A cyclist has been treated for minor injuries after coming off their push bike in the West Wight this morning (Saturday).
The Isle of Wight Ambulance Service was called to Weston Lane at the junction with Alum Bay Old Road when a cyclist fell from their bicycle in wet and slippery conditions.
A co-responder from the West Wight was also mobilised to the scene on the rural country lane.
The importance of wearing a helmet has been highlighted by this incident. The casualty has been saved from more significant injuries thanks to their helmet, which was being worn correctly and was fastened tight.
Sunday !!. island echo is getting good can you tell me the lotto numbers for tonight
I fail to see why successive governments fail to make cycling helmets compulsory
I cannot see any logic in not doing so.
The risk of serious head injury is reduced and that has to bee good for the victim of the accident , the emergency workers dealing with the accident who must see horrific sights , and the NHS in terms of staff and financial resources
I am aware of the research by Bath University that drivers tend to give more space to those without helmets, but I feel that on balance they are going to decrease the number of serious head injuries.
I cringe when I see families where the children are not wearing helmets. I consider this parental neglect , the children are not able to make an informed decision about cycling helmets
We made motorcycle helmets compulsory , why not cyclists
Professional cyclists and responsible amateur groups wear helmets. They understand the risks
I agree, cycle helmets should be compulsory, the question is do they have a British kite safety mark? I have a feeling that they don’t, which means they’re not thoroughly tested to a high standard like a motorcycle helmet or a horse riding hat. At the moment it must be like wearing a plastic bucket on your head!
A lot of the £9.99 or less ones are a bit “suspect “.However, you only need to spend £30 or so on a recognised brand to get a helmet that is “snel” or “ansi” approved. Both of these standards far exceed the kite mark.
“I fail to see why successive governments fail to make cycling helmets compulsory.”
There’s a very good reason why no government other than Australia and New Zealand have helmet laws; they don’t work. Despite all the “helmet saved my life” stories, like this one, the death rate of cyclists does not fall as helmet wearing rates increase. Neither the Australian or New Zealand government collected proper data before the law was introduced, but it is certain that the predictions of 85% reduction in risk did not occur, and if anything, cycling became more risky. cyclehelmets.org
Good show on the guy for wearing such. Too many don’t and will expect the NHS to patch up their broken heads and attempt to find the brain to repair in such circumstances.
i agree but when i was a kid it was never a problem and my brain still works fine but saying that we used to put on motor bike helmets to make us feel like racers, but i spose the roads were a lot safer 45 years or so ago
Glad to hear the helmet saved him from brain damage.
I reckon a lot of the cyclists haven’t been so fortunate as they must be inflicted with some sort of brain impairment the way they interpret the highway code…
The most important thing about this of course is the road conditions at the time of the accident , and yes every cyclist should be made to wear a helmet wether it be a child of 3 who is getting on a bicycle for the very first time or the elderly who consider themselves to be to old and wise for it to happen to them.What is really annoying to most of us is the total disregard cyclists have for car drivers who have to pass these people safely on very narrow roads.How many times do you come across cyclists riding two abreast and taking up most of the road, but guess what I bet 99% of them are motorists I rest my case your Honner !!!.
I am an avid cyclist, have been most of my life. I’m also a car and emergency vehicle driver. Sometimes cyclists want to talk to each other, the way a passenger in a car will talk to the driver, so why do I always hear this coming from drivers… “Why do cyclists ride 2 abreast?” isn’t it obvious? Cyclists are entitled to do so. If car drivers tried being more patient, stopped rushing around everywhere and respected cyclists as human beings getting exercise and doing their bit by not polluting the planet, the island would be a safer place to cycle.
There is no suggestion in the article that the helmet saved him from brain damage, neither do cycle helmets prevent concussion, and they increase the likelihood of the most dangerous injuries, rotational. No country with a helmet law can show any reduction in risk to cyclists, rather the opposite.
I see the co responder has a new vehicle. Very nice. Much better than the old berlingo he had. He deserves it.
Shouldn’t be on the road no tax no insurance biggest hazard on the roads today
another pointless comment
I agree they should have insurance . Cars and horses using roads have it so why not them?
The amount of people maimed and killed by cyclists is incredable.What we all need is more and more cars on the road.
Cars are the hazardous on the road for cyclist as I’m a avid cyclist all my life
Bikes for life sad for life it should be
Yoda himself couldn’t have been clearer.
The facts in this article are so sparse that any conclusion that the helmet saved the cyclist from injury is mere speculation, and extremely unlikely speculation at that. Two countries have had helmet laws for more than twenty years, Australia and New Zealand, but despite all the data gathered since the law was brought in, they cannot demonstrate any reduction in risk to cyclists, and there is some research showing that the risk has risen. The laws were brought in on waves of emotion and propaganda, with claims of an 85% reduction in risk based on flawed research, but all that has happened is that people have been deterred from cycling.
Regular cyclists, those most exposed to the risk, live on average two years longer and suffer less from all forms of illness, including cancer, diabetes, depression and obesity. If a helmet law was enacted, there would be no improvement in safety, but a massive decline in the public health, with people becoming chronically sick and dying early as a result. According to NICE, one of the best ways of treating the obesity epidemic is achieving the government’s cycling targets.
There are thousands of these “helmet saved my life” stories, but the death rate of cyclists does not fall as helmet wearing rates increase, so they cannot be true. The only people in favour of a cycle helmet law are either misinformed or who make and sell them, as they are a licence to print money for a product that doesn’t work and can’t be taken back when it fails.
Perhaps you might like to print some facts next time, rather than unsupported speculation with no basis in fact.
Your readers can find the facts at cyclehelmets.org
I wasn’t going to comment on this subject as I have just been made redundant after many years working in the cycle trade. As you might imagine, bicycles are not my favourite topic of conversation at present but I feel that I have to say something. I know of many people who, over the years have been told by paramedics and hospital staff that their helmet saved their lives (including a former workmate). There ARE helmets which help protect against concussion and compression- they have what’s called a M.I.P.S. system inside – look it up. Many helmet manufacturers also have a “crash replacement policy ” whereby a replacement is offered for a large discount when you send the damaged one back. This is so that it can be analysed to see how it behaved during the impact. Obviously the latest technology like maps and AGNI – again, look it – up doesn’t come cheap but the amount spent on research and development has to come from somewhere. I’m guessing you don’t wear a helmet, then. I also suspect that the website you mention is full of 60 plus year.olds who wear a cloth cap because they’ve “never worn a helmet and aren’t going to start now, and besides, I’ve got a tough head”.