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That happens to be the justification that my country uses to make bicycle helmets mandatory (though there's significant debate about whether it's actually helpe

That happens to be the justification that my country uses to make bicycle helmets mandatory (though there's significant debate about whether it's actually helped reduce injury rates, and it fairly clearly depresses overall rates of cycling versus other modes of transport). I think the cost of wearing an aircraft seatbelt while you happen to be seated is rather lower than the cost of having to wear a bicycle helmet, though.

tempestn 10y ago
What's the cost? Helmets aren't that expensive. Having to carry it around? Could always lock it to the bike. Helmet hair?
- throwanem 10y ago
  People being afraid their bike helmets make them look like goobers, maybe? Well, they do. Better to be a goober with an unfractured skull, though.
- mnw21cam 10y ago
  I always thought the statistic that mandatory helmets reduced cycling was a bit pathetic myself. It really isn't that hard. Yes, I have come off my bike and hit my head, while wearing a helmet. Unfortunately, I landed on a tooth rather than my helmet, which wasn't a lot of fun. Regarding helmet hair, I had a colleague who had the most amazing hair spikes (think coffee cup sized), who would very carefully put a cycle helmet on every day before cycling home.
- throwaway7767 10y ago
  Locking it to the bike isn't a good solution if you live in a place where it rains or snows a lot. So you end up having to carry it with you on errands. If you bike a lot, those small inconveniences add up. I can't imagine fashion sense is much of a reason, that seems like a strawman argument commonly conjured up by helmet laws advocates.
- lmm 10y ago
  Would you be ok with a mandatory helmet law for car drivers and passengers? The risk of a head injury that a helmet would prevent is much higher in a car, and carrying a helmet around in your car is more convenient than on your bike (e.g. it's much less likely to get stolen). Nevertheless, we don't have mandatory helmet laws for people in cars; why is that?
  - umanwizard 10y ago
    > The risk of a head injury that a helmet would prevent is much higher in a car What is this based on? My own intuition is that the risk is many times higher on a bike.
    - lmm 10y ago
      I don't remember the source, take that as you will. Cars go faster which means a higher risk of collisions (less time to react etc.), and also a higher risk of head injury per collision.
      - umanwizard 10y ago
        Maybe I'm just a shitty cyclist but I've wiped out way, way more times on a bike than in a car. You can crash without it being a "collision".
        lmm 10y ago
        Did you hit your head though? Even "low" speed for a car can be 20mph; you can hit a stationary object and be thrown around pretty severely. That said yeah if you're "wiping out" more than like once every few years you're doing something seriously wrong (or at least taking an unnecessary risk). I've only once had any kind of incident on my cycling commute.
        umanwizard 10y ago
        The hardest I've wiped out on a bike was where a bike trail intersected a road. Everything was super wet and slick from rain. Despite bikes having right of way and my bright bike light being on, a truck with no headlights barreled across it without stopping. Once I saw it, I had to slam on the brakes so hard my rear brake cable popped out of the handlebar, disabling the rear brake completely and I was putting full pressure on the front brake. I didn't have time to react and avoid going over the handlebars, and I hit my helmet on the pavement. (Thankfully, I did stop in time to avoid the truck hitting me). Was I doing something seriously wrong? Yes -- I was riding a bike without a properly adjusted rear brake cable. However, this sort of mechanical issue (and any number of others) could happen to any riders who aren't much more hyper-diligent about maintenance than average. Who knows if we'd even be having this conversation had I not been wearing a helmet that night. From a public health perspective, evidence suggests making helmets mandatory is counter-productive, and so I don't support those laws. However, I still maintain that anyone who cycles without a helmet is fucking stupid.
- uzoodoo 10y ago
  Wouldn't work if you're using a bike share. It's actually the reason why I don't use the bike share program, even though I have a station right next to my apartment building. I could ride it to/from the train station or the grocery store, but I'm paranoid about not wearing a helmet, and hauling the bulky thing around all day is a massive inconvenience.
ProblemFactory 10y ago
There's an argument that mandatory bicycle helmets are worse, not better for the overall health goals: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/12/mandatory-bike-helmet-laws-do-more-harm-than-good-senate-hears https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/12/mandato... Mandatory helmets protect cyclists from injury - but make cycling less popular. Fewer people cycling means they get less exercise and increase other health risks. On average it's a health benefit to cycle without a helmet, compared to driving - and of course people are still welcome to add helmets if they don't mind them.

