KSI rates will have fallen as helmet use has increased. Is this the case?

The author has been adding explanation on his twitter feed;

Yes, yes he has, if by “explanation” you mean “complete back pedal”. His explanation now includes the statement

myself (and wiggle) remain open to both sides of the debate

however, the (now deleted) tweet promoting the article said

Should helmets be compulsory – WE SAY YES

Hmmm, either the power of the arguments made have changed that opinion, or, and perhaps more likely, the negative response has led to a change of marketing approach.

OK, it comes across as insensitive but the analogy is this:

Your town has a problem with knife crime. Rather than solve the problem of people being stabbed (increased policing, harsher punishments etc), the answer is to campaign for compulsory stab vests for all…

??

Sorry Crazy legs but it was a low blow and you know it, that wasn’t the point you were making, yes we’ve all heard the stab vest analogy already, and you didn’t give that or any other analogy…

Swaying public opinion is the name of the game, and “Credibility” comes in part from how either side of this debate conducts themselves, I’d say He’s got one of the strongest and “Noblest” motives of all, he see’s his campaigning as helping to prevent other families having to go through what his own has, you might sneer at that but quite frankly its something an awful lot of people can appreciate and empathise with.

I don’t disagree that his efforts would be far better directed at improving the general standard of road vehicle operation, getting people to think about the consequences of their actions on the roads, and challenging our rather “car-centric” culture, not forcing EPS hats on everyone who rides a bicycle.

However wrong his position might be leave comments like that, regarding his son out of it, at best it will be interpreted as crass and at worst downright unpleasant…
So lets not get dragged down this avenue any further now…

The question is really about the relative merits helmet compulsion, which IMO means that first of all you need a serious and unbiased examination of the efficacy of (current, commercially available) helmets in the context of Road traffic incidents.
Not statistical bullshittery, actual physical testing that demonstrates the benefits to the wearer in terms of reducing the potential for head injury…

Without such “proof” the gaping hole in the argument for compulsion is that nobody seems able to prove any real benefit…

And no, EN1078 tests are certainly not representative of typical Road traffic incidents and do not constitute the proof I described…

Wiggle Flog helmets, and Wiggo’s name is used to flog all sorts of cycling related stuff now, so I don’t think either qualifies as an unbiased authority on the topic, But anyone can start a debate for whatever reason…

I’m not sure I buy the efficacy thing.

I think all, but the most extreme anti-compulsionists recognise that a helmet affords some level of protection, even if only against prat falls to the road/kerb.

And even if they were quite surprisingly effective at preventing head injuries I still wouldn’t support compulsion.

That may seem odd but as others have said neck-braces and flame-retardant suits are very effective too, but that doesn’t mean they should be worn.

The question is really about the relative merits helmet compulsion, which IMO means that first of all you need a serious and unbiased examination of the efficacy of (current, commercially available) helmets in the context of Road traffic incidents.
Not statistical bullshittery, actual physical testing that demonstrates the benefits to the wearer in terms of reducing the potential for head injury

But that would only be the very, very start. I’m sure there is plenty of evidence that those ‘bite suits’ that police dog trainers wear prevent or reduce bite injuries. So there’s a benefit to using it but that doesn’t mean that it should be law to wear one whenever you’re near a dog. Same goes for walking/running helmets, GPS locators for hikers, lifejackets for people in swimming pools. All these things are such small risks, that when compared to the health benefits from doing the activity, there’s just no need for legislation.

50,000 saved by the seatbelt law in 30 years , vs a theoretical 420* lives saved by a helmet law over the same period.

It’s not even 1% of the problem that was addressed by the seatbelt law.

*
Roughly 100 cycling fatalities/yr IIRC

between 10 and 16 per cent of cycling deaths could have been avoided if the cyclist had been wearing an appropriate helmet

so 14% as a midpoint.
So 14 lives saved per year.

Yeah, but Wiggle call brake discs ‘rotors’, so I’m out.

I see the screencap from Wiggle also uses the old seatbelts have saved 50’000 lives lie.

An existing downward trend in road deaths stopped in 1983 when the front seatbelt law was introduced.

Seat belts: another look at the data

So 14 lives saved per year.

Less than that in fact because of those 100 deaths per year, a number of them will already have been wearing helmets.

The reduction in the percentage of the public cycling if a compulsory helmet law is enforced isn’t due to them being considered “unfashionable”, it’s due a perception that cycling is dangerous without a helmet. Watch this, wear a helmet if you want, but don’t encourage others to do so.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/have-we-done-wiggle-backing-compulsory-helmet-laws-yet/page/2

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wiggo-on-helmets

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-do-you-deal-with-folk-not-wearing-a-helmet

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bike-helmet-for-kids

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-helmet-debate-rumbles-on-in-the-mainstream-media

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/would-you-helmet-nazi-content#post-3139927

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-another-study-on-the-efficacy-of-bike-helmets#post-3128520

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/thank-god-for-helmets#post-3071801

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/so-i-decided-to-write-off-my-helmet-today#post-3015561

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/will-the-uk-every-be-like-this#post-3001646

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/no-helmet#post-2983986

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/my-helmet-is-very-deformed-graphic-photo-content#post-2963127

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-woman-who-tragically-died-in-dent-on-the-letjog-ride#post-2956453

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/helmets-2#post-2941835

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cyclist-hit-15-times-with-hammer-by-driverfor-riding-too-slow-up-a-hill#post-2943106

