Do I really have to wear a helmet while cycling in Victoria?

raisethe wrote:
raisethe wrote:

Many thanks for the wide range of responses. I hadn't thought of the
sunburnt neck issue, although I have a sunhat from my last trip.

What exactly is a fold-up raffia bucket hat?

Without wishing to re-ignite the helmet debate, I would just point out
that I only cycle at 8 mph, hardly faster than a ped, so a fall at that
speed is unlikely to result in a head first landing.

Perhaps I'll risk it without one and see how it goes - I can always
play the dumb tourist if stopped by the police. Mind you, having
already been fleeced once having to buy an Aussie visa, I don't really
fancy giving your government any more bucks in the form of a fine!

(To avoid abusive replies, I would point out that I am more than happy
to spend plenty in your shops, motels, bars etc).

Mate, if you're a bloke and you're wearing a fold-up raffia bucket hat,
you won't have to do any extra to play the dumb tourist! Except a nice
Laura Ashley hat band - that would do the trick. ;-)

Donga

raisethe Wrote:
raisethe wrote:
Without wishing to re-ignite the helmet debate, I would just point out
that I only cycle at 8 mph, hardly faster than a ped, so a fall at
that
speed is unlikely to result in a head first landing.


Except if something going a lot faster hits YOU, but like a previous
poster alluded to..... Darwins Theory at work.


--
MikeyOz

raisethe Wrote:
raisethe wrote:

Many thanks for the wide range of responses. I hadn't thought of the
sunburnt neck issue, although I have a sunhat from my last trip.

What exactly is a fold-up raffia bucket hat?

I meant two different hats that I may carry around (depends what gets
stuffed into crumpler or the pannier), that are put on *after* getting
off the bike, I should of made that point clearer.

spare foldup raffia/bucket hat

Fig 1: Raffia Hat
http://www.millerhats.com/productimages/241.jpg

Fig 2: Bucket Hat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucket_hat


--
cfsmtb

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:11:28 +1100
MikeyOz wrote:

raisethe Wrote:
raisethe wrote:
Without wishing to re-ignite the helmet debate, I would just point out
that I only cycle at 8 mph, hardly faster than a ped, so a fall at
that
speed is unlikely to result in a head first landing.


Except if something going a lot faster hits YOU, but like a previous
poster alluded to..... Darwins Theory at work.


Well I know my helmet won't protect me if my head and a solid object
get friendly at more than about 8mph, so if I headbutt a car I'm dead
meat anyway.

I've ridden with and without, fallen off with and without, so far I
haven't had head hit anything.

I wore one sometimes before they were compulsory, sometimes not. If
they were not compulsory I dunno I'd wear one. I also expect that if
I was hit by a car then I'd have a hell of a lot more to worry about
than the hope that a lid would save my life given the combination of
circumstances needed for a head injury to be the only life-threatening
thiing to happen yet for it to happen at a slow enough head/car
intersection velocity for the helmet to work.

But that's me, you are at liberty to think I'm foolish as long as you
allow me the liberty to consider you so.

Zebee

MikeyOz wrote:
raisethe Wrote:
raisethe wrote:
Without wishing to re-ignite the helmet debate, I would just point out
that I only cycle at 8 mph, hardly faster than a ped, so a fall at
that
speed is unlikely to result in a head first landing.


Except if something going a lot faster hits YOU, but like a previous
poster alluded to..... Darwins Theory at work.

Darwin's theory meaning that anyone who thinks a polystyrene hat is
going to make any difference when one tonne plus hits them is in for a
rude shock.
--
Cheers
Euan

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
Well I know my helmet won't protect me if my head and a solid object
get friendly at more than about 8mph, so if I headbutt a car I'm dead
meat anyway.

If the car and your head meet directly then you are dogmeat,
granted. But I can think of a lot of scenarios where the helmet
could make all the difference. For instance, you bounce across
the bonnet and your head collides with the windscreen, you are
knocked off your bike by a glancing blow and hit the road head
first, etc.

I've ridden with and without, fallen off with and without, so far I
haven't had head hit anything.

I have, and I was glad to have the helmet.

Given that you ride a bent, I would imagine you are more
likely to take a hit directly on the head if the car hits you.
If you hit the car (or anything else) it is probably going to
be feet first. I guess the helmet is less likely to be useful
in either of these situations.

In aus.bicycle on 19 Nov 2006 23:38:11 -0800
wrote:

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
Well I know my helmet won't protect me if my head and a solid object
get friendly at more than about 8mph, so if I headbutt a car I'm dead
meat anyway.

