Remember, there were once people (backed up, no doubt, by the results
described in peer reviewed scholarly journals) who claimed it was safer
to be thrown clear of a car in a smash than be strapped in by
seatbelts.

I love statements like this - wonder if it's true. Prize for whoever can point
out why this statement, if true, is still a load of balls

If you ride a bicycle for long enough, well, statistically, you're going
to take falls, and take a bad fall sometime or other. If you don't
think so, you are either or both of a) lucky b) a fool.

With you so far.

Collar-bones heal. Scafoids (most times) heal. Broken arms, dislocated
shoulders, skin over ankles, knees, hips, back, arms and hands all
heal. Acquired brain injuries don't heal. Of course, people with ABIs
can and do sometimes regain abilities. But it's not like waiting six
weeks for the cast to come off then simply doing what you did before the
fall - ask someone with an ABI.

Go on...

A bicycle helmet (probably) didn't save my life, nor did it stop me from
getting smashed and ripped up really badly, which generally happens when
you hit the asphalt at 60 kph.

yep...

But it did mean I can still walk, talk, ride a bicycle.

Cycle helmets don't protect very well against the sort of impacts that cause
brain damage. See Curnow[1] for a lengthier description of why not. I think
it's online somewhere, though you will certainly be able to get the abstract
from the journals website, or do a search on google (I've posted it here
before).

See also this letter [2]. Unfortunately the git who wrote it didn't provide
references :-(

It's not all bad though - ages ago someone was designing a helmet that would do
better[3] but they haven't turned up on the market yet.

And same goes for all the many less major falls before and after - any a
hit to my bare head, on pavement, car, trail or whatever, might have
meant a concussion, a subdural haemorrhage, or worse. I haven't had to
find this out, though. Because... well, you know why.

Yes, headbutting things is dangerous. But No, cycling is not dangerous. I know
that if you hit your head it could be serious, but the same applies to walking -
and walking appears to be more dangerous than cycling![4] Yes at some point we
are going to fall off our bikes, and sometimes we'll hit our heads and sometimes
it'll be serious and a lot of the time a helmet'll help. But it doesn't change
the fact that cycling is so safe that we needn't feel compelled to wear a
helmet. The extreme unliklihood of suffering brain damage or dying, coupled
with the relatively small protective benefit of the helmet in serious crashes
makes it more understandable when others do not wear a helmet.

I could go on, but time to stop sermonising.

B'ah, at least you're setting two good examples for us u.r.c. reprobates :-)



[1] Curnow W.J., 'The efficacy of bicycle helmets against brain injury' Accident
Analysis and Prevention: 2003; 5.2.03 (You can probably get it via JSTOR)
[2] http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1054.html
[3] http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns9999418
[4] http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBAS...eets/D6536.xls