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/this-really-makes-you-want-to-wear-a-lid#post-2919841

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/good-or-bad-advert#post-2894537

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/james-cracknell-wear-a-helmet-video#post-2783611

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bmxers-idiots#post-2758996

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/motorcyclist-protesting-helmet-laws-dies-in-bike-crash-while-not-wearing-helmet/page/3

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=714-Dsoj1VU[/video]

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/helmet-compulsion-again

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/wear-a-helmet-kids#post-2705179

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-helmet-debate-on-radio-2-now#post-2584202

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/if-helmets-were-to-be-made-compulsory#post-2573922

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/helmet-on-your-child-always#post-2482018

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/some-very-sad-news#post-2476001

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-great-helmet-debate#post-2432920

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/kids-cycling-to-school-without-helmets-is-it-me-or#post-2368335

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/compulsory-helmet-law-in-ni#post-2236497

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-smug-will-tj-be

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/helmets-possibly-the-last-word

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/anyone-else-hear-peter-thatchel-on-jeremy-vine-calling-for-compulsary-helmets/page/2

God I’m so bored of these endless anti-helmet debate debates.

Can you give it a rest kcr? Please?

You’re not going to change anyone’s opinion.

😉

I live and work in oz (Perth) at the moment, cycle commuting is prevalent. There are dedicated cycle paths so I barely come in contact with cars on my 8km commute in to the city. 99% of people wear helmets. Its compulsory and enforceable by law over here, and you know what…

YOU NEVER HEAR ANYONE COMPLAINING…

I think a more important thing to be arguing, complaining and making a massive fuss over would be road safety and better provision of cycle ways for cyclists. If a fraction of the effort of arguing about bloody helmets on here went in to emailing your MP’s and trying to get things changed maybe less people would end up landing on their heads in the first place!

YOU NEVER HEAR ANYONE COMPLAINING…

So people who still cycle don’t complain about helmets.
Perhaps you should be asking the people who don’t cycle?

Last I heard cycling levels in Australia were still falling, particularly amongst children:
http://road.cc/content/news/96884-levels-cycling-falling-australia-according-national-survey

And some academics were calling for the law to be repealed for a trial period:
http://road.cc/content/news/21503-strewth-aussie-academic-calls-repeal-countrys-compulsory-bike-helmet-laws

If a fraction of the effort of arguing about bloody helmets on here went in to emailing your MP’s

I’m a member of the CTC, I volunteer and donate to Sustrans, and I’m a member of my local cycle campaign. I’ve emailed my MP a few times (he is a cyclist as well and spoke well at the recent Get Britain Cycling debate in parliament).

I’ve emailed my MP a few times (he is a cyclist as well and spoke well at the recent Get Britain Cycling debate in parliament

Lucky you. Mine is an ex director of car manufacturers. I’ve emailed him a few times, but only because he didn’t reply to the first two emails! He didn’t reply to the third either so I gave up.

It’s not all good bails. He’s still a Tory 😀

D’you know, me and my poor little brain have been thinking about this all night. 🙁 I’m still uncomfortable with the idea that there’s a level of head-related fatality that’s acceptable as a consequence of getting people riding bikes. 🙁

Last I heard cycling levels in Australia were still falling, particularly amongst children

Which has nothing to do with an increase in traffic and parents terrified to let their kids out of their sight.
Compulsory helmet laws don’t seen to be working though as about 25% of those I have seen today are not wearing them (Perth wa) and about 10% are doing the dangle on the bars thing.

I’m still uncomfortable with the idea that there’s a level of head-related fatality that’s acceptable as a consequence of getting people riding bikes.

Take helmets out of the equation then and see if it makes sense:
Are you comfortable with the idea that if people have active healthy lifestyles then a small number of them will get hurt and possibly even die while pursuing those lifestyles?

e.g. Some people will break their neck mountain biking. Does that put you off promoting mountain biking as a fun healthy hobby?

Which has nothing to do with an increase in traffic and parents terrified to let their kids out of their sight.

Yeah that’s exactly the point I’m making though.

It promotes a culture of fear. Some parents are too terrified to let their kids ride bikes and part of the reason for that is the perception that riding a bike is so incredibly dangerous that it requires mandatory safety equipment at all times by law.

Are you comfortable with the idea that if people have active healthy lifestyles then a small number of them will get hurt and possibly even die while pursuing those lifestyles?

I think yes, as long as a degree of reasonable precatution is taken. But that kinda just takes us back to where we started… 🙂

I know it’s argued that the risk is that people will be less healthy if they decide not to ride because helmets are compulsory, but is there any likelihood of the aforementioned people already being fairly healthy to start with? My thinking being, a compulsory helmet law is unlikely to make any difference to people leading an unhealthy lifestyle anyway, as I don’t think it’s the helmets/perceived danger that’s putting them off.

It’s hard to say, but what we do know is that “too dangerous” feature prominently when you ask people why they don’t cycle, especially if we talk about cycling on the road.

http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/wiki/barriers-cycling

This report is a very illuminating read:
http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/50409/1/Understanding_Walking_Cycling_Report.pdf

Hmm, those ARE interesting – thanks for posring. 🙂 9% of all journeys in Sweden and Finland are cycled, compared to 1.5% here? I wouldn’t have expected that, them Nordics are made of stern stuff! 🙂