That is of course, assuming that helmets actually do any protecting. "Might
reduce the severity" isn't good enough when the efficacy of helmets is so
much in question from the evidence.

If helmets really worked, then that would have to show up in whole
population data, only they don't in any of the examples commonly used. This
likely means that either helmets are ineffective, or they do a bunch of good
together with a bunch of harm, leaving them overall as ineffective. The
same goes for anecdotal stories of "how a helmet saved my [friend's] life" -
we just can't tell, and overall they must be mostly untrue given the whole
population data.

Complaining about bent and "interpreted" statistics is usually done by those
whom the evidence is against. I too used to believe in the absolute power
and protection of helmets, and during my search through the debate I only
ever found that sort of dishonesty from the pro helmet and pro helmet
compulsion lobbies. Instead I was distinctly unhappy to find out how
useless cycle helmets are for protecting against serious head injuries [1],
I was convinced against my will.

So perhaps a better question is why doesn't the helmet effect show up on the
large scale?

Next question, Tim. Do you wear a helmet when walking to the shops, and
why?

[1] Minor head injuries such as cuts and scrapes, of course excepted. I
don't think anyone will debate that helmets can help prevent these sorts of
injuries in some circumstances. Road rash can be horrible, but it's not
what worries me and it's not usually the life changing event that brain
damage is.


Best regards,
Mike.


-----Original Message-----
From: inline-instruction@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:inline-instruction@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Timsk8
Sent: 04 September 2006 08:11
To: inline-instruction@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [inline-instruction] "Green" helmets?

All helmets and protective equipment are useless and a complete waste of
time.

- IF you never have accidents.



Wearing - or not wearing anything (except perhaps a blindfold!) will not
alter statistics on the NUMBER of accidents.

But it MIGHT reduce the severity of injury in any given accident.



There is only one way to get REAL figures on reduction of injuries.



Get a person to crash without gear.

Get the SAME person to crash in EXACTLY the same way with gear.

Spot the difference.



Everything else is just survey's, probability and analysing it with
statistics. - However given that getting a crash exactly the same is pretty
impossible - we'll carry on with statistics that can be bent and interpreted
every which way .... So we are likely to be reading about this for some time
to come!



As for "greenness"... no idea!

But it's been fun reading the thread! :-)



Tim Wheals.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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