tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post326123923700087293..comments2024-03-13T02:16:08.135-04:00Comments on Cozy Beehive: How a Bicycle Helmet WorksRon Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-22043852578465023402013-12-18T06:27:34.449-05:002013-12-18T06:27:34.449-05:00That is quite interesting article about how helmet...That is quite interesting article about how helmet works. That is why I suggest people to wear helmet. It provides safety to the head and prevents internet brain injuries which can be very dangerous. <br /><br />Regards,<br />Arnold Brame<br />Health And Safety Consultant Norfolkhttp://www.conservosafety.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-90423948148263174432013-04-21T08:14:47.087-04:002013-04-21T08:14:47.087-04:00Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighb...Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such great info being shared freely out there.hard hathttp://hatgrabber.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-51512354893828427272012-04-17T11:49:06.047-04:002012-04-17T11:49:06.047-04:00The person that wrote that they have to wear somet...The person that wrote that they have to wear something to keep the sun off, so might as well wear a helmet - what kind of helmet do you know that works even half as well as a wide brimmed hat for sun protection? If you are bald, or your hair is thinning you will end up with sunburn at all the vent holes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-12322501046609662842012-02-03T04:27:22.910-05:002012-02-03T04:27:22.910-05:00i will send u a linki will send u a linkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-92177235331002879022010-04-09T19:38:49.967-04:002010-04-09T19:38:49.967-04:00@bruce
I use my head to not fall in the first pla...@bruce<br /><br /><b>I use my head to not fall in the first place...</b><br /><br />I've not fallen off my bike since I was 10 years old - that was 30 years ago and I ride over 2000km per year.<br /><br />Perhaps you're doing something wrong, taking unnecessary risks, or not reading the road correctly? <br /><br />I would hazard a guess that I know a lot more about brain injury and the mechanisms of injury than you, but thanks for setting me straight with yet another anecdote... you've proven my point actually. <br /><br />Show me the evidence that you would have had a 'serious' brain injury if you weren't wearing a helmet... more likely you would have had a few bruises and a scalp laceration or two. Big deal.<br /><br />Dr P <br />AustraliaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-12875190113624298762010-04-08T08:06:20.080-04:002010-04-08T08:06:20.080-04:00The good Australian Dr. should practice falling th...The good Australian Dr. should practice falling three feet with and without the helmet; standing still and in motion. In ten years of cycling I've used my head to break my fall four times and I'm still typing these words.I believe the helmet saved me noggin. We would be better served as cyclists by examining the fragility that is our brain bucket...one then immediately recognizes that the polystyrene has an added 'ounce of prevention.' Brain trauma appears to be FOREVER...so I would advise those who want to ride to wear the bucket, compulsory or not.StudySynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10813706468288222139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-16943367177799266682010-01-25T11:41:26.496-05:002010-01-25T11:41:26.496-05:00Great story as for me. It would be great to read m...Great story as for me. It would be great to read more about this topic. Thanx for sharing this info.<br />Joan Stepsen<br /><a href="http://cyprusescortagencies.com/" rel="nofollow">Cyprus escort service</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-90750314029634376242010-01-21T19:33:16.423-05:002010-01-21T19:33:16.423-05:00Compulsory Helmet Laws are ill-founded.
I would l...Compulsory Helmet Laws are ill-founded.<br /><br />I would like to see some statistics that really show an improvement in safety based on total distance cycled for a population.<br /><br />One of the main reasons why we've seen a decrease in cycling injuries in Australia (not just head injuries) is that there are a LOT fewer people cycling since compulsory helmet laws were introduced! The cycling rate plummeted!<br /><br />Most of those that continue to cycle are the sporting, lycra-clad racers that often only cycle on a weekend. I wonder whether, on a per-km basis, this group actually has a HIGHER risk of head injury? Perhaps helmet use might seem sensible for this group? Indeed, even for this group, I think it should be optional for us to choose if we should wear one.