Originally Posted by
chasm54
Sure. But your point was that discouraging helemt use would discourage cycling, remember? No evidence for that.
You're beginning to bore me, I'm afraid, because it's clear that your purpose is nothing more that juvenile oppositionalism. If you want me to agree that the evidence on the efficacy of helmets is inconclusive, fine. I admit it. But that is my point, you see? The metadata suggests that helmets don't reduce the incidence of serious injury. Individual studies are equivocal, but some suggest reasons why helmets might be less useful that most people suppose. Plus I can break a cycling helmet in my not-terribly-strong hands. Wear one, it's fine with me. But all things considered, I don't think you have the evidence that would justify you in compelling me to wear one.
My query was about the prevalence of helmets (in North America) and prevailing assumptions about them in relation to encouragement of cycling. I was asking a question, not trying to make a point. Sometimes it's interesting to turn a situation around and examine it another way.
I am certainly not trying to compel you or anyone else to wear a helmet. In this particular forum, I think people have their heels pretty much dug in and I doubt anything written here will do more than make people think about the issue, certainly won't change minds.
However, ya'll seem to be as adamant about data showing things your way as helmet proponents who stand by their data points. There are those who refuse to admit first hand experience and anecdotal information are of value at all and then indulge in both when it suits them.
Call if juvenile opposition if you want, but as a helmet user for various reasons, I'm not going to sit by and allow you to toss out as much equivocal data as the helmet nazis without reply.
I'm not going to say you will die if you ride without a helmet... OK, you will die even if you don't wear a helmet, but let me rephrase that: I don't think not wearing a helmet will increase your chances of dying in a cycling accident or sustaining a serious head injury, but I also don't think wearing a helmet will increase my chances of the same. And if all it does is help mitigate "non-serious" head injury in the case of accidents, then helmet use is something I will continue with.
I'll continue to support choice in the matter of helmet use, and if helmet laws are introduced in my locality or state, I will be first in line to demand an amendment requiring all road users, especially motor vehicle users, to wear helmets as well...