Why you should never wear a bicycle helmet.

[Binkie The Clown]

Apparently your risk of serious brain injury is higher with a helmet than without. And pedestrians suffer more head injuries than bike riders. Should we require helmets for pedestrians?

[cos dem]

1. I know at least one person saved by a bike helmet.

Had a stick get caught in his front fork, stopped the front wheel instantly. He was going fast enough he went headfirst over the handlebars into the ground. The ground provided a convenient rock right where his head was coming. Helmet split into several pieces. If not for his helmet, that would have been his skull.

[Binkie The Clown]

2. And I know one pedestrian whose life would have been saved by a helmet.

There are always exceptions. You could probably find examples of people who would have survived, but were killed because of their helmet.

In life we can only play the odds. That's the best we can ever hope for. We can't say you should never swim because I knew a person that drowned.

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.
--Helen Keller

[metroins]

28. Some things are common sense

The faster you move, the more protection you should have.

[a la izquierda]

9. I'd be dead as well.

I had a horrible crash on a ride and hit headfirst. My brain hasn't been the same since.

[unblock]

3. Risk of brain injury being higher is a logical consequence of risk of death being lower

Personally, I'd rather be alive

[mopinko]

20. and increased odds of a bike accident when wearing a helmet-

logical consequence of people who ride more are more likely to be helmet wearers. more miles ridden-more odds of accident.

[unblock]

30. Also correct.

Many wrong general conclusions can be drawn from a limited set of statistics.

[Orrex]

4. Ditto for football helmets. Fuck 'em!

[Ron Obvious]

6. I believe Rugby has a substantially lower risk of head injuries

I've often believed that the safety equipment worn in American football has changed how the game is played so that the risk of injury is now substantially higher because of it.

Ditto bicycle helmets. Wearing them apparently makes cyclists feel safer when they're, at best, only marginally safer, which changes the behaviour of the cyclist and negates the very marginal benefits of wearing them.

[Orrex]

7. So does badminton

Rugby is a brutal sport, to be sure, but I don't believe that deliberate head-to-head impacts between 500 pounds of human are a common feature of the sport. Am I incorrect?

Do you have statistics comparing the number of pediatric head traumas resulting from collisions with and without bike helmets? I'd be interested to see those numbers.

[Ron Obvious]

10. That's a false comparison

Collisions with and without helmets are not a valid comparison, or you'd be calling for pedestrians to be wearing them as well. It assumes the helmet is the only change in the equation when it clearly isn't. There's documented greater risk-taking behaviour when wearing them, less space given to helmeted cyclists by passing motorists, different falling dynamics, helmets making the head a much bigger target, etc.

If American footballers didn't wear helmets and pads, I daresay the sport wouldn't feature head-to-head impacts between 500 pounds of human. That's why the comparison is invalid.

[Orrex]

14. Then it wouldn't be football

It would be modified rugby. If rugby players weren't allowed to make physical contact, it would be a big game of chase.

That's not to say American football would be better or worse, but it wouldn't then be what it is now. I'm not even a sports fan, but modifying the fundamentals of the game seems rather a non-starter. I'm sure that ballet injuries could be greatly reduced if we eliminated the pointe technique and leaping, too.

Collisions with and without helmets are not a valid comparison, or you'd be calling for pedestrians to be wearing them as well.

If the argument is that bike helmets decrease safety, then I'd say it is essential that we compare collisions with and without helmets. Also, I can't watch the vid while at work; does it conclude that the likelihood of pedestrian head injury is higher due to increased use of bike helmets?

What's the comparison between head injuries among competitive cyclists with and without helmets, by the way?

It assumes the helmet is the only change in the equation when it clearly isn't. There's documented greater risk-taking behaviour when wearing them, less space given to helmeted cyclists by passing motorists, different falling dynamics, helmets making the head a much bigger target, etc.

What is the overall number of bikes in uses no as compared to before helmets gained popularity? Does the study factor this in as well? Does the study account for variances in helmet designs, or are all helmets created equal?

[Ron Obvious]

17. American Football IS modified Rugby

It just developed into a more dangerous direction at least in part BECAUSE of the pads and helmets. That's the irony, which also applies to cycling. The stat cited in the video (helmets increase risk of head injury by 14%) is not because of anything intrinsic to the helmet itself, but because the very slight increase in safety while wearing them is more than offset by the increased risk-taking behaviour when doing so.

