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> There was also this study from a university in Utrecht showing that [in the Netherlands] cyclists wearing helmets are more careless and cause more accidents,

> There was also this study from a university in Utrecht showing that [in the Netherlands] cyclists wearing helmets are more careless and cause more accidents, nullifying any safety benefit.. Are there any links in English to that study? Someone said only people racing (or with racing bikes) trend to wear helmet in Netherlands. Knowing that it feels like that study confuses correlation with causation, but a university probably knows more than I do, hence why I'd like to read the study. Maybe it's just the press getting the wrong conclusion out of the study for agenda purposes. I don't know. The helmets are not weird nor nerdy. They save lives even though you might not need it ever if you're lucky. I always wear helmet, high viz, reflective vest, lights everywhere... You know, I don't want to be that guy in the statistics.

tim333 10y ago
There's an article here implying drivers cut closer when they wear helmets http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10866273/Cycle-helmets-are-useless-says-brain-surgeon.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10866273/Cycle-h...
- NetStrikeForce 10y ago
  Nice link, thanks. That seems to be another education issue: Drivers think cyclists with helmets are more experienced, so they don't feel the need to leave as much room as they do with "less experienced" cyclists. It is an interesting point and I didn't know about it. Almost unrelated, but I've found this part of the article funny - shows how we have to be careful with grand headlines and look at the article itself: > Henry Marsh, who works at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London, said that many of his patients who have been involved in bike accidents have been wearing helmets that were ‘too flimsy’ to be beneficial. Well, no shit Sherlock. The cases where the helmet helped don't end up in your hands. Guy's a neurosurgeon.
annnnd 10y ago
But I am pretty sure you don't live in Netherlands. Safety gear depends on the people around you too. :)
- NetStrikeForce 10y ago
  Yeah, I guess you've got a good point there. Also, the infrastructures to cycle are not as good here as in The Netherlands. I just think, based on people's comments, that there's some silly stigma associated to the helmets like "they're ugly" or "you look silly with it". I've only started cycling again a few years ago, after a childhood of cycling every day without any safety gear; it was hard at first to make myself comfortable with the idea of wearing a helmet. Some time later it just feels natural and I actually get worried when I see people without helmet. It seems to be something similar to the seat belt. It took time for people to get used to it and nowadays I still see that problem in some countries (usually with old people in small towns). Edit: Typos. Lack of coffee. Lack of sleep.

tim333 10y ago

There's an article here implying drivers cut closer when they wear helmets http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10866273/Cycle-helmets-are-useless-says-brain-surgeon.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10866273/Cycle-h...

NetStrikeForce 10y ago
Nice link, thanks. That seems to be another education issue: Drivers think cyclists with helmets are more experienced, so they don't feel the need to leave as much room as they do with "less experienced" cyclists. It is an interesting point and I didn't know about it. Almost unrelated, but I've found this part of the article funny - shows how we have to be careful with grand headlines and look at the article itself: > Henry Marsh, who works at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London, said that many of his patients who have been involved in bike accidents have been wearing helmets that were ‘too flimsy’ to be beneficial. Well, no shit Sherlock. The cases where the helmet helped don't end up in your hands. Guy's a neurosurgeon.

annnnd 10y ago

But I am pretty sure you don't live in Netherlands. Safety gear depends on the people around you too. :)

NetStrikeForce 10y ago
Yeah, I guess you've got a good point there. Also, the infrastructures to cycle are not as good here as in The Netherlands. I just think, based on people's comments, that there's some silly stigma associated to the helmets like "they're ugly" or "you look silly with it". I've only started cycling again a few years ago, after a childhood of cycling every day without any safety gear; it was hard at first to make myself comfortable with the idea of wearing a helmet. Some time later it just feels natural and I actually get worried when I see people without helmet. It seems to be something similar to the seat belt. It took time for people to get used to it and nowadays I still see that problem in some countries (usually with old people in small towns). Edit: Typos. Lack of coffee. Lack of sleep.