HEAD PROTECTION EXPERT DISPUTES MEDICAL CASE STUDIES

[DiscoDuck]

from: http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/

Brian Walker of Head Protection Evaluations, the principal UK test
laboratory for helmets, says that medical case studies commonly quoted
as evidence for the effectiveness of cycle helmets arrive at erroneous
conclusions. His views are expressed on the website of the Bicycle
Helmet Research Foundation. Walker also authored an article "Heads Up"
for Cycle Magazine, the bi-monthly journal of CTC, the UK's national
cyclists' organisation.

In both opinion pieces, Walker describes a court case in which he
appeared as an expert witness. Apparently, a lawyer had repeatedly
tried to persuade three neurosurgeons to state that one must be safer
wearing a helmet than would be the case if one were not. All three
disagreed, claiming that they had seen severe brain damage and fatal
injury both with and without cycle helmets being worn. The judge
accepted the views of the neurosurgeons in handing down his ruling.

Also on the Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation website are links to
four reports that find little evidence of the effectiveness of helmets.

[smn]

That would depend on what severity each non-helmutted and helmutted (is
that a word?) accident was being compared with..
If a helmut was thrown off a cliff for example and you compare that to
falling off a tricycle I do not think so.
not enough information DD
it seems like a cat and mouse game here in Surrey
Too many stupid drivers on the road for me to feel safe enough without a
helmut. I have class 4, 5, and 6 licences by the way and have been riding
since I was 8. Prefer pedaling over driving for life.
Besides I can dress it up and model it for them too. : )

Post by DiscoDuck
from: http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/
Brian Walker of Head Protection Evaluations, the principal UK test
laboratory for helmets, says that medical case studies commonly quoted
as evidence for the effectiveness of cycle helmets arrive at erroneous
conclusions. His views are expressed on the website of the Bicycle
Helmet Research Foundation. Walker also authored an article "Heads Up"
for Cycle Magazine, the bi-monthly journal of CTC, the UK's national
cyclists' organisation.
In both opinion pieces, Walker describes a court case in which he
appeared as an expert witness. Apparently, a lawyer had repeatedly
tried to persuade three neurosurgeons to state that one must be safer
wearing a helmet than would be the case if one were not. All three
disagreed, claiming that they had seen severe brain damage and fatal
injury both with and without cycle helmets being worn. The judge
accepted the views of the neurosurgeons in handing down his ruling.
Also on the Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation website are links to
four reports that find little evidence of the effectiveness of helmets.

[smn]

And the licenses were just for jobs BTW

Post by smn
That would depend on what severity each non-helmutted and helmutted (is
that a word?) accident was being compared with..
If a helmut was thrown off a cliff for example and you compare that to
falling off a tricycle I do not think so.
not enough information DD
it seems like a cat and mouse game here in Surrey
Too many stupid drivers on the road for me to feel safe enough without a
helmut. I have class 4, 5, and 6 licences by the way and have been riding
since I was 8. Prefer pedaling over driving for life.
Besides I can dress it up and model it for them too. : )

Post by DiscoDuck
from: http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/
Brian Walker of Head Protection Evaluations, the principal UK test
laboratory for helmets, says that medical case studies commonly quoted
as evidence for the effectiveness of cycle helmets arrive at erroneous
conclusions. His views are expressed on the website of the Bicycle
Helmet Research Foundation. Walker also authored an article "Heads Up"
for Cycle Magazine, the bi-monthly journal of CTC, the UK's national
cyclists' organisation.
In both opinion pieces, Walker describes a court case in which he
appeared as an expert witness. Apparently, a lawyer had repeatedly
tried to persuade three neurosurgeons to state that one must be safer
wearing a helmet than would be the case if one were not. All three
disagreed, claiming that they had seen severe brain damage and fatal
injury both with and without cycle helmets being worn. The judge
accepted the views of the neurosurgeons in handing down his ruling.
Also on the Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation website are links to
four reports that find little evidence of the effectiveness of helmets.

[DiscoDuck]

Post by smn
it seems like a cat and mouse game here in Surrey
Too many stupid drivers on the road for me to feel safe enough without a
helmut. I have class 4, 5, and 6 licences by the way and have been riding
since I was 8.

I assume then you're speaking of when driving a car, you wear a helmet
since there are "Too many stupid drivers" in Surrey.