Bike riders wear helmets and high-vis vests to reduce their vulnerability on the road. Problem is a new study finds this dehumanises cyclists, putting them more at risk of aggression from drivers.
Yeah, fatalities also go down. All hospitalizations do. It’s not survivor bias, it’s a solid inverse correlation between helmet use and injury. Netherlands, Denmark, Japan all have very low helmet use and very low injuries.
That’s quite true. And they got that via sustained policy to encourage cycling. It’s been quite demonstrated that mandatory helmets actively discourage cycling, leading to both a disinvestment in infrastructure and drivers being less comfortable around cyclists (thus more dangerous)
I am not making a point about individual choices. Anyone should feel free to wear a helmet. But public policy is a different beast, and the data on mandatory helmets laws are inconclusive as to benefit and clear as to cost.
If having to wear basic safety equipment that literally dons and removes in a split second ‘discourages’ you from cycling, you are either incredibly vain or outright lying to yourself about the true causes of not riding.
Now compare that to fatalities. There’s the answer to your second sentence.
Yeah, fatalities also go down. All hospitalizations do. It’s not survivor bias, it’s a solid inverse correlation between helmet use and injury. Netherlands, Denmark, Japan all have very low helmet use and very low injuries.
The three you just mentioned also have a heavy cyclist culture, and infrastructure in place that facilitates separate biking though
That’s quite true. And they got that via sustained policy to encourage cycling. It’s been quite demonstrated that mandatory helmets actively discourage cycling, leading to both a disinvestment in infrastructure and drivers being less comfortable around cyclists (thus more dangerous)
I am not making a point about individual choices. Anyone should feel free to wear a helmet. But public policy is a different beast, and the data on mandatory helmets laws are inconclusive as to benefit and clear as to cost.
Good lord, no.
If having to wear basic safety equipment that literally dons and removes in a split second ‘discourages’ you from cycling, you are either incredibly vain or outright lying to yourself about the true causes of not riding.
Most people are vain, yes.