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-   -   The Helmet Thread 2 (https://www.bikeforums.net/advocacy-safety/976893-helmet-thread-2-a.html)

vol 10-06-15 10:35 AM


Originally Posted by 350htrr (Post 18221339)
But all those things do have some protection to try and make it safer. We have sidewalks/crosswalks for walking, MUPS for running, airbags/seatbelts for cars, banisters for stairs, handholds for showers... Helmets for bicycling and other sports... ;)

What if one is riding on a bike path?

350htrr 10-06-15 10:48 AM


Originally Posted by vol (Post 18221404)
What if one is riding on a bike path?

And is riding a trike... How safe is it? It's up to you if you want to wear a helmet or not, it depends on your own risk assessment of the situation. But the fact remains that when head hits the pavement, it's better for said head to have a helmet on than not to have a helmet on... IMO ;)

vol 10-06-15 10:58 AM


Originally Posted by 350htrr (Post 18221454)
And is riding a trike... How safe is it? It's up to you if you want to wear a helmet or not, it depends on your own risk assessment of the situation. But the fact remains that when head hits the pavement, it's better for said head to have a helmet on than not to have a helmet on... IMO ;)

I have addressed all the points you are making here.

350htrr 10-06-15 11:42 AM


Originally Posted by vol (Post 18221489)
I have addressed all the points you are making here.

And now I have addressed all the points you are making here... Time to sit back and have a coffee... :thumb: Our job is done. ;)

vol 10-06-15 01:09 PM


Originally Posted by 350htrr (Post 18221627)
And now I have addressed all the points you are making here... Time to sit back and have a coffee... :thumb: Our job is done. ;)

You haven't. Regardless, the fact remains that when head hits the wall while sitting back, it's better for said head to have a helmet on than not to have a helmet on.

The fact remains that when the body is being run over by a vehicle, it's better for said body to have an armor on than not to have an armor on.

:)

350htrr 10-06-15 01:22 PM


Originally Posted by vol (Post 18221879)
You haven't. Regardless, the fact remains that when head hits the wall while sitting back, it's better for said head to have a helmet on than not to have a helmet on.

The fact remains that when the body is being run over by a vehicle, it's better for said body to have an armor on than not to have an armor on.

:)

What? Coffee break over already? Dang it. Your what if's can go on endlessly, but my statement stands... It's a true statement. It is better to have a helmet on when head hit's anything... ;) Nobody has ever said a helmet would help when run over by a vehicle.... :rolleyes:

rydabent 10-06-15 07:12 PM


Originally Posted by skye (Post 18218679)
Yes, a helmet can protect you against a bump on the head, and that's about it. So why does the pro-helmet crowd incessantly preach about wearing them?

Since you dont seem to mind a "bump" on the head, why bother with a bike just grab a hammer and hit yourself.

asmac 10-08-15 06:57 AM

Helmets are also an issue in the horse set: Equestrians At Higher Risk Of TBI Than Member Of Armed Forces

skye 10-08-15 07:51 AM


Originally Posted by rydabent (Post 18222760)
Since you dont seem to mind a "bump" on the head, why bother with a bike just grab a hammer and hit yourself.

That was rude, and typical of the level of intelligence of the pro-beer cooler crowd.

skye 10-08-15 07:59 AM

An oldie but a goodie.

rydabent 10-08-15 08:21 AM


Originally Posted by skye (Post 18226528)
That was rude, and typical of the level of intelligence of the pro-beer cooler crowd.

That response if equal to the example given.

I guess it has descended to the the "beer cooler crowd" vs the greatest bike handlers in the history of cycling that never crash. So be it.

wphamilton 10-08-15 08:36 AM


Originally Posted by skye (Post 18226548)

(About rotational injuries being more dangerous than "the bump on the head", and ineffectiveness of cycling helmets in mitigating them).

Speaking of which, I have been wondering about strapping on a bike helmet and training for tumbling and falls, with the helmet on. I have heard it advocated that learning martial arts falls or gymnastic tumbling is the best defense against suffering an injury during a crash. I happen to agree. But these helmets stick out on all sides - a lot. The potential issue is: you go into a shoulder roll for example and you're tucking your chin in on the opposite shoulder, to keep your head out of ground contact because there is little margin there. The helmet sticking out two inches or more may contact the ground (where your head wouldn't have), and the drag could cause it to rotate which is the cause of concussions or neck injury.

It occurred to me that I've never practiced these rolls or falls while wearing a helmet. My question is: what of the rest of you? Have you trained with a bike helmet on? Did it make for a difference in technique?

350htrr 10-08-15 09:58 AM


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18226677)
(About rotational injuries being more dangerous than "the bump on the head", and ineffectiveness of cycling helmets in mitigating them).

Speaking of which, I have been wondering about strapping on a bike helmet and training for tumbling and falls, with the helmet on. I have heard it advocated that learning martial arts falls or gymnastic tumbling is the best defense against suffering an injury during a crash. I happen to agree. But these helmets stick out on all sides - a lot. The potential issue is: you go into a shoulder roll for example and you're tucking your chin in on the opposite shoulder, to keep your head out of ground contact because there is little margin there. The helmet sticking out two inches or more may contact the ground (where your head wouldn't have), and the drag could cause it to rotate which is the cause of concussions or neck injury.

