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How dare those guys drive on roads with cars! This seems insane. Even if the data supported this, anyone from the PR department should have seen how much bad p

How dare those guys drive on roads with cars! This seems insane. Even if the data supported this, anyone from the PR department should have seen how much bad press this generates from a mile away.

_Wintermute 4y ago
From their point of view, it's like if a delivery company banned drivers from installing roll-cages and racing harnesses - the initial question should be, why on earth do you think you need that?
- ericbarrett 4y ago
  A fall from bicycle height onto concrete can kill you if you hit your head—even if the bicycle is completely stationary. This rule is BS and I expect the company will be pressured to reverse their decision immediately. Sincerely, a guy who's probably alive because of a bicycle helmet.
- jstanley 4y ago
  It's more like banning drivers from wearing seatbelts.
- Sebb767 4y ago
  It's more like if a delivery company banned their drivers from installing seat belts and airbags. Even if you are a perfect driver, other people aren't and on a bike, your will be the one hurting after a crash.
  - _Wintermute 4y ago
    Not at all. Seatbelts are a legal requirement, helmets are not. This is employees wearing body amour, which is seen as either encouraging risk-taking, or giving the illusion that the activity is risky.
    - Sebb767 4y ago
      In Germany it's actually discussed quite heavily whether to make helmets a legal requirement. I also don't see how you don't think of bikes driving on roads as risky. Even with a helmet, you can get very seriously injured; a helmet will just help you to not die and (hopefully) still walk again afterwards. Feel free to look up images from serious bike accidents; I can't imagine anyone sane risking that, helmet or not.
      - _Wintermute 4y ago
        I cycle 10,000km+ a year in London, so I think I have a better idea about this than the vast majority of HN commenters. I generally wear a helmet, but encouraging and definitely enforcing helmet use is the least effective thing we can do to protect people [0]. https://lmb.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FJKHORIVUAI799Z.jpeg https://lmb.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FJKHORIVUAI799Z.j...
        Sebb767 4y ago
        Well, if you think wearing a helmet increases risk, why do you wear one? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to force anyone to wear a helmet. It's completely fine if one wants to take that risk. But forbidding them is just insane. Also, helmets are not a get-out-of-jail-free-card. They increase your chances of survival in case of a crash, you will still get injured. Protecting people might be the least effective thing compared to eliminating the hazard, but splitting cars and bikes is simply not always an option.
        _Wintermute 4y ago
        I never said I think wearing a helmet increases risk. I was pointing out their reasoning which many people here seem to be missing.
        Sebb767 4y ago
        Fair enough, I did indeed miss that! But I stand by my original comment, even if they do think forbidding helmets avoids a few accidents, they should have smelled the shitstorm from a mile away (and people running a bike company should really be more empathetic towards bikers).

How dare those guys drive on roads with cars! This seems insane. Even if the data supported this, anyone from the PR department should have seen how much bad press this generates from a mile away.

_Wintermute 4y ago

From their point of view, it's like if a delivery company banned drivers from installing roll-cages and racing harnesses - the initial question should be, why on earth do you think you need that?

ericbarrett 4y ago
A fall from bicycle height onto concrete can kill you if you hit your head—even if the bicycle is completely stationary. This rule is BS and I expect the company will be pressured to reverse their decision immediately. Sincerely, a guy who's probably alive because of a bicycle helmet.
jstanley 4y ago
It's more like banning drivers from wearing seatbelts.
Sebb767 4y ago
It's more like if a delivery company banned their drivers from installing seat belts and airbags. Even if you are a perfect driver, other people aren't and on a bike, your will be the one hurting after a crash.
- _Wintermute 4y ago
  Not at all. Seatbelts are a legal requirement, helmets are not. This is employees wearing body amour, which is seen as either encouraging risk-taking, or giving the illusion that the activity is risky.
  - Sebb767 4y ago
    In Germany it's actually discussed quite heavily whether to make helmets a legal requirement. I also don't see how you don't think of bikes driving on roads as risky. Even with a helmet, you can get very seriously injured; a helmet will just help you to not die and (hopefully) still walk again afterwards. Feel free to look up images from serious bike accidents; I can't imagine anyone sane risking that, helmet or not.
    - _Wintermute 4y ago
      I cycle 10,000km+ a year in London, so I think I have a better idea about this than the vast majority of HN commenters. I generally wear a helmet, but encouraging and definitely enforcing helmet use is the least effective thing we can do to protect people [0]. https://lmb.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FJKHORIVUAI799Z.jpeg https://lmb.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FJKHORIVUAI799Z.j...
      - Sebb767 4y ago
        Well, if you think wearing a helmet increases risk, why do you wear one? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to force anyone to wear a helmet. It's completely fine if one wants to take that risk. But forbidding them is just insane. Also, helmets are not a get-out-of-jail-free-card. They increase your chances of survival in case of a crash, you will still get injured. Protecting people might be the least effective thing compared to eliminating the hazard, but splitting cars and bikes is simply not always an option.
        _Wintermute 4y ago
        I never said I think wearing a helmet increases risk. I was pointing out their reasoning which many people here seem to be missing.
        Sebb767 4y ago
        Fair enough, I did indeed miss that! But I stand by my original comment, even if they do think forbidding helmets avoids a few accidents, they should have smelled the shitstorm from a mile away (and people running a bike company should really be more empathetic towards bikers).