Helmets became compulsory in professional cycling relatively recently, over the protests of the cyclists themselves who held a sitdown strike during the Tour because of it, I might add. I don't know if anybody has tracked injury rates but, as someone who has watched the tour for decades, it certainly seems there are many more spills, crashes, mass falls and reckless riding now than ever before.

I'm always amused by all the "helmets have saved my life x number of times" anecdotes that come out of the woodwork when this topic comes up. You'd think the roads must have been littered by dead cyclists in the very recent past when absolutely nobody wore them. They weren't, of course. Fatality rates have held fairly steady even though virtually no kids ride to school any more.

Most of the overblown claims about helmet safety originated with the Harbor View study here in Seattle which claimed an 85% reduction in head injuries. That particular study compared injury rates between cyclists who voluntarily wore helmets with those who did not without taking into account that there were enormous differences between those two populations. You can also extrapolate massive reductions in broken legs from their data, for example, showing how poorly designed that study was. Unfortunately, King County (WA) and Seattle passed a mandatory helmet law largely on the strength of that study some 20 years ago but has yet to see any reduction in head injuries because of it.

Australia proudly proclaimed a large percentage reduction in head injuries after their compulsory helmet law, neglecting to mention that the reduction in cycling was even greater.

[Orrex]

21. Another question, though it may seem silly:

Does a fatal bike accident involving a head injury count toward "head injuries" overall?

I'll match your amusement with my amusement at people who insist that seatbelts make them less safe. Did people start driving more recklessly when seatbelts became mandatory? What about airbags? Crumple zones? I note that we still have a great many vehicular deaths. Let's get rid of automotive safety measure as well.

Helmets became compulsory in professional cycling relatively recently, over the protests of the cyclists themselves who held a sitdown strike during the Tour because of it, I might add. I don't know if anybody has tracked injury rates but, as someone who has watched the tour for decades, it certainly seems there are many more spills, crashes, mass falls and reckless riding now than ever before.

You're aware that you're citing an anecdote, right? Why on earth wouldn't someone have compared the injuries among competitive cyclists?

[Ron Obvious]

22. I believe it does, but all you need to do is compare fatality rates to see improvement or lack of it

Even the helmet manufacturers themselves don't claim that cycle helmets are designed to protect against collisions with cars for example. It's just a thin strip of styrofoam after all, no different than what your TV is shipped in. I believe it's rated for 12-14 mph, which is about equal to a standing fall. They're nothing like motorcycle helmets which really DO increase protection. It's really very minimal protection to only the top of the head.

As for seatbelts, there's no doubt whatsoever that they make the driver & passengers safer. I'm not aware if it has resulted in greater pedestrian fatalities, but I do know that anti-lock braking systems have resulted in greater pedestrian fatalities. All the other safety improvements you mention came in around the same time, so it's difficult to attribute the greater safety to just one factor.

Yes, I'm aware that was an anecdote, but I have never seen any actual data on professional cyclist safety before and after helmets became compulsory, so I'm afraid it's all I have.

[central scrutinizer]

18. Wearing a helmet doesn't change my behavior

The real danger is drivers, distracted, careless, speeding, aggressive. A helmet isn't going to help if you get run over. My helmet has saved my noggin when I went down on a patch of black ice. I always wear bright neon clothes, always use head and tail lights in the dark and always ride in a predictable manner. I do think air bags, anti lock brakes and other "safety " equipment have made drivers less attentive. That equipment should all be replaced by a single six inch spike sticking out from the middle of the steering wheel.

[Ron Obvious]

19. Most of the behavioural changes are subconscious

I've heard several people say that they feel vulnerable when riding without helmet. You're supposed to feel vulnerable! Because you are, and you should never forget it.

[NightWatcher]

5. Why so serious, life will kill us all eventually.

I refuse to wear a helmet all the time. I'll take rational precautions but it's bordering on the insane to suggest all helmets all the time.

[GaryCnf]

8. Out of curiosity

Do you ride on a roadway for distances longer than a mile?

Also, if you know, does this so-called expert?

[Binkie The Clown]

12. I use the bike almost exclusively for trips less than 5 miles.

And, for what it's worth, I DO wear a bike helmet.

I just found a different point of view to be interesting. Nothing is worse than closing our minds to alternatives.

And it was interesting that countries that push wearing bike helmets see a decrease in the number of bikers. The constant reminders of "how dangerous" it is to ride a bike, put people off riding. Peddling fear is profitable for the bike helmet industry AND for the automobile industry.