It occurred to me that I've never practiced these rolls or falls while wearing a helmet. My question is: what of the rest of you? Have you trained with a bike helmet on? Did it make for a difference in technique?


Just because a helmet doesn't protect against everything is no reason not to wear one...Deciding not to wear one because you think your personal risk is small enough may actually be a good enough reason IMO. People have been killed/injured by seatbelts/airbags would you take them out of your car? Let's assume it wasn't illegal, you had the option...? :innocent:

As for practicing falling, I wouldn't any more, maybe 30 years ago I would have considered it.

wphamilton 10-08-15 10:18 AM


Originally Posted by 350htrr (Post 18226901)
Just because a helmet doesn't protect against everything is no reason not to wear one...Deciding not to wear one because you think your personal risk is small enough may actually be a good enough reason IMO. People have been killed/injured by seatbelts/airbags would you take them out of your car? Let's assume it wasn't illegal, you had the option...? :innocent:

As for practicing falling, I wouldn't any more, maybe 30 years ago I would have considered it.

People have been killed/injured by seatbelts/airbags would you take them out of your car? - the issue is whether helmets increase the risk of rotational injury in some situations, so that's a poor comparison. Better is, would you put small children in front of airbags?

As for practicing falling, I wouldn't any more, maybe 30 years ago I would have considered it. - just age should not prevent someone from learning falls in a dojo. My question is, those who have trained and know how, what differences in technique did they find?

njkayaker 10-08-15 10:31 AM


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18226970)
he issue is whether helmets increase the risk of rotational injury in some situations,

No, the issue is whether it matters (whether there's a positive overall benefit).

There's a fairly high probability that helmets contribute to rotational injury in some situations. We have no idea whether "some" is 1/1 or 1/1,000,000.


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18226970)
Better is, would you put small children in front of airbags?

The whole point of that is that there are easy alternatives to that that are deemed better. You have no idea whether, in the absense of alternatives, small children would fair better or worse.

This is the specious argument that one can't use anything unless it's perfect.

wphamilton 10-08-15 11:32 AM


Originally Posted by njkayaker (Post 18227012)
No, the issue is whether it matters (whether there's a positive overall benefit).

There's a fairly high probability that helmets contribute to rotational injury in some situations. We have no idea whether "some" is 1/1 or 1/1,000,000.


The whole point of that is that there are easy alternatives to that that are deemed better. You have no idea whether, in the absense of alternatives, small children would fair better or worse.

This is the specious argument that one can't use anything unless it's perfect.

Review the article that sky linked, and you'll see that the issue in that context is as I described and not at all about the "overall positive benefit".

It's not even legal to have small children in front of air bags, in this state, because of the danger. So evidently you are incorrect in your assessment of "the whole point", and ignorant of what idea I have about how children would fare.

There is also some work which suggests that most of the concussions suffered are due to rotational forces, so you are also incorrect that "we have no idea".

Was the point of your post merely to call an argument specious? Given that you were incorrect about the issue addressed in the study, about the dangers of air bags and the associated analogy, and about what is known about rotational injuries.

njkayaker 10-08-15 11:44 AM


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18227229)
Review the article that sky linked, and you'll see that the issue in that context is as I described and not at all about the "overall positive benefit".

There where a lot of "maybes" in the article.


Overall, it was concluded that for the majority of cases considered, the helmet can provide life saving protection during typical linear impacts and, in addition, the typical level of rotational acceleration observed using a helmeted headform would generally be no more injurious than expected for a bare human head. However, in both low speed linear impacts and the most severe oblique cases, linear and rotational accelerations may increase to levels corresponding to injury severities as high as AIS 2 or 3, at which a marginal increase (up to 1 AIS interval) in injury outcome may be expected for a helmeted head.
So, "life saving protection" in the "majority of cases considered" versus a "marginal increase in injury outcome" at "low speed linear impacts and the most severe oblique case" due to "linear and rotational accelerations".


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18227229)
It's not even legal to have small children in front of air bags, in this state, because of the danger. So evidently you are incorrect in your assessment of "the whole point", and ignorant of what idea I have about how children would fare.

Some states require you to use the easily-available alternative of putting them in the back seat and/or in a special child seat.

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws...e=child-safety

Anyway, children and airbags don't have any clear relevance to anything else. And whether you wouldn't something in one case doesn't mean you shouldn't in another case.

Anyway, airbags are designed (basically) for adults. Like adult-sized helmets are designed for adults. It's quite possible that a child would fair worse with an adult-sized helmet. But that isn't relevant at all to the adult.


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18227229)
There is also some work which suggests that most of the concussions suffered are due to rotational forces, so you are also incorrect that "we have no idea".

Concussions are not all head injuries and concussions occur without helmets. You have no idea how many concussions are caused or made worse by helmets.


