So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. 04:04 - Nov 8 with 7492 views | Benters | I was doing my usual circuits round Benters and the surrounding villages,I mostly keep to the same route in the winter months due to bad road conditions and pot holes etc. I was slowing down to turn left as I turned into the lane some kind of fluid probably Diesel from a lorry or farm machine had been spilled on the road,my front wheel went from under me and crash bang whallop over I went. Thankfully nothing is broken,just skinned my arm and leg also banged my head, that scared me as when I’ve fallen off before I’ve never hit my head. Still as Mark Cavendish would have done,I jumped up straightened my brake lever and carried on for a further 15 miles. I just wanted to say to people if you think you don’t need to wear a cycling helmet when you are cycling,my advise is you do. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 06:41 - Nov 8 with 4432 views | iamatractorboy | Glad you're OK. Sorry if this is stating the obvious but even if your cycle helmet looks ok it is important to get a new one if you have hit it hard in a crash! |  | |  |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 06:54 - Nov 8 with 4401 views | GlasgowBlue | Glad you are ok mate. Good advice re a helmet. I don’t see many people cycling without one these days but if I do it’s usually a youngster. Take care on those roads Benters. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:22 - Nov 8 with 4316 views | Benters |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 06:41 - Nov 8 by iamatractorboy | Glad you're OK. Sorry if this is stating the obvious but even if your cycle helmet looks ok it is important to get a new one if you have hit it hard in a crash! |
That’s a very good point and thanks for that. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:23 - Nov 8 with 4310 views | witchdoctor |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:22 - Nov 8 by Benters | That’s a very good point and thanks for that. |
good to hear you’re ok mate ..👍 |  | |  |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:23 - Nov 8 with 4310 views | Benters |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 06:54 - Nov 8 by GlasgowBlue | Glad you are ok mate. Good advice re a helmet. I don’t see many people cycling without one these days but if I do it’s usually a youngster. Take care on those roads Benters. |
Cheers Glassers. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:29 - Nov 8 with 4281 views | Benters |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:23 - Nov 8 by witchdoctor | good to hear you’re ok mate ..👍 |
Thanks bud 👍 |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:39 - Nov 8 with 4248 views | Zapers |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:29 - Nov 8 by Benters | Thanks bud 👍 |
Glad to hear you are ok Benters. Remember my friend, we are not as old as we used to be🤣 |  | |  |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:41 - Nov 8 with 4245 views | NthQldITFC | Glad you're OK and second the helmet thing as a fairly recent convert. Watch out for drifts of sand on the back lanes too after heavy rain when the road seems dry and clear for fast riding. I hit a patch of sand in a dip a cuppla months back and was fishtailing all over the road with a bit of front wheel slide too. Absolutely no idea how I stayed on but at least there was no traffic around. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:51 - Nov 8 with 4217 views | DanTheMan | Glad you're OK Benters. Helmets are literally life savers. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 07:56 - Nov 8 with 4207 views | BlueBoots |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 06:54 - Nov 8 by GlasgowBlue | Glad you are ok mate. Good advice re a helmet. I don’t see many people cycling without one these days but if I do it’s usually a youngster. Take care on those roads Benters. |
Bad luck to Benters (hard enough coping with what's moving around on the roads, without having to encounter something on it that shouldn't be there) Up arrows all around for advice around wearing a helmet; I've had a few crashes over the years, but thankfully only 2 bad ones where I've gone over the handlebars and hit my head on the ground (with the bike landing on top of me for good measure too) Without question wearing a bike helmet saved me from serious injury (or worse) Where I will take issue with the OP, is if you do have a crash, particularly where you bang your head, don't just get back on the bike straight away - take a few minutes. Adrenalin kicks in and can cloud your judgement. I did it after the first of my crashes - wanted to get home with the bike and then back out to A&E for my injuries; really shouldn't have been riding a bike with a concussion and dislocated shoulder (as I discovered at A&E, along with a few less significant injuries) RE: not seeing many people who don't wear helmets, unfortunately living in London it's everywhere (including people breaking the speed limits on homemade e-bikes) I've abbreviated my favourite ones to BHNH's though (Big Headphones, No Helmet) See a lot of them oblivious to what's going on around them with their noise-cancelling headphones riding their cobbled together fixies that probably have sh*tty brakes too... Anyway, stay safe out there - wear a helmet. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 08:09 - Nov 8 with 4146 views | BanksterDebtSlave | Did you have a helmet on Benters? |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 08:20 - Nov 8 with 4106 views | The_Flashing_Smile | Did you take off your stabilisers too soon? Only joking! I'll get pelters and downarrows galore for this, but studies on whether wearing cycle helmets improve safety or not are inconclusive. It seems counterintuitive - and in your specific situation then yes the helmet did obviously help. However I've read studies in the past that led me to never wear a helmet. From things like drivers driving too close (because they subconsciously think you're safer) to cyclists themselves being slightly braver/more reckless in a helmet. Good article here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/mar/21/bike-helmet-cyclists-safe-u Study here that overall, bizarrely, you're actually not safer in helmet; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1410838/ Those saying, "Yes, you should definitely wear a helmet/they're a lifesaver" are not backed up by the evidence. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 09:11 - Nov 8 with 3978 views | bsw72 | I had a nasty crash about 5 years ago after hitting some diesel while turning right doing about 35kmh on a clear open road. Smashed my helmet and docs said I probably would have been permanently brain injured if I hadn’t been wearing it, or worse. Massively impacted my confidence riding after that, considering the previous summer I was quite happy descending Ventoux at 80kmh, I now rarely go any significant speed. Glad you’re ok. |  | |  |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 09:56 - Nov 8 with 3831 views | SitfcB | Looked like it hurt from the picture, made me cringe. Glad you’re ok buh!! |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:03 - Nov 8 with 3793 views | DanTheMan |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 08:20 - Nov 8 by The_Flashing_Smile | Did you take off your stabilisers too soon? Only joking! I'll get pelters and downarrows galore for this, but studies on whether wearing cycle helmets improve safety or not are inconclusive. It seems counterintuitive - and in your specific situation then yes the helmet did obviously help. However I've read studies in the past that led me to never wear a helmet. From things like drivers driving too close (because they subconsciously think you're safer) to cyclists themselves being slightly braver/more reckless in a helmet. Good article here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/mar/21/bike-helmet-cyclists-safe-u Study here that overall, bizarrely, you're actually not safer in helmet; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1410838/ Those saying, "Yes, you should definitely wear a helmet/they're a lifesaver" are not backed up by the evidence. |
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1410864/ Appears not everyone agrees with that study. I found this bit interesting The corresponding r2 of 0.64 for children and 0.81 for adults suggests that much of the variation in the percentage of head injuries is explained by helmet use. Thus, as the proportion of helmeted cyclists increases, the proportion of bicycle related head injuries decreases. This sounds very much like survivorship bias in the original paper, but I'd need to read it fully to comment further which I don't have time for right now. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:17 - Nov 8 with 3717 views | Help | To add to this discussion on the benefits of wearing a helmet and not just cyclists. When I was much younger and before the days of H&S I was riding with my cousin outside on the road back when there were few cars as well. Anyway doing what kids do, wheelies, skids etc I fell off and fractured my skull. Needed stitches in the head and have a lovely scar as a talking point that even after all these years is still very visible. Not so many years ago cycling home from work on my commute from the office I was clipped by a car trying to overtake me. Being much older and wiser I was wearing a helmet. My memory is the loss of control and finally hiting the road. My next is waking up in a hairdresser shop. I had been knocked unconscious even with the helmet on. So protection is there for a reason, use it. And throw the old helmet away and get a new one. The helmet clearly saved my life if being knocked unconscious was the worst that happened that night. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:19 - Nov 8 with 3706 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:03 - Nov 8 by DanTheMan | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1410864/ Appears not everyone agrees with that study. I found this bit interesting The corresponding r2 of 0.64 for children and 0.81 for adults suggests that much of the variation in the percentage of head injuries is explained by helmet use. Thus, as the proportion of helmeted cyclists increases, the proportion of bicycle related head injuries decreases. This sounds very much like survivorship bias in the original paper, but I'd need to read it fully to comment further which I don't have time for right now. |
There were other studies, this was just what first came to mind. I've been slated for my view (and citing this study as evidence) even by own family... but I'm willing to change if newer, or in some way better, studies contradict it. I haven't cycled for a couple of years (since my bike got nicked) but have cycled most of my life before that (and about 15 years of that in central London rush hour) without much issue. Certainly no head injuries - as my brilliant and erudite posting shows !!?!?! Edit as I forgot to add I've never worn a helmet. [Post edited 8 Nov 2024 10:26]