[GaryCnf]

23. Thanks so much!

I started road biking after BB and an old track injury ate up my knees and ride about 80-100 miles a week. In between the cars and the speed, I think riding without a helmet is near suicide.

I do think individual riding habits make a huge difference, though. I might not wear a helmet either if it was just around the neighborhood.

Keep riding! 🚴🏾?♂️

[TexasProgresive]

11. I just replaced a bicycle helmet with dents from rocks and pavement.

They weren't deep but I wouldn't have like them to my skull. I am not a particularly fast rider but the worst dents were caused by dogs. One came at me from the right side -struck my front tire with his butt. I went down on the left side at 16 or greater MPH. I left a lot of DNA on the road way with scrapes to my leg and arm, but my head was intact. BTW, when I stopped sliding the dogs were no where to be seen.

I will not ride a bicycle or motorcycle without a helmet.

[Donkees]

13. T-Rex suit is the way to go

[SonofDonald]

15. Helmets saved my life 3 times.

Once from a wild pitch thrown by a teenager in a baseball game, actually cracked the helmet and I got a concussion.

Twice in motorcycle wrecks, I broke a brand new Bell Moto 3 nearly in half in one and bounced of a boulder cracking another one.

I always use a helmet when riding a bike (when I feel well enought to ride) as I know for a fact I wouldn't be here if I hadn't worn them on other days.

Just my experience but I do know what I'm talking about when it comes to helmets.

[Iggo]

16. The NRA's against helmets now?

Oh, wait...

[wishstar]

24. I disagree- I know two people who died from head injuries without helmets

One of them ran into a car just riding slowly in his condo parking lot and the other was on a highway where he lost control without even a car around.

Although I have only had 2 accidents in over 40 years of frequent riding, I do not ride without both protective gloves (I actually use wrist supports to prevent numbness of hands, carpel tunnel) and helmet. One of my accidents was so bad that I would have severely scraped up my hands and my head without the protective gear.

[Binkie The Clown]

25. I agree. I wear a helmet, but I thought it was interesting to see what this guy had to say.

My son broke a shoulder in a minor bicycle accident when he was a teen 35 years ago or so. He wasn't wearing a helmet, but due to the way he fell, it wouldn't have made any difference.

[underpants]

26. Bullshit

[Binkie The Clown]

27. Fake News. :)

He makes a few interesting points, but for me, I'll continue to wear my helmet when I bike.

[TomSlick]

29. I survived a biking accident because of my helmet.

I was riding my road bike with a friend - drafting - and watching his rear wheel. A dog came out from the side. My friend (who saw the dog) swerved - I hit the dog. The bike stopped dead. I dismounted over the handle bars.

I had a broken finger and there are a few days for which I can't account. The helmet was destroyed but my skull was not. But for the helmet, I'd have died.

Wear your seatbelt in the car and helmet on the bicycle (unless you have a death wish.)

[Binkie The Clown]

33. There are some people wearing seat belts in a car that might have lived if they had a helmet.

There are some people who have fallen off ladders, or slipped in the bathtub and died because they weren't wearing a helmet.

Face it, we should be wearing a helmet 24/7.

[TomSlick]

34. Perhaps.

It's really a matter of weighing risk. My risk of head injury sitting at my desk is infinitesimally low and I cannot justify the ridicule. My risk of head injury while in a car is still relatively low but there is no cost for wearing a seatbelt. Seems an easy decision.

[Cicada]

31. Cars are more cautious around bikers without helmets

We should wear invisible helmets. I think there are such things, which inflate like airbags when the biker is going to fall.

Seriously - helmets induce more dangerous driving, such as driving closer to a helmeted biker.

[doc03]

32. I know a person that had an accident last year that probably had their life saved by a

bicycle helmet.

[Danmel]

35. Sorry, not buying it

When I was in grade school, the brother of one of my classmates was hot by a car while riding his bicycle. That way back in the day, before helmets. He was in a come for months and suffered permanent neurological damage.
His brother became a neurologist because of that.

[Thor_MN]

36. Coworker alive today because of helmet

Inattentive driver turned left in front of him. He was lucky, when he landed the second time, it was on the other side of the helmet from the first time he landed. No helmet, organ donor. Doctor told him that when he regained consciousness. Of course he only knows that because his wife was there by that point and remembered it for him. Took two years for him to get mostly back to normal.