Speed vs. need for helmet?

On Nov 28, 5:02 am, "Tim McTeague" wrote:
"Tom Sherman" wrote in message

...



Duke of Hazard wrote:
I mostly average 10 mph , do I still need to wear a helmet ? I can
understand if you average 15+mph, but are helmets neccessary at slower
speeds? Energy is proportional to the square of the velocity so the
slower you travel the far less you should need one, no?

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! HELMET THREAD!!!

Foam bicycle hats really only offer "bump and scrape" protection in low
speed falls, so they are not really necessary during riding. The main
place where they would be useful is off-road, where they do help spread
out the impact from point loads such as rocks. Do not expect the foam
bicycle hat to reduce the risk of serious head injury or death by any
significant extent.

The primary benefit of wearing a foam bicycle hat would be to prevent jury
prejudice if you are injured by another party and are suing for damages,
since the average juror will have likely swallowed the helmet propaganda
whole without question.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

Only "bump and scrape" protection? You can crack your skull open by
falling standing still if you hit it right, or wrong. Helmets are not total
protection by any means

As Peter Chisholm puts it: "Can't hurt, might help".


but valuable insurance any time you ride.


How "valuable" is open to debate. But, see above.


Whether or not to wear a helmet (always/sometimes/never) is a
*personal decision*. Zealots and psychotics on either side of the
question, pro or con, tend to irritate me.

On Nov 27, 10:46 pm, Duke of Hazard
wrote:
I mostly average 10 mph , do I still need to wear a helmet ? I can
understand if you average 15+mph, but are helmets neccessary at slower
speeds? Energy is proportional to the square of the velocity so the
slower you travel the far less you should need one, no?

Since we are on the HELMET topic, here is my opinion.

There are only 2 good reasons to NOT wear one:-

A ) You don't have a brain.

B ) You have a spare head.

Hope this helps.

Lewis.

*****

On Nov 27, 11:46 pm, Duke of Hazard
wrote:
I mostly average 10 mph , do I still need to wear a helmet ? I can
understand if you average 15+mph, but are helmets neccessary at slower
speeds? Energy is proportional to the square of the velocity so the
slower you travel the far less you should need one, no?

there was study made in the uk that proved that motorist are more
aggressive when they see a rider wearing a helmet. so i have to agree,
helmets are really not necessary at low speed
carlos
www.bikingthings.com

On Nov 28, 1:17 pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
Dennis P. Harris wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:46:39 -0800 (PST) in rec.bicycles.misc,
Duke of Hazard wrote:

I mostly average 10 mph , do I still need to wear a helmet ?

you'll be glad you have one when the drunk hits you going 35 mph
and your head hits the asphalt at 20.

anything you can do to reduce impact will help to reduce
concussion problems. imho folks that don't wear helmets don't
have much to protect.

The people who believe that bicycle foam hats offer some mystical
protection that is not backed up by either engineering mechanics (the
relatively small amount of energy a light foam hat can absorb) or
statistics (credible population studies show no statistically
significant benefit from foam bicycle hat use) would seem to be the ones
who do not have much to protect.


Today I did it. I left the hat at home. In no small part due to the
information presented in earlier threads.

Joseph

On Nov 27, 10:46 pm, Duke of Hazard
wrote:
I mostly average 10 mph , do I still need to wear a helmet ? I can
understand if you average 15+mph, but are helmets neccessary at slower
speeds? Energy is proportional to the square of the velocity so the
slower you travel the far less you should need one, no?

Blah blah blah [insert physics bull**** here].

Do you: ride on the proper side of the road? Do you obey traffic laws?
Wear visible clothing? Have lights and reflectors? All of these things
are far more important to discuss than the reductionist panacea of the
Tibetan magic helmet.

On Nov 27, 11:46�pm, Duke of Hazard
wrote:
I mostly average 10 mph , do I still need to wear a helmet ? I can
understand if you average 15+mph, but are helmets neccessary at slower
speeds? Energy is proportional to the square of the velocity so the
slower you travel the far less you should need one, no?

Like chicken soup: Couldn't hurt. BTW, ever notice that no women
ever participate in the Great Helmet Debate?

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
Dennis P. Harris wrote:

(credible population studies show no statistically significant benefit
from foam bicycle hat use)

To those who cite studies or other literature (on either side of the
question):
Your arguments would be MUCH more pusuasive if you cited your source for the
information.
Until you identify who you are quoting and in what context, everything you
say is nothing more than your (possibly biased) OPINION. Nothing more.

It is okay to have an opinion. But when you claim "fact" please support the
ability to check.
Otherwise label your reply as "opinion" and not "fact".

In the interest if discussion, note that I personally have a strong opinion
on this topic. I believe that it is strongly supported by facts. (and if
you guess my opinion from my message and/or my phrasing, you have a 50% or
better chance of guessing wrong)

The purpose of this note is to ask for factual information to support
"factual" claims -- so I am NOT expressing my personal opinion in this
reply.

- Skip

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...

The more laid back one is, the less likely the head will be at the point
of impact.

A good argument for riding a recumbant :-) note smiley

- Skip

Duke of Hazard wrote:
I mostly average 10 mph , do I still need to wear a helmet ? I can
understand if you average 15+mph, but are helmets neccessary at slower
speeds? Energy is proportional to the square of the velocity so the
slower you travel the far less you should need one, no?

How fast you are going may have little to do with how hard your noggin
hits something if you wreck out. There are good arguments for and
against wearing a helmet all the time. I don't necessarily think people
are stupid for not wearing them, but I prefer to take my chances with a
helmet.

When you ride, is your head more than three feet above the pavement?
That's the height the government uses for test drops when certifying
helmets (Snell uses 6).

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