Bicycle helmets Are they mandatory in Europe?

colin Mcgarry wrote:
Mary Pegg a écrit :
Martin wrote:

On Wed, 21 Feb 2007 22:58:53 GMT, Mary Pegg wrote:

Padraig Breathnach wrote:

Forget the legal requirements, and think about your personal
well-being. Wear one. If you are hiring a bike, you can probably hire
a helmet. If you don't care to, or none is available for hire, buy
one. When you are finished, find a bare-headed kid on a bike and give
it to him or her.
Phooey. There's plenty of evidence that says they don't help
(overall).
I've seen evidence of at least one helmet, that saved somebody from
cracking his skull on the edge of a curb stone.

Sample of one. I said "overall".
This is one of these things that has been thrashed to death on various
newsgroups - so shall we leave it at that?

My daughter went over the handle bars and landed on her head. Luckilly
she had a helmet on.
The same thing happened to the daughter of some friends. She also had a
helmet on.

cpmac
http://normandy-tour-guide.cpmac.com
I can't remember who said it, but "Statistics mean nothing when you step
on the wrong plane". I'd wear one, particularly as in this case the OP
will be riding on terrain he doesn't know.


M
http://www.cannes-or-bust.com/

On 22 feb, 14:02, The Reid wrote:
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.

Not anymore. Although you couldn't tell that by looking at most
scooter-riding teenagers

J.

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:54:11 GMT, Mary Pegg
wrote:

Surely helmets must help musnt they?

No. Have you looked at any of the webpages people have been
linking to?

a couple, but I generally dislike logging on to go to web pages, put
the argument here, but give cities by all means. The one I looked at
was talking of risk compensation not helmets increasing injury on
impact.
--
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 17:50:30 +0000, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

Those are atrocious examples in my opinion. I've taken a helmet into the
supermarket, and the doctor's office.

the more major problem seems to be the bikes gone when you come out.
--
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 23:06:17 +0000, Padraig Breathnach
wrote:

My conclusion: people will gladly avail of safety measures that
restrict other people, such as motorists, but not those that restrict
themselves.

spot on.
--
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 22:26:09 +0000, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

Wearing helmets is safer than not wearing helmets. It's as simple as
that.

Its not. Why force people to do something where others are not
involved?
--
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 20:02:33 +0000, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

I had a car for a year, and at the time cycled with a helmet. I really
don't get the problem here.

you're highly untypical. Most people like cars, getting them to cycle
is a very different thing from getting car haters to cycle.

Imagine someone
is in his garage looking at his bike and his car and thinking, "but I
hate dragging the helmet into the supermarket and keeping an eye on my
cart every minute to make sure someone doesn't nick it."

I didn't realise that there was a crime wave of thefts of helmets from
supermarket trolleys. Maybe he should leave his car at home in case
someone lets the air out of his tyres.

lets be realistic for a minute, when I'm out doing things a football
sized object is often a nuisance, I don't see what anybody cannot see
that.
Walking round an art gallery, don't want it.
In the bar, don't want things to keep an eye on
Photography, I'm already carrying too much.

There's a minor celeb pro cycle cyclist who just keeps it on, he wants
to make the look socially acceptable, I reckon he will pull even less
than me.
--
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 19:36:52 GMT, Mary Pegg
wrote:

you should be safer. The idea that drivers drive closer to bikers
wearing helmets I find incredible.

That's what the stats show.

there are either lots of very weird people about or the stats are
wrong. I'm betting the latter, who even notices a cyclist has a helmet
when driving past them?
--
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 19:34:15 +0100, B wrote:

also how much is it for the state to save you from yourself?

That argument doesn't hold much water. The state ends up paying a lot
if you become paralyzed

So should I be banned from mountaineering in case I incur a cost to
the nation? I strongly disagree with regarding myself primarily as a
work unit who must keep myself in working order to serve the state.
Doctors also seem happy to repair sports injuries that could have been
avoided by watching TV instead.
The state should intervene where our actions harm others and raise
taxes from us for when we injure ourselves, that's all.
--
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 19:01:23 +0000, (David Horne,
_the_ chancellor (*)) wrote:

If that were the case, I'd tend to agree - but the point is that no-one
knows exactly which side caution is on !!

I just don't believe that compulsory helmets increase the harm- no way,
sorry.

first they came for the smokers and I applauded
then they came for the huntsmen and I jeered
then they came for the drivers and I cheered
then the anglers and I shrugged
then they came for the non helmet wearers
then the drinkers, the no identity card freaks and the anti finger
print and DNA registry people.
then they came for me.....
--
Mike Reid
updated Tenerife pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/tenerifepics.htm"
Gran Canaria pics "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/grancanaria.htm"