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Riding on roads isn't like mountain biking where you mostly control the amount of risk you take on. Riding on roads puts you at the mercy of other people's choi
by wl 4y ago
Riding on roads isn't like mountain biking where you mostly control the amount of risk you take on. Riding on roads puts you at the mercy of other people's choices. I feel the need to wear a helmet anytime I'm riding on a road for that reason.
- glenngillen 4y agoI don’t know any mountain biker that doesn’t wear a helmet. Most I ride with wear full face. I don’t think there’s any riding situation where you can think you’re in complete control of the risk.
- wl 4y agoI wear a full-face helmet on a mountain bike, too. My point is that when mountain biking, you encounter varied terrain and obstacles and you decide how to approach that based on your skill and experience. Some approaches are riskier than others. And sometimes you decide the best thing to do is just nope out and ride or walk around whatever it is.
- scotty79 4y agoThe point is the risk on the road is smaller when you don't wear a helmet because drivers take less risk with you. Even better if you are a woman in summer dress. Then the drivers give you way more space and are super careful around you. It was researched.
- judofyr 4y ago> It was researched. Citation needed please.
- wl 4y agoI think you're referring to Ian Walker's study. Yes, motorists on average passed helmeted cyclists closer than non-helmeted ones. The difference in average passing distance wasn't huge (1.3 m vs. 1.2 m) and was still a safe distance.
- Brian_K_White 4y agoThe amount of difference isn't as interesting as the fact of it. It indicates attention, which is worth a lot more than the inches.
- rcxdude 4y agoDoes it? That's a supposition, not a scientific fact. Presumably they all paid some attention by passing at a safe distance. I don't see why someone paying more attention would pass further away.
- Brian_K_White 4y agoThey moved over by coincidence? OK.
- nerdponx 4y agoI have not read the study, but I would hope that they had the cyclists wearing the same clothes and riding on the same stretch of road in all tests. Otherwise you will end up with the situation where helmeted riders are more likely to be riding fast on roads that aren't as safe for cycling, Which would naturally lead to differences in driver behavior around them.
- bombcar 4y agoAn attractive woman in a bikini on a bike probably elicits the slowest and carefullest passing by many of the drivers.
- Fiahil 4y ago> It was researched. It doesn’t mean the research wasn’t bullshit nor correctly understood what happened there.
- mrpopo 4y agoHelmets protect against falls. They don't protect against cars.
- isbvhodnvemrwvn 4y agoWhen you get side-swept by a car you're going to fall. Getting rammed from the side or behind is not the only collision scenario, and getting side-swept seems like an extremely more likely scenario in London out of all places, where traffic in general is slow.
- scatters 4y agoGetting side swept will not happen if you don't undertake motor vehicles and don't allow motor vehicles to overtake you.
- darkerside 4y agoThis is sarcasm, right?
- scatters 4y agoNot sarcasm. If a car isn't beside you they can't side swipe you. You are aware that London basically doesn't have multi lane roads, right?
- darkerside 4y agoWhy would I be aware of that? A quick Google Maps search shows some multi lane roads.
- scatters 4y agoBecause this is a discussion about a London company. If you don't understand the context, you should at least be prepared to learn.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]