We knew helmets were a controversial subject in cycling, but we didn’t expect so many people to feel quite so strongly about it!
Across the Ride25 blog and social media channels there were a whopping 82 comments on our post about whether you should wear helmets.
We pulled together a select few comments to show just how heated the spectrum of opinions is:
And the graph below shows how diverse people’s opinions are. While the majority are pro-helmet, there are more people than we expected who were anti (although very few were strongly anti).
At risk of alienating people who don’t wear them (these posts are just a bit of fun after all!) we found a clear case of a situation where being strongly pro-helmet reduces engagement with cycling by a troubling amount.
In Australia helmets were compulsory in some states before 1996, then a nationwide law was enacted forcing people to wear helmets when cycling. The graph below is admittedly quite confusing, but shows how this law affected cycling engagement rates:
To explain:
A full analysis of this graph and data can be found here.
In another case, cyclists in the world’s most famously cycling-friendly culture rarely wear helmets at all.
It’s hard to find an exact number, but estimates say that just 0.5% of cyclists regulary wear helmets in the Netherlands. A detailed discussion on the TedX website gives some interesting reasons.
Of course The Netherlands can’t be directly compared with the UK because the overall attitude to cycling is so much more accepting, and the infrastructure is set up to compensate for this. Cyclists and cars rarely share the same roads and, when they do, drivers are more patient and understanding.
Pro-helmet people, would you feel differently about wearing helmets if the UK’s cycle network was bigger and safer? Would you keep wearing one if you were forced to by the law, or would that put you off?
And anti-helmeters, would you stop riding if a law came in forcing you to wear a helmet, or would you begrudgingly keep it up?
Answers on a postcard! Or, preferably, in the comment box ↓
August 16th, 2016 at 4:50 pm
I think this is a highly debatable issue, I think when it comes to wearing a helmet, much like wearing a seat belt, it’s the little things that can make all the difference, and we mustn’t forget that if there was to be an accident much as we’d like to think, it isn’t just the helmet wearers or non wearers life that would be affected, but then again people hate being told what to do, so enforcing a helmet wearing law may actually have a counter productive effect. As a pro helmet wearer I have to say my rebellious side felt challenged at the idea of a helmet wearing law.
August 26th, 2016 at 3:32 pm
The recent appearance of some decent cycling infrastructure in London has prompted a change in attitude for me.
Until this year I wouldn’t have thought of getting on my bike without a helmet.Now I usually don’t wear one but I assess the risk and put it on for some rides. I’ll wear one for groups rides for fear of a collision and for rides on fast-moving roads without segregated cycle tracks.
September 13th, 2016 at 3:35 pm
Thank you for the ongoing commentary on this ‘debate’. IMHO there should be no law to make helmets compulsory, it should remain the right of the rider to choose, but the risks should be communicated. This is similar to the arguments that exist in the skateboarding and other extreme sports worlds where claims of ‘I know how to fall’ are used as an argument not to wear a helmet, yet there are numerous injuries in this ‘experienced’ group because they clearly don’t know how to fall…..
Personally I’ve not ridden without a helmet in over 20 years and wouldn’t even consider getting on a bike without a lid as I’ve seen too many incidents where helmets have made a difference….
September 13th, 2016 at 4:23 pm
Lately I’ve been getting hit by more cyclists than cars, and often it’s when I stop at a stop sign, I get plowed into from behind. There’s an element of danger when you’re riding at any decent speed, so it’s up to yourself how much safety measures to employ. Personally, I do what I can do, that includes wearing a helmet
September 22nd, 2016 at 7:17 am
Just to add another comment here on data analysis this month there has been an international journal of epidemiology paper published concluding, to quote:
Bicycle helmet use was associated with reduced odds of head injury, serious head injury, facial injury and fatal head injury. The reduction was greater for serious or fatal head injury. Neck injury was rare and not associated with helmet use. These results support the use of strategies to increase the uptake of bicycle helmets as part of a comprehensive cycling safety plan.
http://m.ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/09/06/ije.dyw153.abstract
September 28th, 2020 at 9:41 am
The helmet is very important while traveling. It reduces head injury and saves a life. We should always select the best welding helmet to protect ourselves.