But whilst the research jury is out and the topic is a non-topic in the cycling community, sadly it keeps distracting and prying on the public mind! Peter: “No country with high bicycle use has a high percentage of helmet wearing.” The campaign will continue to lobby councils to adopt a pro-choice attitude.
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The terrific helmet debate: one of those where every opinion is right and no one is absolutely right. You gotta love it!
Stu
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Dr Stuart Clement
Director, World Cycling Research Forum
Co-Convenor, WOCREF 2012
+61 (0)405 702 483
www.wocref.org
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On 2012-05-11 06:41, Kevin Hickman wrote:says that almost half of the people responding thought that cyclingon the road was too dangerous. Now where would they get that idea,except from helmet promotion?To be fair Richard, there's a lot more out there to be afraid of -it's not all down to the reinforcing effect of promoting cycling as aninherently dangerous activity.I view helmets, and hi-viz, as just an indicator of how safe peoplefeel. If we get the everyday environment people are cycling in rightthen the personal protective equipment will vanish.The truth will out eventually, and either we'll all be puttinghelmets on as our heads leave the pillow in the morning, or they'lljust fade away, or people will continue to use them where they feelexposed to risk.I agree that helmets aren't helping the normalising of cycling, butit can probably be sidestepped by getting the environment right, andthankfully that's where the focus is shifting to now. And let's notforget, helmets are such a phaff that if we do get the masses cyclingthey're not going to bother taking helmets with them everywhere. Andconversely, if people still feel helmets are necessary, the masseswon't cycle.Apart from the issue of compulsion, which where it occurs appears tomean 'game over' for mass cycling until it's repealed, helmets arejust a distraction.Kevin.On 10 May 2012, at 20:06, burton richard wrote:And things like thishttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2142157/Bicycle-sales-hit-record-high-20-ride-one.html?ito=feeds-newsxml[30]which says that almost half of the people responding thought thatcycling on the road was too dangerous. Now where would they getthatidea, except from helmet promotion? The story itself implicitypromotes helmets, and almost all media reports of collisionsinvolving cyclists report either that a helmet saved the cyclist'slife, or its absence killed them. There is some very good researchabout the persistence of myths which I would recommend reading, andthis phenomenon goes a long way to explaining why the myth ofhelmeteffectiveness is so strong. Ever since the reports of 85%effectiveness were published, it has been almost impossible tochange the public perception that cycle helmets are effective,despite the evidence. On The One Show last year, the infamous JamesCracknell one, the chair of BHIT, Angie Lee, was interviewed andsaid "just ignore the evidence......." and needless to say, theinterviewer didn't see fit to ask her why someone dedicated topromoting helmets wants people to ignore the evidence - in linewiththe unstated and denied but blatant BBC policy to promote cyclehelmets.On 10 May 2012 18:49, Dave du Feu <[log in to unmask] [31]> wrote:There is a great deal of material [with sources] here...http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1020.html [19]Whether any of them can be said to constitute 'proof' I don'tknow, but the material is certainly very extensive.On 10 May 2012 17:34, Jason Meggs <[log in to unmask] [20]>wrote:Burton,Please forgive my ignorance, but I'm not aware of proof thatpromotinghelmets reduces cycling, can you cite the source(s)?Very interested,JasonOn Thu, May 10, 2012 at 6:29 PM, burton richard<[log in to unmask] [1]> wrote:> Since the only two proven effects of helmet promotion andlaws are a fall in> the number of cyclists and obscene profits for the helmetmanufacturers, I> have some difficulty understanding why a cyclingorganisation would even> consider promoting them. At the very least, it makes thatorganisation look> as if they are more interested in the manufacturer's profitsthan the safety> of cyclists. It was said some time ago, but is still true"You can promote> helmets or you can promote cycling, but you can't do both.">> The promotion of cycle helmets is entirelycounterproductive, and no> organisation which has the interests of cyclists in mindwould do so.>> Is there someone from the Cycling Embassy of Denmark on thisgroup who could> explain why they are doing something which won't improve thesafety of> cyclists but will reduce the number of them?