Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

From BikeBiz http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=4101

Polystyrene: the wonder material that can deflect speeding juggernauts

Bicycle helmet manufacturers are careful not to over-state the protective
abilities of their wares. But politicians, newspaper headline writers and,
it seems, police officers, appear to believe polystyrene lids are effective
in the sort of smashes nothing less than Volvo-type steel roll-cages would
be of use. According to the Hull Daily Mail, a cycling lollipop lady in Hull
died not only because she was ran down by a cement mixer but because she
wasn't wearing a bicycle helmet...

Hull Daily Mail reporter Alistair Houghton wrote a piece in yesterday's
paper that was headlined 'A helmet could have saved her', referring to an
inquest into the death of Irene Dorley who was killed when she was hit by a
cement mixer last September.

Houghton based his report on a comment from PC Anthony Wilson who is alleged
to have said "If a cycle helmet had been worn, her injuries may not have
been as severe."

David Bayliss, the driver of the cement mixer, told police:

"I don't understand how I didn't see her."

The inquest coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.

In the recent helmet compulsion debate in the House of Commons, many MPs
reported that children who died from chest injuries, could have been saved
had they been wearing cycle helmets.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

Victory is ours! Down with Eric the Half A Brain!

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

On Mon, 17 May 2004 09:47:43 +0100, Just zis Guy, you know?
wrote:

From BikeBiz http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=4101

Polystyrene: the wonder material that can deflect speeding juggernauts

I was reading some website the other day, I think it might have been part
of the BBC's web, and it had a section of what to wear when cycling.
Helmets weren't overly promoted and when mentioning them it had some line
like, 'helmets are made out of polystyrene, the same material as some
drinks cups'. I thought it nicely suggested their limitations without
being overtly negative.

Colin

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
...


Hull Daily Mail reporter Alistair Houghton wrote a piece in yesterday's
paper that was headlined 'A helmet could have saved her', referring to an
inquest into the death of Irene Dorley who was killed when she was hit by
a
cement mixer last September.

They should have used the later " *would* have saved her" headline.

--
Simon M.

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
From BikeBiz http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=4101

Polystyrene: the wonder material that can deflect speeding juggernauts

Bicycle helmet manufacturers are careful not to over-state the protective
abilities of their wares. But politicians, newspaper headline writers and,
it seems, police officers, appear to believe polystyrene lids are effective
in the sort of smashes nothing less than Volvo-type steel roll-cages would
be of use. According to the Hull Daily Mail, a cycling lollipop lady in Hull
died not only because she was ran down by a cement mixer but because she
wasn't wearing a bicycle helmet...

Hull Daily Mail reporter Alistair Houghton wrote a piece in yesterday's
paper that was headlined 'A helmet could have saved her', referring to an
inquest into the death of Irene Dorley who was killed when she was hit by a
cement mixer last September.

Houghton based his report on a comment from PC Anthony Wilson who is alleged
to have said "If a cycle helmet had been worn, her injuries may not have
been as severe."

David Bayliss, the driver of the cement mixer, told police:

"I don't understand how I didn't see her."

The inquest coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.

In the recent helmet compulsion debate in the House of Commons, many MPs
reported that children who died from chest injuries, could have been saved
had they been wearing cycle helmets.


I presume this PC is a world-expert on such matters as helmet safety and
how they work, what their limitations are. If not, then the coroner
should not have taken his advise.

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

"Pete whelan" wrote in message
...


Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
From BikeBiz http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=4101

Polystyrene: the wonder material that can deflect speeding juggernauts

Bicycle helmet manufacturers are careful not to over-state the
protective
abilities of their wares. But politicians, newspaper headline writers
and,
it seems, police officers, appear to believe polystyrene lids are
effective
in the sort of smashes nothing less than Volvo-type steel roll-cages
would
be of use. According to the Hull Daily Mail, a cycling lollipop lady in
Hull
died not only because she was ran down by a cement mixer but because she
wasn't wearing a bicycle helmet...

Hull Daily Mail reporter Alistair Houghton wrote a piece in yesterday's
paper that was headlined 'A helmet could have saved her', referring to
an
inquest into the death of Irene Dorley who was killed when she was hit
by a
cement mixer last September.

Houghton based his report on a comment from PC Anthony Wilson who is
alleged
to have said "If a cycle helmet had been worn, her injuries may not have
been as severe."

David Bayliss, the driver of the cement mixer, told police:

"I don't understand how I didn't see her."

The inquest coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.

In the recent helmet compulsion debate in the House of Commons, many MPs
reported that children who died from chest injuries, could have been
saved
had they been wearing cycle helmets.


