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Scientific American does bicycle helmets



 
 
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  #11  
Old October 3rd 07, 06:05 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

On Oct 2, 7:39 pm, "Mike Kruger" wrote:
From the October 2007 Scientific American in print,
Do Helmets Attract Cars to Cyclists?

and on the web hehttp://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?art...2-99DF-3594A60...
Strange but True: Helmets Attract Cars to Cyclists

(note the different headlines!)

This is by a reporter, not a scientist, and cites the following:

1. Ian Walker's study showing helmets attract cars to cyclists (anti-helmet)
2. Randy Swart, founder of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (pro-helmet)
3. Dorothy Robinson's work showing mandatory helmet laws "did not have a significant effect on bicycle accidents resulting in head injuries" (anti-helmet)
4. New York City report showing that of the 225 cyclists dying between 1996 and 2005 on NYC streets, 97% were not wearing helmets. (pro-helmet)

It ends in a wishy-washy manner:
"Walker, whose much-publicized report may inspire a new generation of bareheaded riders, won't make any specific recommendations to other cyclists (and neither will Scientific American), though he notes that when it comes to riding in traffic, motorists are the real problem. "If people read the research and decide a helmet makes them safer, they should wear one; if they read the research and decide it doesn't, perhaps they don't need to," Walker says, adding the caveat, "But they do need to read the research!" And watch out for cars."

It's not apparent in the web version, but this column is called "Fact or Fiction" and designed for "investigations into popular myths". For example, the July column definitely concluded that premium gas is useless for standard cars.

This isn't of interest because it provides new information; it's interesting because of the headline switch and the fact that the helmet debate makes it into a general interest publication.


OK folks, another helmet thread! How many posts will this one go? 200,
300, 400, more? Hell, Frank and Bill ought to be worth about 30 posts
apiece.

Smokey

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  #12  
Old October 4th 07, 03:38 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Mike Kruger
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Posts: 453
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

Dennis P. Harris wrote:
On Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:39:44 GMT in rec.bicycles.misc, "Mike
Kruger" wrote:

it's interesting because of the headline switch and the fact that
the helmet debate makes it into a general interest publication.


Uh... Scientific American *is* a general interest publication.
Always has been. It's certainly not a peer reviewed journal.


I write it's in Scientific American, meaning the helmet debate made it into
a general interest publication.
You correct me by noting that Scientific American is a general interest
publication.

????

--
Mike Kruger
Give no quarter to the paradigm people.


  #13  
Old October 4th 07, 06:34 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Mike Jacoubowsky
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Posts: 1,452
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

---Then there are the people who have had a helmet take an impact and
believe they were saved by said helmet. No study will convince me that
the truck mirror which cracked my helmet at 20mph would have had no
effect on my naked skull. :-)


I would say that your's is a case where the helmet probably did help. But
then again, you weren't sliding across the pavement with your helmet in
contact with a rough surface.


(Raising my hand) I did! I did!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


  #14  
Old October 4th 07, 02:29 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Ingo Keck
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Posts: 16
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

Gooserider wrote:

[...]
If they were available then, I'm sure Einstein would have worn a helmet.


A well known quote from him is:

"Ein kluger Kopf paßt in keinem Helm"

(A intelligent head doesn't fit in any helmet)

Even though he probably only meant soldiers helmets with that, maybe you
should think about that.

Ingo.
  #15  
Old October 4th 07, 03:10 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Ozark Bicycle
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Posts: 3,591
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

On Oct 3, 12:05 pm, wrote:
On Oct 2, 7:39 pm, "Mike Kruger" wrote:



From the October 2007 Scientific American in print,
Do Helmets Attract Cars to Cyclists?


and on the web hehttp://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?art...2-99DF-3594A60...
Strange but True: Helmets Attract Cars to Cyclists


(note the different headlines!)


This is by a reporter, not a scientist, and cites the following:


1. Ian Walker's study showing helmets attract cars to cyclists (anti-helmet)
2. Randy Swart, founder of the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (pro-helmet)
3. Dorothy Robinson's work showing mandatory helmet laws "did not have a significant effect on bicycle accidents resulting in head injuries" (anti-helmet)
4. New York City report showing that of the 225 cyclists dying between 1996 and 2005 on NYC streets, 97% were not wearing helmets. (pro-helmet)


It ends in a wishy-washy manner:
"Walker, whose much-publicized report may inspire a new generation of bareheaded riders, won't make any specific recommendations to other cyclists (and neither will Scientific American), though he notes that when it comes to riding in traffic, motorists are the real problem. "If people read the research and decide a helmet makes them safer, they should wear one; if they read the research and decide it doesn't, perhaps they don't need to," Walker says, adding the caveat, "But they do need to read the research!" And watch out for cars."


It's not apparent in the web version, but this column is called "Fact or Fiction" and designed for "investigations into popular myths". For example, the July column definitely concluded that premium gas is useless for standard cars.


This isn't of interest because it provides new information; it's interesting because of the headline switch and the fact that the helmet debate makes it into a general interest publication.


OK folks, another helmet thread! How many posts will this one go? 200,
300, 400, more? Hell, Frank and Bill ought to be worth about 30 posts
apiece.