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18227229)
There is also some work which suggests ...

There's "some work" that "suggests" benefits to helmets too.

mr_bill 10-08-15 11:57 AM


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18227229)
It's not even legal to have small children in front of air bags, in this state, because of the danger.

Incorrect.


Q: Can My Child Legally Ride In A Vehicle That Does Not Have Rear Seats?

A: Georgia Law Does Account For Vehicles With No Rear Seating Positions.
It states: “a child under age 8 may only be in the front seat, properly restrained in a car seat or booster seat when:
* The vehicle has no rear seating position appropriate for correctly restraining a child, or
* All appropriate rear seating positions are occupied by other children.”
Infants in *rear* facing seats may not ride in a front seat unless the vehicle has no passenger side airbag, or a mechanism to disable the passenger side airbag.

My son rode in a rear facing infant seat then in a front facing child seat, each was located in the front passenger seat. He did not die.

-mr. bill

wphamilton 10-08-15 12:20 PM


Originally Posted by njkayaker (Post 18227281)
There where a lot of "maybes" in the article.

There is also an issue addressed, and it is about the risk of rotational injury - not about "whether there's a positive overall benefit" as you suggested.


Originally Posted by njkayaker (Post 18227281)
Some states require you to use the easily-available alternative of putting them in the back seat and/or in a special child seat.

Safety belt and child restraint laws


Delving into exceptions and specific laws sheds no further light on the fact that air bags pose a serious potential for injury for children and must be avoided.


Originally Posted by njkayaker (Post 18227281)
Anyway, children and airbags don't have any clear relevance to anything else. And whether you wouldn't something in one case doesn't mean you shouldn't in another case.

It is a better analogy than seat belts because air bags are known to be harmful in some common situations. There is strong evidence that cycling helmets can be harmful, or at least of little safety utility, under some conditions.


Originally Posted by njkayaker (Post 18227281)
Concussions are not all head injuries and concussions occur without helmets. You have no idea how many concussions are caused or made worse by helmets.

No one said it was "all" of them - yet as I pointed out, some information suggests that most concussions are due to rotational forces.



Originally Posted by njkayaker (Post 18227281)
There's "some work" that "suggests" benefits to helmets too.

That is also a true statement.

You seem to want to dive into a criticism of the article. Note that literally all that *I* said about this article was "(About rotational injuries being more dangerous than "the bump on the head", and ineffectiveness of cycling helmets in mitigating them)." to summarize it since skye didn't, for context of my question.

As skye said, it's an old study. Mostly meta, and there are more current studies. I'm not all that interested in rehashing it, or arguing about whether it pertains to "all concussions" or that we have "no idea" or whatever other absolutes are on your mind about it. I'm not usually so harsh, and I apologize, but you came on pretty strong there for someone getting it wrong in the particulars.

Back to my question.

Have YOU trained with falls and rolls, in martial arts or gymnastic tumbling? Have you tried it with a bike helmet on?

wphamilton 10-08-15 12:25 PM


Originally Posted by mr_bill (Post 18227351)
Incorrect.



Infants in *rear* facing seats may not ride in a front seat unless the vehicle has no passenger side airbag, or a mechanism to disable the passenger side airbag.

My son rode in a rear facing infant seat then in a front facing child seat, each was located in the front passenger seat. He did not die.

-mr. bill

You could have been ticketed in Georgia then, unless there were no rear seats. The law requires that children under eight be in the rear seat, and also in an appropriate (for their size) booster or safety seat.

As I told the other guy, delving into exceptions in code doesn't change the facts.

mr_bill 10-08-15 12:39 PM


Originally Posted by wphamilton (Post 18227461)
You could have been ticketed in Georgia then....

No I could not have been ticketed in Georgia then.

The fact is, you got your facts wrong. Again.

-mr. bill

wphamilton 10-08-15 12:42 PM


Originally Posted by mr_bill (Post 18227502)
No I could not have been ticketed in Georgia then.

-mr. bill

https://www.gahighwaysafety.org/camp.../ocga-40-8-76/

(B) Any such child shall be properly restrained in a rear seat of the motor vehicle consistent with the requirements of this paragraph. If the vehicle has no rear seating position appropriate for correctly restraining a child or all appropriate rear seating positions are occupied by other children, any such child may be properly restrained in a front seat consistent with the requirements of this paragraph;

mr_bill 10-08-15 12:45 PM

May a child be properly restrained in a front seat?

The answer is yes.

Any questions?

-mr. bill

wphamilton 10-08-15 12:50 PM


Originally Posted by mr_bill (Post 18227524)
May a child be properly restrained in a front seat?

The answer is yes.

Any questions?

-mr. bill

Yes, I was wondering whether you didn't understand "unless there or no rear seats" from my post, or " Any such child shall be properly restrained in a rear seat" from the Code, since you appear to be contentious about what this law means.

mr_bill 10-08-15 12:55 PM

I absolutely understand what the law means. You however clearly do not.

-mr. bill


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