It's a sample size of one, though, in at least one direction (namely the cyclist). He appears to have essentially rigged up some data logging equipment on his commute bike.
OTOH, the biggest problem with bike helmets isn't that they lead to more accidents (although anecdotal data appears to suggest it -- this research basically tallies with what many bicyclists have experienced), but that they don't appear to actually help any. And pointing to broken helmets with the words "that would have been my head" doesn't cut it there. There *might* be some reduction in scrapes on the head, but most bike helmets, particularly the expensive, lightweight ones, don't protect very much of the head, but reduction in brain injury statistically appears to be nil.
Motorcycle helmets and other full-head helmets *do* protect the wearer significantly -- but there is an awfully big difference between a hard plastic sphere padded with foam placed over your head, and a bike helmet which consists of high density styrofoam, or even the higher end ones which have a certain amount of plastic around the styrofoam, place *on top of* your head.
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Date: 2006-10-06 04:57 pm (UTC)OTOH, the biggest problem with bike helmets isn't that they lead to more accidents (although anecdotal data appears to suggest it -- this research basically tallies with what many bicyclists have experienced), but that they don't appear to actually help any. And pointing to broken helmets with the words "that would have been my head" doesn't cut it there. There *might* be some reduction in scrapes on the head, but most bike helmets, particularly the expensive, lightweight ones, don't protect very much of the head, but reduction in brain injury statistically appears to be nil.
Motorcycle helmets and other full-head helmets *do* protect the wearer significantly -- but there is an awfully big difference between a hard plastic sphere padded with foam placed over your head, and a bike helmet which consists of high density styrofoam, or even the higher end ones which have a certain amount of plastic around the styrofoam, place *on top of* your head.