Bicycle helmets Are they mandatory in Europe?

Let is be knownst that on Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:52:24 +0100, Martin
writted:

I worked with somebody from Leicester, yes him again, who injured himself, in
the Ardennes, by falling up stairs whilst ****ed. He also cycled into a tree
whilst using a Dutch cycle path without a helmet and damaged his brain, whilst
****ed.

I spoke to an old friend from Oz a couple of days ago who had an
impressive history of destroying cars.

The most recent chapter was when he crashed his Celica, and then
bought a 4WD with a trailer to tow the wreck home. On the way back he
rolled all three, breaking a heap of ribs and copping a toolbox to the
chin for good measure.

Doctors said it was a good thing he was drunk, otherwise his injuries
may have been worse.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

Let is be knownst that on Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:12:25 +0000,
(David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)) writted:

wrote:

On 22 feb, 11:57, Padraig Breathnach wrote:

Perhaps the greatest contribution we can make to cyclist safety is to
ban white vans from the roads.

Amen to that.

White vans don't kill people. White van drivers do!

....whilst talking on mobile phones with a cigarette in the other hand.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

On 22 feb, 00:49, Deeply Filled Mortician
wrote:

(damn, didn't finish that!)

I am not aware of anywhere in Europe that requires compulsory helmets.
--

They are in Spain while on public roads outside of urban areas. It's
very rarely enforced anyway. Theoretically you can even be stopped to
have your alcohol level checked.

Last year a person had his driving license removed for 6 months after
he was caught cycling with a rather high alcohol level. He challenged
the decission in court (he was not driving, after all) and kept his
license, but still had to pay the fine amounting some 600 euros.


J.

On 22 feb, 12:37, Deeply Filled Mortician
wrote:

The thing is not getting into a cranial-pavement interface situation
in the first place. Helmets don't help; if anything they make it
more likely:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle...risk_of_injury

Note the part that says:

"No research has yet been published which adequately addresses the
reasons for the disparity."
--

I'm pretty sure a helmet saved me once I fell from my bike going
downhill. It cracked open in two very neat halves.... I just don't
want to think on what could have happened if my head had hit that
first one instead of "just" the following ones.

J.

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 22:02:28 GMT, wrote:

Do different countries have different requirements?

in UK and Spain some wear them, some dont. In Spain I think you can
ride a motorbike in town without a helmet. You may find a hat is
allowed as additional hand baggage with some carriers?

Have you considered a helmet shaped haircut? :-)
--
Mike Reid
updated Tenerife pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/tenerifepics.htm"
Gran Canaria pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/grancanaria.htm"

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:20:49 +0000, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

The last time I fell of a bike, I
wasn't wearing a helmet. It's one of those things that I don't always
do, but on reflection I probably should- given that wearing a helmet
doesn't impede my enjoyment of cycling much.

we could research this david, I could serially knock you off your bike
in my BMW and we could test different helmets. What do you reckon?
Perhaps not!
Surely helmets must help musnt they? The downside is looking a bit of
a prat in shops.
--
Mike Reid
updated Tenerife pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/tenerifepics.htm"
Gran Canaria pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/grancanaria.htm"

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:49:06 +0000, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

Indeed, there are still a few
libertarian loonies who still get upset about it, in some US states for
example.

hence, expensive (and possibly dangerous) airbags in our cars?
--
Mike Reid
updated Tenerife pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/tenerifepics.htm"
Gran Canaria pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/grancanaria.htm"

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:57:10 +0000, Padraig Breathnach
wrote:

Perhaps the greatest contribution we can make to cyclist safety is to
ban white vans from the roads.

and red cars.
--
Mike Reid
updated Tenerife pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/tenerifepics.htm"
Gran Canaria pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/grancanaria.htm"

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:12:25 +0000, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

White vans don't kill people. White van drivers do!

racist ******* :-)
--
Mike Reid
updated Tenerife pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/tenerifepics.htm"
Gran Canaria pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/grancanaria.htm"

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:20:40 GMT, Mary Pegg
wrote:

The thing is not getting into a cranial-pavement interface situation
in the first place.

how the hell do you control that? The idea of seatbelts, helmets etc
are for the occasions when primary safety has already failed.

Even if the research is correct, the thing to remember is that you as
an individual do not have to practice risk compensation, if you dont
you should be safer. The idea that drivers drive closer to bikers
wearing helmets I find incredible.
--
Mike Reid
updated Tenerife pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/tenerifepics.htm"
Gran Canaria pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/grancanaria.htm"