On Saturday, 21 September 2013 13:03:23 UTC+1, brianrob1961 wrote:

I've had at least two instances where a helmet probably saved me from
serious injury or death. One was on ice where I landed on the side of my
head with the full weight of me and my bike behind the impact. I saw
stars even through my helmet. The worst though was making the mistake of
riding along a disused canal towpath in shorts and making the decision
to stop to avoid some nettles a bit too late. I put my foot down, missed
the edge and ended up falling 4 feet or so into the sludge that was left
in the bottom of the cut. I must have looked like the creature from the
swamp when I emerged. It was only when I got home that a friend pointed
out a large bruise on my forehead that must have come about in the
seond or so that I was under the 'water'. I can't say for certain that
my helmet saved me from a worse injury, but I wouldn't like to repeat
the experience to find out. Unconscious and face down in water and
sludge with the nearest person about a quarter of a mile away is not a
good situation to be.


Your fears are unfounded. Eat butter, greens and fruits and don't fear the nettles.




I don't know how true it is that where helmet use has been enforced
cycling has reduced in popularity. That would be my worry. Cycling in
general saves lives by improving health

well it encourages a healthy way in one's life but it does not in itself improve health.

and I wouldn't want to put
people off getting on a saddle. If you restrict cyclists with too many

the naming, Cyclist, is itself restricting by dividing the population into distinct sides. there is also the primary legal meaning behind the term which is why I avoid its use except when strictly required due to the characterisation of persons so as to infer a guilt tye in the legal domain.

laws you also start to reduce the very appeal of the sport, the sense of
freedom that motorists so resent up having.



your free-domain is illusionary, it's just that registered drivers and registered vehicles are tightly bound by legislation.


It's a hard one, but on balance I would not support legislation and we
have to remember the true agenda of the people who do support it: they
have no interest in out well being and simply want to stop us riding. If
they were ever in a position to achieve their aim they would simply move
onto another target.