TEDxCopenhagen - Mikael Colville-Andersen - Why We Shouldn't Bike with a Helmet
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Copenhagen's bicycle ambassador talks about how important the bicycle is for liveable cities and how bicycle helmets are threatening bicycle culture. About TEDx, x = independently organized event: In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
Comments
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Auckland, liveable? Try telling that to the people who live there! Only a million dollars or so for a small house in a location about 2 hours driving away from where you need to be thanks to the impossible traffic flow.
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Coming up next - do not vaccinate your children...
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Yes, we all know Denmark/Copenhagen is amazing, and many of Mikeal's quips are amusing, but the " don't wear a helmet " (while cycling) advice is only relevant for the "most liveable cities" (where cycling culture is well-established and motor vehicle drivers respect the cyclists!).
For "the rest" of the world's cities this is terrible advice. People get knocked off bikes all the time in "normal" cities and when you fall (off your bike) and hit your head your chance of brain damage is significantly higher without a helmet!
This video/talk was published in 2010 ... a 2016 study (peer-reviewed scientific journal) comprehensively counter Mikeal's claims. Read: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/22/bicycle-helmets-reduce-risk-of-serious-head-injury-by-nearly-70-study-finds
Yes, there are a few (old) scientific papers that attempted to empirically/statistically test if helmets prevent head injury, but think for yourself darnit! Hit your head against asphalt/pavement at 15mph (without a helmet) and you're not going to come out laughing!
Yes, cynics can argue that helmet manufacturers have a vested/commercial interest in selling more helmets and will fund " research " that " proves " their product is " indispensable " but, the study published in The International Journal of Epidemiology analysed data from 64 000 injured cyclists and convincingly concluded that helmets reduced serious or fatal head injury.
There are some cheap/bad quality helmets, but people who value the contents of their heads pay more for better quality helmet!
Finally, to the "reduction in participation" argument, it's simple, Government should not force people to wear helmets unless they are going to subsidise them (give people a free good quality helmet!). -
once my front wheel went into a a dip and I got thrown over the handlebars and flew headfirst into a cement curb. My helmet went "crack!" against the cement. I jumped up, put my hands to my head and couldn't stop saying, "wow, wow, wow": So I can say with authority, "This guy is full of shit".
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There are just 2 types of people who argue for bicycle helmets to be made compulsory-
1) the loved ones of dead cyclists
2) non cyclists whose irrational resentment & even hatred of cyclists sees them verbally abusing cyclists, attacking cyclists, calling for cyclists to pay road tax, etc.
The second type of person far outweighs the first type.
I'll do as I please & it pleases me to not wear a stupid looking, cumbersome, uncomfortable & inconvenient object on my head. It also pleases me that this winds arsey, small minded, conservative dickheads up as they sit in their deathtrap cars, vans & lorries looking down on me. -
TEDx will let anyone get on stage and spew what they are feeling that day. Helmets save lives. If that's Copenhagen's "Bicycle Ambassador", I can't see myself ever visiting that part of the world. Maybe when he bounces his head off of the ground wearing a "cowboy hat", he will realize how reckless the points he is making are.
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tedx is bullshit, just a bunch of ppl going on stage giving their bullshit opinion that helps noone.
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Riding without a helmet might be safe in places like Copenhagen where
the weather is decent year around and there's lots and lots of bike
infrastructure. However, I'd like to see how safe he feels riding
without a helmet in a place like Winnipeg Canada, where we have next to
no biking infrastructure and the winter roads are very icy and slippery.
Even the most skilled cyclist can slip and fall unexpectedly on
properly plowed winter road. If you had to walk to the hospital in
January after suffering a head injury.....the average low in Copenhagen
is -1.7 Celsius (28.9F) in Winnipeg it's -21.4 Celsius (-6.5F). -
Over Memorial Day, I went over my handlebars at a slow speed on a washed out trail. I landed on asphalt on the crown of my head oddly enough. I was wearing a helmet. The ER visit cost me $8,000, but I am wondering how much more it might have been had I not been wearing that "unnecessary helmet".
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Helmets make you feel cumbersome and therefore are a safety hazzard. Plus studies show that drivers give you more space if they see you without a helmet.
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I'll keep wearing a helmet
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Helmet might be less protective on side hits but still way better than not having one! It would be hard to determine what could have happened to cyclist in an accident had he worn no helmet!
Do simple test, put helmet on you and take hammer(or some hard item) and gently hit on side, than remove helmet the same item with similar force and you will see a huge difference!
Helmet redistributes impart on entire had, when impact is coming from top of the head it distributes evenly on entire had and impact is reduced greatly. when impact comes on the side, it redistributes shock on half of the head which means entire shock goes on half of the head.
When impact is applied on head without helmet on lets say 2-4 sq cm (hitting had on asphalt) almost all impact is absorbed by that tiny space and there is bigger chance of life threatening damage.
Also i dont think bikes compete with cars, i have both and both have there use and none is substitute to the other. -
Helmet might be less protective on side hits but still way better than not having one! It would be hard to determine what could have happened to cyclist in an accident had he worn no helmet!
Do simple test, put helmet on you and take hammer(or some hard item) and gently hit on side, than remove helmet the same item with similar force and you will see a huge difference!
Helmet redistributes impart on entire had, when impact is coming from top of the head it distributes evenly on entire had and impact is reduced greatly. when impact comes on the side, it redistributes shock on half of the head which means entire shock goes on half of the head.
When impact is applied on head without helmet on lets say 2-4 sq cm (hitting had on asphalt) almost all impact is absorbed by that tiny space and there is bigger chance of life threatening damage.
Also i dont think bikes compete with cars, i have both and both have there use and none is substitute to the other. -
Title too subtle for most people
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"Oh im glad i didnt wear a helmet, this accident could be much worse". said no cyclist ever
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I'm 45 and rode my bicycle a lot until the age of about 14. I have never seen anyone wear a helmet on a bicycle when I rode my bike back then. Motorcycle helmets - yes but I would have been laughed at if I wore one while riding a bicycle. I'm saying it's a bad idea to wear a helmet but rather sharing my experience. BTW, motorcycle helmets are not required in the state I live in now (Soith Carolina).
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Wear your helmet!!!!!and ride.......
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full face helmets block part of your peripheral vision and hearing, leading to an increased risk of that accident you never saw (or heard) coming. instead of worrying so much about what happens when you crash, how about preventing it from happening at all be being more aware of your surroundings. or even knowing how to crash properly. every dirt jumper knows how to land in a crash to prevent injury (usually a slide or roll), and roller derby girls actually have to crash on purpose as part of their training list. I know it sounds weird, maybe even a little bit crazy, but crashing properly is a skill way more useful than any helmet, and riding defensively is worth even more than that.
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Think I'll keep wearing my helmet.
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177 car salesmen have been here. Crushed by almost 2k normal people :-)
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