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:25 - Nov 8 with 3671 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:17 - Nov 8 by Help | To add to this discussion on the benefits of wearing a helmet and not just cyclists. When I was much younger and before the days of H&S I was riding with my cousin outside on the road back when there were few cars as well. Anyway doing what kids do, wheelies, skids etc I fell off and fractured my skull. Needed stitches in the head and have a lovely scar as a talking point that even after all these years is still very visible. Not so many years ago cycling home from work on my commute from the office I was clipped by a car trying to overtake me. Being much older and wiser I was wearing a helmet. My memory is the loss of control and finally hiting the road. My next is waking up in a hairdresser shop. I had been knocked unconscious even with the helmet on. So protection is there for a reason, use it. And throw the old helmet away and get a new one. The helmet clearly saved my life if being knocked unconscious was the worst that happened that night. |
Like most on here you're talking about one (or two) anecdotal incidents, but I respect that's for you the best thing to go on. Perhaps, as studies have shown, the car wouldn't have attempted to overtake you had you not been wearing a helmet (because it would seem a lot more risky to them) and you'd have no injuries. The evidence is inconclusive that wearing a helmet = wiser. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:25 - Nov 8 with 3665 views | DanTheMan |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:19 - Nov 8 by The_Flashing_Smile | There were other studies, this was just what first came to mind. I've been slated for my view (and citing this study as evidence) even by own family... but I'm willing to change if newer, or in some way better, studies contradict it. I haven't cycled for a couple of years (since my bike got nicked) but have cycled most of my life before that (and about 15 years of that in central London rush hour) without much issue. Certainly no head injuries - as my brilliant and erudite posting shows !!?!?! Edit as I forgot to add I've never worn a helmet. [Post edited 8 Nov 2024 10:26]
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I remember the previous threads well! |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:35 - Nov 8 with 3630 views | Mookamoo |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 08:20 - Nov 8 by The_Flashing_Smile | Did you take off your stabilisers too soon? Only joking! I'll get pelters and downarrows galore for this, but studies on whether wearing cycle helmets improve safety or not are inconclusive. It seems counterintuitive - and in your specific situation then yes the helmet did obviously help. However I've read studies in the past that led me to never wear a helmet. From things like drivers driving too close (because they subconsciously think you're safer) to cyclists themselves being slightly braver/more reckless in a helmet. Good article here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/mar/21/bike-helmet-cyclists-safe-u Study here that overall, bizarrely, you're actually not safer in helmet; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1410838/ Those saying, "Yes, you should definitely wear a helmet/they're a lifesaver" are not backed up by the evidence. |
As a bit of side hustle, I'm a cycling instructor and I always wear one. I do know of a few instructors that don't, for the reasons in those articles and anecdotally, they find vehicles leave more space when they're not wearing a helmet. Personally I find having a pannier on the road side really helps so I cycle with one even if its empty. If people do wear a helmet, make sure it fits and isn't going to fly off when you need it. The straps are adjustable on purpose. And don't be clever and fit one of those cameras to the helmet to try and record dangerous driving. I know someone who was hospitalised when the fitting went through the helmet after a smack - and that is reportedly how Schumacher suffered head injuries. |  | |  |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:41 - Nov 8 with 3593 views | Vegtablue |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 08:20 - Nov 8 by The_Flashing_Smile | Did you take off your stabilisers too soon? Only joking! I'll get pelters and downarrows galore for this, but studies on whether wearing cycle helmets improve safety or not are inconclusive. It seems counterintuitive - and in your specific situation then yes the helmet did obviously help. However I've read studies in the past that led me to never wear a helmet. From things like drivers driving too close (because they subconsciously think you're safer) to cyclists themselves being slightly braver/more reckless in a helmet. Good article here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/mar/21/bike-helmet-cyclists-safe-u Study here that overall, bizarrely, you're actually not safer in helmet; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1410838/ Those saying, "Yes, you should definitely wear a helmet/they're a lifesaver" are not backed up by the evidence. |
