#11
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Helmet ******s
Only a few guys in the world of Usenet could state the case against helmets
with such clarity. And since I know you ain't me (And since I also don't believe that I could state the case so eloquently even then) I can guess who you am. Tom "Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message ... "Fred Nieman" wrote in message ... 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. Remember there were once people who compared the fatality rates in countries with and without sealt belt laws and found them to be the same. Obviously that couldn't be right, so that data was buried. Amazingly, when the UK introduced sealt belt legislation - driver fatalities stayed the same! But there was a substantial rise in pedestrian, cyclist and rear-seat passenger fatalities. 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. There is no inevitability about it. 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. And acquired brain injuries - amazingly - are mostly caused by crashes well outside the design envelope of hlemets, and by mechanisms which helmets do nothing to mitigate. 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. But it did mean I can still walk, talk, ride a bicycle. Or not. Maybe it was your Mk. 1 Skull which did the job. That would be a reasonable assumption, given that people not wearing helmets also often survive without significant injury. That's the problem with helmet-saved-my-life anecdotes, they always attribute the outcome solely to helmets. Why? Lids are designed for straight impacts at speeds up to about 12mph. Why should we assume that they work in glancing or rotational impacts at higher speeds? And what about the people who die when wearing helmets? And the people who don't die when not wearing helmets? At the population level it's not possible to proive that helmets have any effect on brain injury. And even then, most cyclists who die of head injury turn out to have other mortal injuries as well. The case for helmets really is not half as cut-and-dried as the Liddites would like us to believe. The only absolutely repeatable effect of helmet legislation is a substantial drop in cycling. And the major determinant of risk for cyclists appears to be the number of cyclists - the more people cycle, the safer it gets. 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. Why? I have had several crashes with and without helmets and there was no noticeable difference in outcomes. The most serious head injury I ever had was going through a low doorway. Should we have compulsory helmets in old buildings? Or only for tall people? -- Guy === WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk |
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#12
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Helmet ******s
"S. Anderson" wrote in message
.. . It wasn't until the wee Scot, Jackie Stewart, came along tht driver safety became a priority. After his somewhat brief and highly successful career, driver fatality rates came down pretty quickly, thanks to technology as well no doubt. He campaigned hard for safety improvements. Today, I'm sure no driver would think of racing without a full 5-point harness and helmet and fire suit, but there was a time when they raced at 180mph in an open-cockpit with a polo shirt and khakis on. Doesn't make it right, but it was the common logic of the day.. Let's be sure to note that I for one have been at the scene of several of what looked to be rather minor car racing accidents in which the occupant/driver died despite seat belts, helmets and whatever else. |
#13
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Helmet ******s
"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message ... "John Doe" wrote in message ... as it happens a young cattle drover was recently killed by a fall. It is a tradition for these guys to wear Akubra hats while on a muster. Not anymore say WorkCover (Govt Dept). The station owner was negligent for not making these guys wear helmets. So that makes the fatality rate - what? one per century? -- Guy === WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk If that one life could have been saved by a helmet then it is worth it. What value are you placing on looking cool? In this country it is also law to wear hard hats in mining operations and in any industrial areas. Not to mention steel capped boots and the like. I have to wear these things in sometimes what most would think was a rediculous place but I dont mind because it saves lives and I work a lot in industrial areas. Workers who have long hair are required to wear nets when using lathes or other machinery where it could get caught. Recently a young apprentice (on his first day) was killed falling off the roof of a small building (only from 1st floor) and was killed. The employer was charged because the worker was not tied to the roof. That is also law. It is compulsory in this country for employers to look after their workers. That is a fact and that is what I was saying. It is a work situation. Nothing to do with what you do on the weekend. BTW not wearing a bicycle helmet is an offence work or not. The fine is measly and not really policed. (Well obvious in my city anyway). |
#14
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Helmet ******s
On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 21:33:56 GMT, "Tom Kunich"
wrote: I can guess who you am. Heh! I can do better than that - I *know* who I am :-) To be fair, I've been practicing - some twonk wants to make it a criminal offence to allow a child to ride a tricycle in a public park without a polystyrene foam deflector beanie; some of us are Less Than Enthused by the prospect. url:http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/Web/public.nsf/Documents/Martlew_Bill Guy === May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting. http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk |
#15
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Helmet ******s
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , "Just zis Guy, you know?" writes: | "John Doe" wrote in message | ... | | as it happens a young cattle drover was recently killed by a fall. It is | a | tradition for these guys to wear Akubra hats while on a muster. Not | anymore | say WorkCover (Govt Dept). The station owner was negligent for not making | these guys wear helmets. | | So that makes the fatality rate - what? one per century? Several a year, I would expect. He would have been on either a horse or a motorbike. Regards, Nick Maclaren. True, Motorbikes are common for mustering. |
#16
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Helmet ******s
In article ,
John Doe wrote: If that one life could have been saved by a helmet then it is worth it. What value are you placing on looking cool? And if the cost of saving that one life is two people who died because they were wearing helmets (and wouldn't have done if they weren't), then is it still a good idea to make them mandatory? The point is that we really don't know whether they increase or reduce injury, and the evidence points in both directions. Why do you claim Divine Enlightenment to know what the truth is? Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#17
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Helmet ******s
On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 22:26:00 GMT, "John Doe"
wrote: If that one life could have been saved by a helmet then it is worth it. What value are you placing on looking cool? Stop driving NOW! Car drivers kill tens of thousands every year in the US ALONE! If even one life can be saved (and actually it'll bve tens of thousands) surely it's worth it. Guy === May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting. http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk |
#18
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Helmet ******s
if david hooks was wearing a helmet he would be alive today
hehehehe as Vogels jun is "John Doe" wrote in message ... "CSB" wrote in message ... On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 01:45:04 GMT, "Tom Kunich" wrote: snip You can take the cowboy out of the country but you can't take the hat off of the cowboy. as it happens a young cattle drover was recently killed by a fall. It is a tradition for these guys to wear Akubra hats while on a muster. Not anymore say WorkCover (Govt Dept). The station owner was negligent for not making these guys wear helmets. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/...570335910.html |
#19
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Helmet ******s
On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 22:54:18 +0000, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote: On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 22:26:00 GMT, "John Doe" wrote: If that one life could have been saved by a helmet then it is worth it. What value are you placing on looking cool? Stop driving NOW! Car drivers kill tens of thousands every year in the US ALONE! If even one life can be saved (and actually it'll bve tens of thousands) surely it's worth it. Similarly people sometimes drown when they go swimming - even good experienced swimmers. Those lives could be saved if every swimmer wore water wings. Inconvenient? Yes. But surely worth it if just one life is saved. -- Dave... Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. Mark Twain |
#20
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Helmet ******s
"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
... Amazingly, when the UK introduced sealt belt legislation - driver fatalities stayed the same! But there was a substantial rise in pedestrian, cyclist and rear-seat passenger fatalities. Can you cite the data for this declaration? I'd be interested to see this. Cheers, Scott.. |
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