<br /><br />Anecdotal stories, while compelling, should NEVER be used to confirm or deny the utility of something like helmets. As a medical doctor, if I were to change my clinical practice in emergency medicine based on some horror stories from colleagues (or myself) then healthcare would go down the drain. We have EVIDENCE BASED medicine in Australia, and for good reason. If there is no credible evidence for a given practice, then it should be abandoned. This evidence is independent (ie. no drug company (read: helmet company) evidence is acceptable).<br /><br />I don't think compulsory helmet use is sensible for city utilitarian cycling on a non-racing/mountainbike. If we think it IS then perhaps we should be enforcing compulsory jogging helmets too? Where exactly do you draw the line?<br /><br />When I was a child growing up (in the 70s & 80s) I and all my friends cycled to and from school and to each others houses, without helmets. The bicycle racks at schools & universities were FULL. Now sadly you will be lucky to see a handful of bikes at schools.<br /><br />We did some crazy things on our bikes and I knew of nobody that had a head injury from a fall. Cuts, abrasions, broken wrists, collar bones, etc were common, but not head injuries.<br /><br />This notion of portraying cycling as a dangerous activity, and one that requires the cyclist to 'be more careful' helps us all ignore the elephant in the room in our society - that car drivers do not give cyclists & pedestrians the respect they deserve. This requirement for high visibility vests, helmets, etc portrays cycling as dangerous and it is little wonder so few children & adults ride bicycles as a sensible form of getting from A to B. If they get hit then it is 'their fault' for not being visible enough!<br /><br />If you want to wear a helmet then you should be able to make that choice a human. But the reverse should also be just as valid. I choose to not wear a helmet and I cycle mostly on bike paths, carefully with traffic if needed (obeying all traffic rules, respecting others) and I find I am given more space and cars pass me slower on the whole than when I wore a helmet. I ride an upright Dutch City Bike and car drivers see me as a person, not a racing machine.<br /><br />Dr P<br />AustraliaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-73945309305369415912009-07-15T10:26:15.762-04:002009-07-15T10:26:15.762-04:00why do you think so many people don't wear hel...why do you think so many people don't wear helmets??? THEY MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A DORK !-----yeah, yeah, "I'd rather be a live looking dork than a dead or paralyzed one". Until they make helmets that don't look like helmets, most people won't wear them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-46300100623099488562009-07-02T02:42:45.174-04:002009-07-02T02:42:45.174-04:00Is it not the point that helmets DO reduce head in...Is it not the point that helmets DO reduce head injuries, hut making them compulsory reduces the number of cyclists (particularly women who hate 'helmet hair.')<br /><br />Health costs for illness from people not exercising (cycling) and extra deaths exceed the reduction in deaths from helmet wearing. Those statistics are available.<br /><br />I choose to wear a helmet - I have to wear something to keep the sun off, it might as well protect my head as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-23704220225473543562009-06-29T02:37:18.750-04:002009-06-29T02:37:18.750-04:00Hmmm, rotation- certainly a smooth/rounded shape c...Hmmm, rotation- certainly a smooth/rounded shape can rotate best.<br /><br />What I think you are all missing is the psychological aspects of helmet wearing. Not only does it remind the cyclist that they are on a bicycle, it also is a visible sign to a driver that there is a cyclist in view.<br /><br />The visibility of the cyclist compared to the background environment may even be more important. Perhaps studies should focus on the color of the helmet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-32825330177088453012009-01-15T10:29:00.000-05:002009-01-15T10:29:00.000-05:00I'm late to the party, but that doesn't mean I don...I'm late to the party, but that doesn't mean I don't get a piece of what's left of the punch.<BR/><BR/>Like some of you, I'm skeptical of a lot of the "my helmet saved my life" stories.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, here's an account of where NOT wearing a helmet <A HREF="http://www.palmbeachbiketours.com/2008/07/09/do-bike-helmets-really-save-your-life/" REL="nofollow">changed my riding partner's life forever.</A><BR/><BR/>Will a magic foam hat protect you from an encounter with an 18-wheeler? Of course not. On the other hand, in this case it would have been the difference between bruises and road rash versus five skull fractures.