mf - story #6601 - What does wearing a helmet matter...

What does wearing a helmet matter...
posted by werwerwer on May 8th, 2014 at 7:51AM

...when you always get your bike stolen?

posted by dennisn on May 8th, 2014 at 7:55AM

That's what's being debated. For those (brief) moments when you still have your bike, your helment may or may not help you live. If it helps you live, I'm sure the cost of replacing bikes would seem relatively trivial.

Helmets can also save your life as a pedestrian, or as a car driver, where head injuries are far more prevalent. (Overall, more head injuries occur in cars, or walking along sidewalks, etc.)

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posted by werwerwer on May 9th, 2014 at 6:40PM

How much help does a helmet provide during a collision?

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posted by dennisn on May 9th, 2014 at 7:23PM

Good question. I think /during/ a collision, statistically (studies show), they would help. Although, as with any statistic, it is not a black-and-white rule -- for example, due to the slightly wider diameter, there would be a slightly larger chance of hitting something that otherwise you would have simply grazed. But, my main original point was to consider the steps /before/ a collision, since it seems that wearing a helmet may increase the likelihood of incurring a collision. (Since cars will drive closer to you, less people will share the bike lanes, etc.)

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