On Tue, 08 Feb 2005 17:27:46 GMT, "Steven M. Scharf"
wrote:

The answer would have to be that they reduced head injury but the
overall effect might be to make cyclists braver than they should be
whilst wearing a minimal helmet.

Actually, we've seen the opposite assertion here from the anti-helmet
people. They claim that the reason (or part of the reason) why the
injury and fatality rates are statistically lower for helmet wearers, is
not because of any protection the helmet offers, but because helmet
wearers are also more cautious riders.

Actually both, as noted by Mok, et. al, and by others. Spaite notes
that helmet users are less likely to crash in the first place, while
Rodgers finds that they have a significantly higher death rate when
they do crash.

And who are these "anti-helmet people"? Names.

Not sure which, if any, of these arguments is true. I can see both
possibilities.

Both are true.

Along those lines I would add that if the crash is bad enough to damage
other parts of the body beyond repair, survival might not be desirable.

We're really talking about head impacts here, not being crushed by a
vehicle. I don't know what the stats are on how many people ended up
living due to a helmet, but were in such a state that they would have
rather not survived. Too morbid.

Logical fallacy: appeal to fear. One key fact is that when a number
of cyclist fatalities, with cause of death recorded as head injury,
were analysed in detail, it was found that the majority also had other
injuries which would have been fatal.

As an adult the choice of whether or not to use a helmet should be mine.

And that's why I'm against MHLs, but while at the same time being adult
enough to admit that wearing a helmet does have its benefits.

And stupid enough to deny that it may have disbenefits, despite the
evidence to that effect. Logical fallacy: slothful induction.

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

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at CHS, Puget Sound