I presume this PC is a world-expert on such matters as helmet safety and
how they work, what their limitations are. If not, then the coroner
should not have taken his advise.

I've always been convinced that my helmet would protect me against cement
mixers. Glad to have been proved right.

Peter

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
...
Hull Daily Mail reporter Alistair Houghton wrote a piece in yesterday's
paper that was headlined 'A helmet could have saved her', referring to an
inquest into the death of Irene Dorley who was killed when she was hit by
a
cement mixer last September.

However could the dimwit arrive at that conclusion?

Unless of course he has studied the mechanics of protective wear, carried
out a post-mortem on the disceased, is skilled in accident investigation
techniques etc., etc.

--
Regards,
Pete

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

On Mon, 17 May 2004 09:56:00 +0100, "Colin Blackburn"
wrote:

I was reading some website the other day, I think it might have been part
of the BBC's web, and it had a section of what to wear when cycling.
Helmets weren't overly promoted and when mentioning them it had some line
like, 'helmets are made out of polystyrene, the same material as some
drinks cups'. I thought it nicely suggested their limitations without
being overtly negative.


"Warning, contents may be lukewarm"


Tim

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
...
From BikeBiz http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=4101

Polystyrene: the wonder material that can deflect speeding juggernauts

Bicycle helmet manufacturers are careful not to over-state the protective
abilities of their wares. But politicians, newspaper headline writers and,
it seems, police officers, appear to believe polystyrene lids are
effective
in the sort of smashes nothing less than Volvo-type steel roll-cages would
be of use. According to the Hull Daily Mail, a cycling lollipop lady in
Hull
died not only because she was ran down by a cement mixer but because she
wasn't wearing a bicycle helmet...


Hmm...I do not get it, maybe you know more details about this than I do.
Is it not quite possible that a helmet might have saved her,
if she was not run over by the cement mixer, but just knocked down?

Tapio

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

wrote:
posted by Tapio Kohonen [B Hmm...I do not get it, maybe you know more
details about this than I do. Is it not quite possible that a helmet
might have saved her, if she was not run over by the cement mixer, but
just knocked down?
Tapio


Yeah Tapio, perhaps it might be possible and indeed it is conceivabl
that (insert here whatever you are motivated to believe or wish to b
the case). You could similarly argue that (within some bounds) anythin
is possible if it's conceivable - but for one thing there's a
expectation shared by some of us that newspaper headlines shouldn't b
at the mercy of hijackers who want to inflict and infect others wit
their pet beliefs. Those of us who take issue with this have a
expectation that journalistic reporting should try to stick to reportin
facts, impartially and with balance (admittedly that's a rather hopefu
expectation) rather than using its ability to influence in aid o
championing its own pet cause

As other posters have pointed out (on another thread) there's a ga
between what can be considered possible (which is speculative) and wha
is empirically probable (i.e. based on evidence and knowledge). Many o
us prefer rigorous reasoning and the standards of science rather tha
the anxiety alleviating comfort that is afforded in the wishful thinkin
of what might be possible

If there's any reluctance to acknowledge that "it is possible that...
then this reticence is, I would suggest, in response to the tendency
typical of some, to turn what's only possible into something that i
clearly not

Roge


-

Polystyrene: The Wonder Material
 

wrote:
posted by Tapio Kohonen [B Hmm...I do not get it, maybe you know more
details about this than I do. Is it not quite possible that a helmet
might have saved her, if she was not run over by the cement mixer, but
just knocked down?
Tapio


Yeah Tapio, perhaps it might be possible and indeed it is conceivabl
that (insert here whatever you are motivated to believe or wish to b
the case). You could similarly argue that (within some bounds) anythin
is possible if it's conceivable - but for one thing there's a
expectation shared by some of us that newspaper headlines shouldn't b
at the mercy of hijackers who want to inflict and infect others wit
their pet beliefs. Those of us who take issue with this have a
expectation that journalistic reporting should try to stick to reportin
facts, impartially and with balance (admittedly that's a rather hopefu
expectation) rather than using its ability to influence in aid o
championing its own pet cause

As other posters have pointed out (on another thread) there's a ga
between what can be considered possible (which is speculative) and wha
is empirically probable (i.e. based on evidence and knowledge). Many o
us prefer rigorous reasoning and the standards of science rather tha
the anxiety alleviating comfort that is afforded in the wishful thinkin
of what might be possible

If there's any reluctance to acknowledge that "it is possible that...
then this reticence is, I would suggest, in response to the tendency
typical of some, to turn what's only possible into something that i
clearly not

Roge


-