If the car and your head meet directly then you are dogmeat,
granted. But I can think of a lot of scenarios where the helmet
could make all the difference. For instance, you bounce across
the bonnet and your head collides with the windscreen, you are
knocked off your bike by a glancing blow and hit the road head
first, etc.


Absolutely. I have, after all, been in a motorcycle crash where I hit
my head and lived, albeit with some permanent damage.

I figure people can decide for themselves what they thnk the danger
level is. What I object to is the concept that a helmet will always
save you, that if you fall off without one you will always be hurt,
and that anyone who doesn't wear one is stupid or suicidal.

I think there are a number of situations where a helmet can save you
from damage. I think there are, on a bicycle, very few where they will
save you from serious head injury and even fewer where they will save
you from death.

But for minor shunts they'll save your scalp from tearing and quite
possibly make damage like mine into almost un-noticeable. Whether a
bicycle helmet would have protected me from my less than 20kmh over the
bars incident is unknown and unknowable.

after all, I don't know if a different lid would have protected me better,
what would have happened with no lid, or pretty well anything, and I'm
not about to repeat the experiment in a spirit of scientific enquiry.

I figure adults should be able to make their own decisions, and allow
other adults the same without the name calling and predictions of
doom.

I'm happy to wear a motorcycle helmet, although I have ridden without
and liked it. I'm less happy to wear a bicycle helmet although I do so
most of the time. I think they are effective in some situations but by
no means as many as advocates seem to say.

And I will be impressed by helmet advocates who wear bicycle helmets
when riding in a car, given the largest single reason to be in a head
injury ward in this country is a car crash....

But not impressed by ones who go on about how a cyclist who doesn't
wear one is obviously a candidate for a Darwin award but who are bare
headed in cars.

Zebee

Some dude wrote:

Be aware though, that there have been a few instances where the police
let down a
cyclist's tyres in addition to or instead of issuing a fine - and
confiscated the pump with instructions to pick it up from the cop shop
next day.

Cripes, that used to be the go many years ago for cycling at night
without lights when I was a kid in Sarf Efrica. Very effective.

Mike


--
coppershark

On 2006-11-20, Zebee Johnstone (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
In aus.bicycle on 19 Nov 2006 23:38:11 -0800
wrote:

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
Well I know my helmet won't protect me if my head and a solid object
get friendly at more than about 8mph, so if I headbutt a car I'm dead
meat anyway.

If the car and your head meet directly then you are dogmeat,
granted. But I can think of a lot of scenarios where the helmet
could make all the difference. For instance, you bounce across
the bonnet and your head collides with the windscreen, you are
knocked off your bike by a glancing blow and hit the road head
first, etc.

Absolutely. I have, after all, been in a motorcycle crash where I hit
my head and lived, albeit with some permanent damage.

My head must be heavy -- it keeps hitting the tarmac/tire-iron first


And it didn't affect me at all!

I figure people can decide for themselves what they thnk the danger
level is. What I object to is the concept that a helmet will always
save you, that if you fall off without one you will always be hurt,
and that anyone who doesn't wear one is stupid or suicidal.

And the big one, IMNSHO, that if you are involved in a crash, and you
weren't wearing a helmet, you had it coming to you and are
automatically at fault.

We've all read the newspaper reports that state "a bicycle collided
with a car this morning. The cyclist died, but the driver is
uninjured.", with "The cyclist was not wearing a helmet." being the
very last thing in the article, presented as the final word on the
issue.

I think there are a number of situations where a helmet can save you
from damage.

I reckon I've been in a few of these. My head must be heavy -- it
keeps hitting the tarmac/tire-iron first

And it didn't affect me at all!

I think there are, on a bicycle, very few where they will
save you from serious head injury and even fewer where they will save
you from death.

But for minor shunts they'll save your scalp from tearing and quite
possibly make damage like mine into almost un-noticeable. Whether a
bicycle helmet would have protected me from my less than 20kmh over the
bars incident is unknown and unknowable.

They're very handy when you get ejected over the bars, land face
first, and only the top very front portion of the helmet shows any
signs of scrapes. Thanks helmet. Thanks a lot. Good thing my nose
and teeth protected the rest of me, eh? My head must be heavy -- it
keeps hitting the tarmac/tire-iron first

And it didn't affect me at all!

--
TimC
"This company performed an illegal operation but they will not be shut
down." -- Scott Harshbarger from consumer lobby group on Microsoft

Abby's final word:

1. Just get the fsck over it. Wear a helmet. Do we really have to talk
about this over & over & over again?!?!

2. Seriously, just get the fsck over it. Wear the fscking helmet.

3. And to the original poster - welcome to Australia!!!

Cheers,
Abby