Re: Helmet efficacy test

Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

On 3/24/2025 11:14 PM, John B. wrote:

On Mon, 24 Mar 2025 21:20:38 -0400, Frank Krygowski
<frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
 

On 3/24/2025 6:02 PM, Mark J cleary wrote:

 
I like to wear helmet for extra protection against a fall. I do agree
that for me even running with a helmet would be good since I have no
balance to run anymore. However, Frank is I think in the minority about
helmets...

 
Nope, that's not true. In the current echo chamber of avid sport
cyclists I am a minority. But very I'm comfortable with not following
most of the group's trends. I don't use clipless pedals, I don't use
brifters or disk brakes, I don't ride in jerseys that advertise my
favorite products or my favorite racing team, I don't use aerodynamic
sunglasses, etc.
 
But in the total population of world cyclists, it's the helmet wearers
who are a definite minority.
 

... and while he may have data to support it sometimes we humans
overlook data. I rely sometimes only on intuition and what I think might
be good.

 
That's a common human trait. It leads to lots of bad decisions, but it's
common. It's usually wiser to pay attention to good data, when it's
available.
 

I really don't understand the length's Frank goes to dis
helmets but maybe I am simply taking it more than it is.

 
If you check, you'll see I never initiate helmet debates. But when
someone else - um, like you, Mark! - starts stating or implying that
helmets have great benefit, and/or states or implies that bicycling is a
serious risk for brain injury, I do point out that those notions are false.
 
Bicycling has never been a major source of serious traumatic brain
injury (TBI). On a nationwide basis, bicycling's contribution to TBI
counts is low enough to be off most "causes" charts. Bicycling causes
fewer then 1% of U.S. TBI deaths, far fewer than pedestrian travel, and
far fewer on a "per mile" basis. And historic data over the years shows
quite clearly that bicycle helmets are not preventing either fatalities
or concussions.
 
Data on request - but it's been posted or linked countless times.

 
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7019a1.htm
" Because bicycling continues to grow in popularity,* primarily among
U.S. adults, examining the strategies that mitigate the risk for TBI
is important. CDC analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury
Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) to determine the
incidence of EDs for bicycle-related TBIs during 2009–2018. An
estimated 596,972 ED visits for bicycle-related TBIs occurred in the
United States during the study period."

 
Look up the number for other activities, John. Context is important.
 
America is a big, big place. All numbers are big. And all big numbers
are scary for certain people, especially when taken out of context.
 

Indeed folks with a brain injury have number of reasons and cycling is
fairly uncommon car crashes are many times more common as is being drunk.

Roger Merriman