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Turns out things are a bit more complex than "survival rate after being hit by a car at 40 km/h in the front": - Both cyclists and motorists tend to take sligh
by Carpetsmoker 7y ago
Turns out things are a bit more complex than "survival rate after being hit by a car at 40 km/h in the front":
- Both cyclists and motorists tend to take slightly more risks when wearing helmets (cars give less distance when overtaking).
- Mandatory helmets means fewer people cycle, so cars are less used to cyclists leading to more dangerous situations.
It's been discussed many times on HN, and there is no clear-cut answer. Some research (I can't be bothered to find it all again, sorry) suggests it doesn't make a difference, other that it makes things slightly safer, and others that it makes it slightly less safe. On balance, it probably doesn't make much of a difference.
- tim58 7y ago> Mandatory helmets Mandatory helmets is a separate thing. You're arguing against a policy none of the parent comments or the root article talks about. > Both cyclists and motorists tend to take slightly more risks when wearing helmets This whole article is about being an assertive bicyclist while not wearing a helmet. The author is encouraging people to not wear a helmet and bicycle less defensively than they typically do. The primary argument for this behavior is because it feels good.
- Carpetsmoker 7y agoThe original comment is comparing it to seatbelts, which are mandatory in many countries.