"Peter Clinch" wrote in message
...
GaryG wrote:
So you're saying that the effect of striking one's head upon the ground
while wearing a cotton cycling cap would be the same as (or possibly
safer
than?) striking the ground while wearing a helmet?
I don't see where you inferred that.
Frank impled that in the bit I've copied below:
Hadron:
Again : if your head were to hit a car door, a bonnet , a curb or a
plain old wall, do you, or do you not think a helemt would be beneficial
in this case.
Frank:
If I _were_ going to hit, _and_ if the impact were within the very weak
capabilities of a bike helmet, it _might_ be beneficial. But
population data makes it clear that must only rarely be the case.
Apparently, in the bulk of such collisions, the helmet is not
beneficial.
The main point is if you're not in the habit of banging your head on the
ground at all then whether you're wearing a helmet or a cap isn't really
an issue. And cyclists (at least roadgoing a to b cyclists) don't hit
their heads against the ground that often, not particularly more than
classes of people that feel no need to wear helmets, so why should
cyclists feel the need?
No one is in the habit of banging their head on the ground, any more than
auto drivers are in the habit of driving into walls or other vehicles at
speed...but, clearly these things do happen and in both cases appropriate
safety devices are routinely employed, though rarely needed.
In my own case, in the last 15 years of regular cycling my head has impacted
the ground on several occasions (mostly while mountain biking). In one
case, I took a high-side fall at about 20 mph when my front tire got caught
in a rain rut, and the impact to the left side of my head was hard enough to
fracture the helmet's styrofoam structure. Since this was on a rock-strewn
trail, I was most pleased that: a) I didn't suffer a concussion (presumably
because the impact forces were appropriately absorbed by the helmet), and
b) my scalp wasn't lacerated by the rocks (something that a cotton cap would
not have prevented). FWIW, as a follicly challenged individual, the
protection against lacerations is of particular importance to me.
If you're especially worried about banging your head on the ground and
the effect it would have there's little reason not to wear one on foot.
Especially if you use stairs. Plenty of people admitted to hospital
after trips and falls, some of them go straight to the morgue. Yet
nobody bothers, because they know the risks don't justify the bother.
Why is cycling different?
Ummm....we're talking about cycling here. You can argue against wearing
helmets while walking in another group :-).
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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/