Of course not 1) if I bump into them, it's not going to cost me my no claims or bend my metal 2) the Highway Code does not apply on the pavement to pedestrians Why would I? On the other hand. The prick I encountered broke the law and was nicked for it. Why? Because he was driving like a wanker. That entitles me to call him a wanker.
Working in A&E I see alot more injuries from people falling off bikes than motorbikes and cars put together. Combination and wearing no protection, coming off very easily, and riding like twats when drunk etc.
A3 bradders. Oddly enough it's not cars hitting bikes or bikes hitting cars I see much of, but cyclists hitting pedestrians and other cyclists. The fast ones just will not stop at pedestrian crossings. There's a crossing on Millbank where I've seen at least a dozen cyclists hit pedestrians, the reason being they're riding like wankers.
Ar yeah of course. That strip just before and after the sharp right before EC is madnes..3 lanes for cars and a wide cycle area yet only 1 1/2 lanes for cars left space for...
I can imagine this. There is a big fashion in London for the "fixie" - the stripped down bike where the back wheel is linked to the pedals so that you have to keep pedalling. Astonishingly, many of these bikes don't have brakes, so the only way to stop is to lock the back wheel by not pedalling. There is often no front brake. This is illegal, but nothing is done about it. You then add in impossibly narrow handlebars to filtering to complete the look. You end up with a bike which weighs nothing, is simple to maintain and looks very cool. However, there's not much leverage to the steering, you're encouraged never to stop, and you can't do a great emergency stop anyway, especially in the rain. Not so good for a damp urban environment. The Fixie is also not that good away from the lights (no gears), so it might get in your way when they go green. But because of all the above, it's more likely not to stop at the lights in the first place.
In don't condone the driver. But I am a cyclist and come across nobbers. But possibly that cyclist provoked the driver in to that. So a matching pair their then
Plenty of fixed wheels about, but they're mostly confined to cycle couriers - most of the fad cyclists are too scared to try something so hardcore...
Very few. There are alot of semi serious facial injuries caused by wearing a tiny cycle helmet and landing on your face at 20mph. Teeth coming through lips and broken noses etc. We see alot of head injuries made worse by not wearing a helmet, but not alot of serious ones thankfully. What I find is the little cycle helmets aren't actually much good when hit with any reasonable force. Alot of broken legs, wrists, collarbones etc as well.
I think cycle helmets are designed to provide a certain level of protection at 20 kph but energy increases with the square of the speed so the kinetic energy of a collision at realistic speeds quickly overcomes the available protection. So your experience is exactly what I would expect, the protection they provide is minimal in most accident scenarios.
In a place like Bristol with lots of hills, people can easily do 20-30mph downhill, sometimes straight into a post.
Surely it's better to have it anyway. Bloke at work who cycles everywhere doesn't wear one because he argues that the vast majority of cycling injuries are crush injuries......or broken noses if we return to the start of the thread
I remember being a kid, jumping off walls on a BMX with absolutley no protection. The 1st time I even saw a cycle helmet was on Neighbours with "Plain Jane Super Brain" and it looked so funny. I mountain bike a bit these days and wouldn't be without one to be honest. I've had a few offs in the winter and hit my head a couple of times, both times there has been nothing to write about as the helmet did it's job. Cycle helmets are a poor relation to motorcycle helmets in terms of technology and protection though.
Once again johnv, I am afraid of your holding a viewpoint to which you stick in the face of any evidence suggesting the contrary. Camelfarmer couldn't have been a lot clearer. I don't like wearing a cycle helmet, but I nearly always do now. It is better than nowt.
Agreed... First off, all this HSSE stuff gets on my tits. There is definitely a case for safety but I feel its all spun out of control and has become a 'created' industry. However, if I do a trackday I'll always wear back and chest protection. Why?? Because I don't even know its there. And if you don't even know you are wearing protective equipment there is no good reason not to wear it. I apply the same logic to cycling helmets. They are so light you don't know you've got one on...... Til a pesky wasp or bee jams itself in there..... PANIC.....