Unless some idiot cross posts it to URC, then the band of Limey idiots
(Chapman, Raven et al) will chime in with their paranoid rantings.
That's another few hundred worthless wastes of space. :-(


  #16  
Old October 4th 07, 03:41 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

On Oct 4, 7:00 am, "Gooserider" wrote:
wrote in message

ups.com...

On Oct 3, 3:03 am, (Dennis P. Harris)
wrote:


IMHO folks who don't wear helmets don't have much to protect.


Hmm. That included Albert Einstein, according to the photo hanging in
my office.


http://www.einsteinsbicycle.com/


- Frank Krygowski


If they were available then, I'm sure Einstein would have worn a helmet.


Doubtful. He hadn't been exposed to the false propaganda claiming
that bicyclists are at significant risk for serious head injuries.
And if he had been exposed to the propaganda, he would have had enough
mathematical sense to realize it was hype.

Besides, he lived in a culture where cycling was (and is) considered a
normal way to get around. It was not treated as a fancy equipment,
special clothing, extreme sport.

Switzerland is still that way. So is this place:

http://www.domela.com/photos_people/...eview_2006.pdf

Or this place:

http://www.denniscox.com/BeijingBicycles.jpg

Prissy Americans with their seldom-used toys think they know more than
cultures that actually _ride_ bicycles. It's a little laughable.

- Frank Krygowski

  #17  
Old October 4th 07, 04:06 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Cathy Kearns
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Posts: 120
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets


"Gooserider" wrote in message
...

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...

"Gooserider" wrote

---Then there are the people who have had a helmet take an impact and
believe they were saved by said helmet. No study will convince me that
the truck mirror which cracked my helmet at 20mph would have had no
effect on my naked skull. :-)


I would say that your's is a case where the helmet probably did help.
But then again, you weren't sliding across the pavement with your helmet
in contact with a rough surface. That situation is less clear cut.


Probably? How about conceding that taking a truck mirror impact to my
naked skull would DEFINTELY caused me injury?


I'm guessing he went for probably because it's also slightly possible that
withouth the extra 2 inches around your head the truck mirror would have
missed entirely. I stoke on a tandem. My helmet is very useful for the
times my captain ducks without telling me, and a branch hits my helmet. I'm
thinking otherwise the branch would grab my hair, and yeah, that would hurt.
(And I happen to love the captain, so occasionally uncalled branches are
just part of life.)


  #18  
Old October 4th 07, 05:43 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
David Bonnell
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Posts: 38
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

"Ein kluger Kopf paßt in keinem Helm"

(A intelligent head doesn't fit in any helmet)

Even though he probably only meant soldiers helmets with that, maybe you
should think about that.



Let's paraphrase the quote:
"Only stupid people are capable of wearing helmets"

And by extension:
"Anyone who wears a helmet is stupid"

Should we really be taking advice from a guy who rides his bike in a
wool sweater, pants, and shiny shoes? I'd say his saddle looks a bit
low for maximum pedalling efficiency too.



  #19  
Old October 4th 07, 08:13 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
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Posts: 2,673
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets

On Oct 4, 12:43 pm, David Bonnell wrote:
"Ein kluger Kopf paßt in keinem Helm"


(A intelligent head doesn't fit in any helmet)


Even though he probably only meant soldiers helmets with that, maybe you
should think about that.


Let's paraphrase the quote:
"Only stupid people are capable of wearing helmets"

And by extension:
"Anyone who wears a helmet is stupid"

Should we really be taking advice from a guy who rides his bike in a
wool sweater, pants, and shiny shoes? I'd say his saddle looks a bit
low for maximum pedalling efficiency too.


:-) Well, as we all know in America, a person is not really a
"cyclist" unless they wear skintight lycra shorts, a special jersey
covered with manufacturer's advertisements, special shoes that one
can't walk in, special gloves, aerodynamic sunglasses, socks with
logos, and so on. Right? ;-)

IOW, there's only one cyclist in all these photographs:
http://www.domela.com/photos_people/...eview_2006.pdf

- Frank Krygowski

  #20  
Old October 5th 07, 02:01 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc
Cathy Kearns
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Posts: 120
Default Scientific American does bicycle helmets


"Gooserider" wrote in message
...

"Cathy Kearns" wrote in message
. ..

"Gooserider" wrote in message
...

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...

"Gooserider" wrote

---Then there are the people who have had a helmet take an impact and
believe they were saved by said helmet. No study will convince me that
the truck mirror which cracked my helmet at 20mph would have had no
effect on my naked skull. :-)

I would say that your's is a case where the helmet probably did help.
But then again, you weren't sliding across the pavement with your
helmet in contact with a rough surface. That situation is less clear
cut.

Probably? How about conceding that taking a truck mirror impact to my
naked skull would DEFINTELY caused me injury?


I'm guessing he went for probably because it's also slightly possible
that withouth the extra 2 inches around your head the truck mirror would
have missed entirely. I stoke on a tandem. My helmet is very useful for
the times my captain ducks without telling me, and a branch hits my
helmet. I'm thinking otherwise the branch would grab my hair, and yeah,
that would hurt. (And I happen to love the captain, so occasionally
uncalled branches are just part of life.)


He hit me at the 6 o'clock position on the helmet. Right above the brain
stem. Your assumption isn't correct.


Ahh, additional information is always helpful.

 




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