On 04/05/2011 09:58, Harry Brogan wrote:

Let's see......you don't wear one because you can't be flipped over by
hitting the front brake hard. Hmmm......guess you only ride in your
backyard.

No, I don't wear one because I've studied the effectiveness against
serious head injuries and their track record for this is basically
no effect.

Yes, they'll help against minor stuff, but that is, well, minor.
It can happen, but at least for A to B transport cycling isn't
actually particularly more (if at all) productive of head injuries
than being a pedestrian liable to trips and falls.

I'll wear one on the MTB, bashing my head against low branches and
for that sort of thing they're great, but riding round town or on
tour they're no more relevant on my bike than if I'm walking.

Helmets didn't really exist before the 80s. There wasn't a
particular plague of head injuries before then. Helmets are a
solution looking for a problem as far as riding on the roads from A
to B goes.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/