The evidence is conclusive that a decent helmet does a much better job of protecting your head than no helmet, so I guess the decision is sometimes instructed by what cycling you're doing i.e. how likely you are to meet hedge or tarmac. The fitness enthusiasts of Suffolk pretty much all wear helmets; large data samples aren't going to protect us as individuals and the roads are often treacherous. Good to hear Benters is well. As a driver I've honestly never factored in helmet use when making a pass, but as a cyclist I wouldn't do the routes and speeds I do without a helmet as the risk would be irresponsibly greater. They are a lifesaver for cyclists like Benters and me. |  | |  |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:47 - Nov 8 with 3558 views | artsbossbeard |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:41 - Nov 8 by Vegtablue | The evidence is conclusive that a decent helmet does a much better job of protecting your head than no helmet, so I guess the decision is sometimes instructed by what cycling you're doing i.e. how likely you are to meet hedge or tarmac. The fitness enthusiasts of Suffolk pretty much all wear helmets; large data samples aren't going to protect us as individuals and the roads are often treacherous. Good to hear Benters is well. As a driver I've honestly never factored in helmet use when making a pass, but as a cyclist I wouldn't do the routes and speeds I do without a helmet as the risk would be irresponsibly greater. They are a lifesaver for cyclists like Benters and me. |
If Contrary Colin doesn't want to wear a helmet, it's his call. For the sake of putting a £20 piece of kit on your head, clicking 2 straps together and then moving off, I'll always go with this option. |  |
| Please note: prior to hitting the post button, I've double checked for anything that could be construed as "Anti Semitic" and to the best of my knowledge it isn't. Anything deemed to be of a Xenophobic nature is therefore purely accidental or down to your own misconstruing. | Poll: | Raining in IP8 - shall I get the washing in? |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 11:11 - Nov 8 with 3466 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:41 - Nov 8 by Vegtablue | The evidence is conclusive that a decent helmet does a much better job of protecting your head than no helmet, so I guess the decision is sometimes instructed by what cycling you're doing i.e. how likely you are to meet hedge or tarmac. The fitness enthusiasts of Suffolk pretty much all wear helmets; large data samples aren't going to protect us as individuals and the roads are often treacherous. Good to hear Benters is well. As a driver I've honestly never factored in helmet use when making a pass, but as a cyclist I wouldn't do the routes and speeds I do without a helmet as the risk would be irresponsibly greater. They are a lifesaver for cyclists like Benters and me. |
"The evidence is conclusive that a decent helmet does a much better job of protecting your head than no helmet..." If you're hitting the ground with your head, undoubtably. But you are statistically more likely to hit the ground with your head if wearing a helmet. "As a driver I've honestly never factored in helmet use when making a pass..." Consciously, no, me neither. But studies have shown that motorists do drive closer to cyclists wearing helmets, so maybe they're subconsciously feeling the cyclist is a) A better cyclist (they seem more 'professional' for want of a better word), and b) It feels like it's safer because the cyclist is better protected. |  |
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So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 11:11 - Nov 8 with 3468 views | Mookamoo |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:41 - Nov 8 by Vegtablue | The evidence is conclusive that a decent helmet does a much better job of protecting your head than no helmet, so I guess the decision is sometimes instructed by what cycling you're doing i.e. how likely you are to meet hedge or tarmac. The fitness enthusiasts of Suffolk pretty much all wear helmets; large data samples aren't going to protect us as individuals and the roads are often treacherous. Good to hear Benters is well. As a driver I've honestly never factored in helmet use when making a pass, but as a cyclist I wouldn't do the routes and speeds I do without a helmet as the risk would be irresponsibly greater. They are a lifesaver for cyclists like Benters and me. |
Their argument is it is best to avoid the accident and educate the other road users to allow space than to be forced to protect yourself. They can get quite militant about it. Not quite sure I fully understand the argument to be honest. |  | |  |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 11:16 - Nov 8 with 3430 views | Help |
So I had a crash on my bike Tuesday Morning. on 10:25 - Nov 8 by The_Flashing_Smile | Like most on here you're talking about one (or two) anecdotal incidents, but I respect that's for you the best thing to go on. Perhaps, as studies have shown, the car wouldn't have attempted to overtake you had you not been wearing a helmet (because it would seem a lot more risky to them) and you'd have no injuries. The evidence is inconclusive that wearing a helmet = wiser. |
I will work on common sense and my own personal beliefs than reports thank you. So if I had not worn the helmet would I be here now writing this, according to the hospital probably not. Nit that I would have been dead, but that my life would have been somewhat different. On the road I was hit would the driver have given more room if I was not wearing a helmet. Ask him but from the CCTV footage of the incident I doubt it. Each to there own, but from my experiences I will keep the helmet on. And the high Viz coat and lights that were all in place at the time if the incident and always are. |  |
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