<BR/><BR/>Your picture of What Helmets Do almost exactly illustrates my friend's crash, except that she landed on her right temple, then flipped over and had a second blow the the back of her head.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-39215735956812540552008-08-14T14:18:00.000-04:002008-08-14T14:18:00.000-04:00I would have to agree with Richard.It is a pity th...I would have to agree with Richard.<BR/><BR/>It is a pity that people still ride the dangerous "safety bike".<BR/><BR/>In discussing the types of injuries received from recumbent bike crashes with the BicycleMan (in NY, USA), it was mostly broken ankles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-41999073261451052008-06-05T06:45:00.000-04:002008-06-05T06:45:00.000-04:00Yes, helmets are very fragile, aren't they. Seriou...Yes, helmets are very fragile, aren't they. Seriously, there seem to be far more helmet-saved-my-life stories than there ever were serious head injuries. And the figures, see above, just don't support any useful effect of helmets. I realize that many people are absolutely convinced that a a helmet has saved them, and arguing with them is a bit of a waste of time, but I do wonder if all (or any) of the stories are actually correct.Richard Keatingehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17039816196847673370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-26939365517758013372008-06-05T01:57:00.000-04:002008-06-05T01:57:00.000-04:00Here's another helmet from a crash. Note entire ri...Here's <A HREF="http://drunkcyclist.com/wordpress/2007/08/06/one-year/" REL="nofollow">another helmet</A> from a crash. Note entire right side of helmet has split apart.Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-21613774575319391082008-05-23T08:19:00.000-04:002008-05-23T08:19:00.000-04:00Ian, if you could also email me, dr.richard at kea...Ian, if you could also email me, dr.richard at keatinge.net, that would be great.Richard Keatingehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17039816196847673370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-51616849188960055212008-05-21T22:54:00.000-04:002008-05-21T22:54:00.000-04:00Richard : Thank you for your continuing interest. ...Richard : Thank you for your continuing interest. I think we can develop a case here. Oh, I'll read that link you sent me thanks.<BR/><BR/>Ian : If you could reference those images with a link here or even email me with them, that'll be great.Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-44738131015653528992008-05-21T06:06:00.000-04:002008-05-21T06:06:00.000-04:00Ian, this is really interesting; it's the first ti...Ian, this is really interesting; it's the first time I have ever heard of a helmet showing convincing evidence that it has worked as designed. I'd be pleased to see the photos, even more pleased if you can give me permission to pass them on, preferably with some details of yourself as the source. <BR/><BR/>Ron, check the definitive review of all the available data on the results of large rapid changes in helmet use. It's in the British Medical Journal, http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/<BR/>content/full/332/7543/722-a. <BR/>Helmets actually don't seem to make any noticeable difference to head injuries, and they put people off cycling.Richard Keatingehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17039816196847673370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-87231820019584041832008-05-20T01:17:00.000-04:002008-05-20T01:17:00.000-04:00Richard,I have had the foam compress in my helmet ...Richard,<BR/><BR/>I have had the foam compress in my helmet in an accident. Back in 1990 I hit the fender of a car (yes, I hit the car, it was my mistake, not his), flew off the bike, and my helmet hit right above the windshield, putting a large dent in the curved edge of the roof. I flew off the back and was unconscious for ~1 minute. Came to just fine but with some road rash. Didn't even have a headache afterwards. <BR/><BR/>The helmet was an Avenir hardshell helmet, and yes the foam compressed. I hit the left front of the helmet and the foam went from its usual 1/2-3/4" thickness down to ~1/8". I seem to remember that there was a couple small cracks in the foam as well.