> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of frank theriault
[...] > > However, they offer a greatly increased chance of survival and/or > minimization of brain injury in a surprisingly large number of > collisions. I can think of at least three occasions when my head hit > the pavement with enough impact that, were I not wearing a helmet, I'd > have almost certainly suffered at least a severe concussion. That > includes my (helmeted) forehead smacking the pavement after flying > over the front of my handlebars, another occasion where I landed on my > back and the back of my head whipped into a streetcar rail, and my > most recent collision (last October, when I broke my collarbone) where > my temple hit the ground (cracking the helmet), then my face slid > along the pavement, giving me the coolest roadrash on my cheek. The > kids were most impressed! > > My point is that for each of these incidents, me helmet did the job > that it was designed to do, and that without each of those helmets, my > injuries would have likely been severe. > > So, whatever helmets can or can't do, my personal experience is that, > while there are obviously no guarantees, they are extremely effective > in preventing head injuries. [...] I know it probably seems as though I'm banging on about this, but there is an almost unquestioned assumption, and storms of propaganda, claiming that cycle helmets are effective. However, the evidence does not support this, or is at best equivocal, and governments get away with compulsion and erosion of your rights as adults to a free choice. People need to know the arguments & facts on both sides. http://www.cyclehelmets.org/mf.html?1019 The first references in that article are quite interesting. Strangely enough, cycling is safer than living! Here is a page full of statistical tables about relative risk. It says "The promotion of cycle helmets portrays cycling as an especially risky activity, but examination of comparative risk data reveals otherwise. It transpires that cycling is in fact one of the safest ways to spend one's time. As well as being safer than the obvious high-risk sports such as climbing, it is also much safer than more 'ordinary' sports such as football, swimming or fishing and, indeed, safer than general 'living' (the net outcome of all causes of death). " http://www.cyclehelmets.org/mf.html?1026 Anyway, there it is. You're all bright enough to make your own decisions (where your government generously allows you the choice), so I'll shut up now. Here's a picture of somebody engaged in a dangerous activity: http://www.cannsdownpress.co.uk/d28.htm and an early attempt (failed) to invent the bicycle: http://www.cannsdownpress.co.uk/d61.htm -- Cheers, Bob -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