>>> On 10 May 2012 15:53, Jennings Gail<[log in to unmask] [2]> wrote:>>>> Glad you included us all. I agree with you. In SA helmetsare mandatory,>> and there's pressure on cyclists to police each other if wedon't wear>> helmets! I've even been yelled at by drivers for notwearing a helmet, as>> if I'm breaking some law that puts them at risks! Wheneverthe question of>> bike-share / bike-rental comes up, there's the helmet issuethat just won't>> go away...>>>>>> On 10 May 2012, at 4:45 PM, Dave du Feu wrote:>>>> Sorry all, I intended this to go to Jacob, but I guess noharm in it>> appearing in the forum in case there are other views!>>>> On 10 May 2012 15:42, Dave du Feu <[log in to unmask] [3]>wrote:>>>>>> Thanks Jakob - I've already received another email aboutthis, and had a>>> quick look. Seems a really exciting publication.>>>>>> One thing, I really cannot understand why you are pushinghelmets. We>>> are doing our best over here to try and reduce thepressure for helmets, as>>> they put people off from cycling (which also has the sideeffect of reducing>>> the 'safety in numbers' effect which you also endorse!)>>>>>> I'm concerned about publicising your book in some circles,as coming from>>> the one of the places which Britain looks up to as anexample, it will be>>> taken as a powerful endorsement of helmets.>>>>>> We are worried that they are gaining such credibility thatthere is a>>> fear of compulsion coming in. There are already somecharity bike rides,>>> aimed at ordinary cyclists, not racers, where under-18sare banned from>>> taking part if they are unhelmeted.>>>>>> Dave du Feu>>> Spokes, the Lothian Cycle Campaign>>> [Edinburgh, Scotland]>>>>>>>>>>>> On 10 May 2012 15:32, Jakob Schiøtt Stenbæk Madsen<[log in to unmask] [4]> wrote:>>>>>>>> Dear All,>>>>>>>> The Cycling Embassy of Denmark has just finished up a newpublication>>>> "Collection of Cycle Concepts 2012". The first edition ofCollection of>>>> Cycle Concepts was published in 2000 and enjoyed a widecirculation among>>>> everyone interested in bicycle traffic. The simultaneouspublication of the>>>> English version spread the Danish bicycle trafficexperience to many parts>>>> of the world. The second edition, Collection of CycleConcepts 2012, updates>>>> the field, featuring new challenges and the latestknowledge.>>>>>>>> Collection of Cycle Concepts 2012 is not intended to be asummary of>>>> Danish road standards, but to provide inspiration andmotivation for>>>> creating more and safer bicycle traffic - in Denmark aswell as the rest of>>>> the world.>>>>>>>> You can have a look and download the publication here:>>>>http://www.cycling-embassy.dk/2012/05/10/cycle-concepts2012/[5]>>>>>>>> Best regards,>>>> Jakob Schiøtt Stenbæk Madsen>>>> Project Officer>>>>>>>> M. +45 40 70 83 62 [6]>>>>>>>> Danish Cyclists' Federation>>>> Rømersgade 5>>>> DK-1362 København K>>>>>>>> T. +45 33 32 31 21 [7]>>>> [log in to unmask] [8]>>>> www.cyklistforbundet.dk [9]>>>>>>>>>> -->> ** Spokes: spokes.org.uk [10]; twitter.com/SpokesLothian[11]>> ** Personal: twitter.com/DaveduFeu [12];flickr.com/photos/34847720@N03/sets [13]>> ** Great sites: badscience.net [14], 38degrees.org.uk [15],copenhagenize.com [16],>> thebikestation.org.uk [17], ghgonline.org [18]>>>>>--** Spokes: spokes.org.uk [21]; twitter.com/SpokesLothian [22]** Personal: twitter.com/DaveduFeu [23];flickr.com/photos/34847720@N03/sets [24]** Great sites: badscience.net [25], 38degrees.org.uk [26],copenhagenize.com [27], thebikestation.org.uk [28], ghgonline.org[29]Links:------[1] mailto:[log in to unmask][2] mailto:[log in to unmask][3] mailto:[log in to unmask][4] mailto:[log in to unmask][5] http://www.cycling-embassy.dk/2012/05/10/cycle-concepts2012/[6] http://www.wocref.org/tel:%2B45%2040%2070%2083%2062[7] http://www.wocref.org/tel:%2B45%2033%2032%2031%2021[8] mailto:[log in to unmask][9] http://www.cyklistforbundet.dk/[10] http://spokes.org.uk/[11] http://twitter.com/SpokesLothian[12] http://twitter.com/DaveduFeu[13] http://flickr.com/photos/34847720@N03/sets[14] http://badscience.net/[15] http://38degrees.org.uk/[16] http://copenhagenize.com/[17] http://thebikestation.org.uk/[18] http://ghgonline.org/[19] http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1020.html[20] mailto:[log in to unmask][21] http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress[22] http://twitter.com/SpokesLothian[23] http://twitter.com/DaveduFeu[24] http://www.flickr.com/photos/34847720@N03/sets[25] http://badscience.net/[26] http://38degrees.org.uk/[27] http://copenhagenize.com/[28] http://thebikestation.org.uk/[29] http://ghgonline.org/[30]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2142157/Bicycle-sales-hit-record-high-20-ride-one.html?ito=feeds-newsxml[31] mailto:[log in to unmask]