<BR/><BR/>I think the major difference though is the photos linked above are for thinshell (or no shell) helmets, and the shell can't hold together before the impact forces shatter the foam instead of compressing it. With the old hard shell (1/16" hard plastic) helmet, there was only a couple abrasions on the outside, and that was from the road, not the car. <BR/><BR/>Somewhere I might have some print photos of the helmet after the crash. I'll make a note to get back here or email ya if I can find and scan them.Zyzzyxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08328089587863350932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-83663812794412071872008-03-27T21:29:00.000-04:002008-03-27T21:29:00.000-04:00Richard,As far as testing is concerned, it is a my...Richard,<BR/><BR/>As far as testing is concerned, it is a mystery to me how they classify a helmet as safe. In the third season of the Science <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://science.discovery.com/video/index.html?playerId=1391584921&titleId=1243635978" REL="nofollow">Channel's 'How its Made' series</A>, I watched a testing in a helmet for a similar, if not completely different, application - football.<BR/><BR/>They hooked the helmet to a movable part to mimic the head, filled with sensors and strain guages, and then let the helmet hit the ground, monitoring on a computer the peak forces encountered. However, it was a strictly one dimensional 'fall' and no rotational or other possible crash scenarios were replicated.<BR/><BR/>I hope that cycling helmet manufacturer's do take into account these things, and while lightening the helmet, do not severely affect the amount of foam or padding that is a vital protection against impacts to the head.<BR/><BR/>The fact is,however, that cycling helmets have caused a spectacular drop in several injuries and that's a good thing. I do hope that the trend continues to be one so.Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-30014977395818899192008-03-21T12:19:00.000-04:002008-03-21T12:19:00.000-04:00After testing on the standard rigs, what we get, I...After testing on the standard rigs, what we get, I'm told, is crushing on the inside. What I've seen after accidents is fracturing of the rather fragile material, and superficial grazing. I presume that this should avoid scalp grazes, which can be quite nasty, but will equally dump energy inside the head, rather than using the scalp as a shock absorber for the brain. <BR/><BR/>The Conehead helmet is only available for motorcyclists, but may actually absorb energy as intended. The Phillips helmet - again for motorbikers only - is designed to absorb rotational energy. There seem to be no plans to make either of these advantages available for us. I doubt I'd bother with a helmet even if they were - the risk just isn't high enough - but if there were helmets that worked I'd certainly consider them.Richard Keatingehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17039816196847673370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-23870679750664645932008-03-20T19:29:00.000-04:002008-03-20T19:29:00.000-04:00There wouldn't be any crushing inside, would there...There wouldn't be any crushing inside, would there? Because the inside conforms to the head shape, while the outside is what gets hit by curbs, flat surfaces, etc., which would distort the surface. On the inside, the load gets distributed over the entire hemisphere of the head.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-88151466641014178612008-03-19T14:11:00.000-04:002008-03-19T14:11:00.000-04:00Groover - Wow, that is a long way off from here. N...Groover - Wow, that is a long way off from here. Now, I only race in the north western part of the United States, so I'm not sure whether something on the lines of the rules enforced in Australia can be seen elsewhere in this country. Some folks like the idea of enforcing helmets but theres a lot of others who think that its something that should be left to the discretion of the racer.<BR/><BR/>Richard - If you learn anything new about helmet design, let me know.<BR/><BR/>Blue - X-Ray sample of Rasmussen was obtained from Google Images :)Ron Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394865788996482667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-1659616094604761442008-03-18T21:47:00.000-04:002008-03-18T21:47:00.000-04:00Hey Ron,Where did you find that picture of Michael...Hey Ron,<BR/><BR/>Where did you find that picture of Michael Rassmussen?<BR/><BR/>Always, always, wear a helmet.<BR/><BR/>-BBluenoserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03448920726947078281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887692.post-25912034877720417942008-03-18T05:08:00.000-04:002008-03-18T05:08:00.000-04:00Interesting isn't it? You won't be surprised to he...Interesting isn't it? You won't be surprised to hear that my helmet has been gathering dust in the bike shed for years now. These things really do not seem to work as designed. They may protect against grazes, but if the ideas on rotational injury are correct, they may dump the energy into the brain instead. And they may also increase the chance of having accidents. Why those standards? I don't know, and the senior engineer of Bell didn't seem to know either.Richard Keatingehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17039816196847673370noreply@blogger.com