tempestn 10y ago

What's the cost? Helmets aren't that expensive. Having to carry it around? Could always lock it to the bike. Helmet hair?

throwanem 10y ago
People being afraid their bike helmets make them look like goobers, maybe? Well, they do. Better to be a goober with an unfractured skull, though.
mnw21cam 10y ago
I always thought the statistic that mandatory helmets reduced cycling was a bit pathetic myself. It really isn't that hard. Yes, I have come off my bike and hit my head, while wearing a helmet. Unfortunately, I landed on a tooth rather than my helmet, which wasn't a lot of fun. Regarding helmet hair, I had a colleague who had the most amazing hair spikes (think coffee cup sized), who would very carefully put a cycle helmet on every day before cycling home.
throwaway7767 10y ago
Locking it to the bike isn't a good solution if you live in a place where it rains or snows a lot. So you end up having to carry it with you on errands. If you bike a lot, those small inconveniences add up. I can't imagine fashion sense is much of a reason, that seems like a strawman argument commonly conjured up by helmet laws advocates.
lmm 10y ago
Would you be ok with a mandatory helmet law for car drivers and passengers? The risk of a head injury that a helmet would prevent is much higher in a car, and carrying a helmet around in your car is more convenient than on your bike (e.g. it's much less likely to get stolen). Nevertheless, we don't have mandatory helmet laws for people in cars; why is that?
- umanwizard 10y ago
  > The risk of a head injury that a helmet would prevent is much higher in a car What is this based on? My own intuition is that the risk is many times higher on a bike.
  - lmm 10y ago
    I don't remember the source, take that as you will. Cars go faster which means a higher risk of collisions (less time to react etc.), and also a higher risk of head injury per collision.
    - umanwizard 10y ago
      Maybe I'm just a shitty cyclist but I've wiped out way, way more times on a bike than in a car. You can crash without it being a "collision".
      - lmm 10y ago
        Did you hit your head though? Even "low" speed for a car can be 20mph; you can hit a stationary object and be thrown around pretty severely. That said yeah if you're "wiping out" more than like once every few years you're doing something seriously wrong (or at least taking an unnecessary risk). I've only once had any kind of incident on my cycling commute.
        umanwizard 10y ago
        The hardest I've wiped out on a bike was where a bike trail intersected a road. Everything was super wet and slick from rain. Despite bikes having right of way and my bright bike light being on, a truck with no headlights barreled across it without stopping. Once I saw it, I had to slam on the brakes so hard my rear brake cable popped out of the handlebar, disabling the rear brake completely and I was putting full pressure on the front brake. I didn't have time to react and avoid going over the handlebars, and I hit my helmet on the pavement. (Thankfully, I did stop in time to avoid the truck hitting me). Was I doing something seriously wrong? Yes -- I was riding a bike without a properly adjusted rear brake cable. However, this sort of mechanical issue (and any number of others) could happen to any riders who aren't much more hyper-diligent about maintenance than average. Who knows if we'd even be having this conversation had I not been wearing a helmet that night. From a public health perspective, evidence suggests making helmets mandatory is counter-productive, and so I don't support those laws. However, I still maintain that anyone who cycles without a helmet is fucking stupid.
uzoodoo 10y ago
Wouldn't work if you're using a bike share. It's actually the reason why I don't use the bike share program, even though I have a station right next to my apartment building. I could ride it to/from the train station or the grocery store, but I'm paranoid about not wearing a helmet, and hauling the bulky thing around all day is a massive inconvenience.

ProblemFactory 10y ago

There's an argument that mandatory bicycle helmets are worse, not better for the overall health goals: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/12/mandatory-bike-helmet-laws-do-more-harm-than-good-senate-hears https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/12/mandato... Mandatory helmets protect cyclists from injury - but make cycling less popular. Fewer people cycling means they get less exercise and increase other health risks. On average it's a health benefit to cycle without a helmet, compared to driving - and of course people are still welcome to add helmets if they don't mind them.