@ascentale@MartyCormack A9. I watched this video when it first came out. My partner and I had quite a few discussions afterward about Tom's points. But...we never go without and will continue to never go without helmets ourselves. Watching my partner crash spectacularly, my helmet getting beaned by a rock kicked up by passing vehicle, family member died post fall while mountain biking? We value our brains staying healthy. #BikeNite
@ascentale@MartyCormack A9. I am on the fence about mandatory helmet laws. Pro helmet laws is that I NEVER want to anyone to experience an easily preventable injury. I am a "prevent brain injuries, banning lawn darts that maim kids; use seatbelts in cars; wash yer hands; reduce speed limits" are all societal good things. Wearing a helmet while cycling is a smart safety measure for the individual to do. #BikeNite
@ascentale@MartyCormack. A9. And at the same time I feel like public health missed the boat a bit on helmet laws. Public health is supposed to be about upstream prevention. Helmet laws focus on reducing the severity of the injury instead of preventing the injury in the first place. Both are important concepts but one concept got all the focus while the other was ignored, ay least in North America. #BikeNite
@ascentale@MartyCormack I wear a helmet. Not because I think they’re particularly important, but because I realized not wearing one is a good way to get victim blamed in a car culture.
In years of commuting, in Seattle, PDX, and Brooklyn, I’ve only fallen off my bike once (I don’t clip in). Sooo many people asked me “were you wearing a helmet?” Nobody asked me if I actually hit my head (I didn’t).
So I went out and bought a helmet. Now I mostly wear it because the visor is good for the sun.
A9 #bikeNite I probably commented on that when it came out but how does mastodon search? Helmets make people on bikes less safe if the primary hazard is drivers not seeing enough people on bikes or traffic Engineers thinking paint signs and helmets matter.
@DataAngler@ascentale@MartyCormack studies from 1996 emergency rooms are not going to tell the story of everyone who didn't go to the ER. Unless there is research from the past couple years, the effectiveness of helmets at keeping people on bikes safe is far from proven. Car and shower helmets maybe.
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