Obviously it is a popular myth that city cyclists have been spreading over years - that they are more likely to hit by a car when they do not wear a helmet when they happen. This myth is so fascinating Ian Walker, a psychologist at the University of Bath, that he had him put to the test. Walker fitted his bike with a special ultrasonic sensor that would measure how close cars came to him as he cycled to work. At the end of the experiment, he wore a helmet every secondDays and rode bare-headed every other day for two months.
His findings may surprise drivers, but it will surprise no one who had never even lead to road cycling on busy city: on average, when wearing a helmet, cars were 8.5 cm (3.35 inches) closer to him and his bike as his helmet as he walked home. Helmet-haters are justified, and everyone can throw their helmets uncool and annoying.
Except that they can not because the results are misleading. BikeHelmets are not worn to reduce accidents by the occurrence, are they worn to reduce accidents and the irreparable damage to avoid the effects of the brain.
According to statistics helmets.org, bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injuries by about 85% and the risk of brain injury by 88%. They also provide a substantial degree of protection for the face and forehead. In addition, studies have shown that bare-headed cyclists are 14 times more common in a cubeCrash than their helmeted counterparts.
Before buying a helmet, cyclists must take into account their cycling habits and needs. For example, they are racing drivers or off-road riders, they cycle mountain paths or streets of the city? Road Helmets can of off-road helmets by their longer, leaner and his design with narrow air intakes differ aerodynamic. The ventilation slots on Off-Road helmets are wider, because it assumes that cooling has priority over speed.
It is veryimportant that the helmets fit properly. Helmets should be at the top of the horse heads are snug, they should be flat and should not tilt backward or to the front. The helmet should fit about two finger widths above the eyebrows in order to achieve maximum protection and a clear line of sight. Helmets should not lose cyclist heads, they should not swing or fall forward or back, but they should not pinch, too tight either. Helmets usually with extra sponges for cyclists who come to the needHelm smaller. The sponges, which can be removed already in the helmet to make additional space should be required.
Studies have shown that children wear bicycle helmets are more likely to regularly when their parents go ahead a helmeted example. Over 98% of children wear helmets if their parents, but not this drops to only 30% if their parents cycle bareheaded. Given the fact that children 10-14 years have the highest numbers of serious brain injurysustained in bicycle accidents, parents have good incentive to strap on.
Helmets have a lifespan of about 4,500 miles (7242km), which translates into about 5 years (average for recreational cyclists, not professionals). In addition, the material starts to break and the effectiveness of the helmet is affected. Helmets should also away after an accident, because no matter how light the damage appears to be cracks in the plastic and dents in the protective foam can be thrownReduction of the protective function of the helmet's ability.
Walker's experiment, far from cyclists feel license to use the wind in their hair, highlights the importance of wearing a helmet at all times. During the execution of his studies, Walker was out of his bike twice, once hit by a truck and once by a bus, both times he was wearing his helmet, and both times he got up intact with the skull and brain. Who needs more incentive than that?
RecommendedWebsites:
nytimes.com/2006/12/10/magazine/10bike.html? _r = 3 & oref = slogin & oref = slogin & oref = slogin
bikerally.org / index.php / articles / helmets.html
helmets.org / stats.htm
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