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Neurosurgeon accused of putting lives at risk after claiming cycle helmets were useless
Telegraph (UK) ^ | 5/31/2014 | Claire Duffin

Posted on 06/01/2014 8:12:08 PM PDT by Huntress

Road safety campaigners have accused a leading neurosurgeon of putting lives at risk after he claimed cyclists who wear helmets were wasting their time.

Henry Marsh, who works at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London, said many of his patients who had been involved in bike accidents had been wearing helmets that were “too flimsy” to be beneficial.

Mr Marsh cited evidence from the University of Bath which suggested that wearing a helmet might even put cyclists at greater risk.

It showed that drivers got around three inches closer to cyclists who wore helmets because they perceived them to be less fragile.

But campaigners said his remarks, made during a discussion with Ian McEwan, the author, at this year’s Hay Festival, were “disappointing”.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said helmets were an important part of cycle safety. But said they should not be compulsory in case it put would-be riders off.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bicycle; helmets
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1 posted on 06/01/2014 8:12:08 PM PDT by Huntress
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To: Huntress
I've seen bikers wearing those helmets as a fashion statement as in on the back of their heads so they won't mess up their cute coiffure. It's the frontal lobe that needs protecting. Those so-called helmets are too soft. But then, how did kids in the 70's and before survive riding bikes and playing?

 photo tumblr_mpi8j6esEl1rl5twmo1_500_zps6eadc5a6.jpg

2 posted on 06/01/2014 8:18:41 PM PDT by SkyDancer (If you don't read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read newspapers you are misinformed)
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To: SkyDancer

“The monkey bars came in.....we lost 124 kids in one day.....”

Bill Cosby - Playground
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqv38fP7cr0


3 posted on 06/01/2014 8:21:05 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Huntress; nutmeg; whattajoke; Aeronaut; jern; concentric circles; Petronski; Voss; Drango; ...

Bike Ping

In a training ride with dozens of riders, I was caught in a mess that happened in front of me. To this day, my mind won't recall what exactly happened.

I woke up in the hospital several hours later and was told I had a concussion and would have to spend the night for observation. My jersey and shorts had been cut off, I had a lot of road rash and several broken ribs. I was given a bag with my shoes and the remains of a Gyro helmet that the doctor said my head would have looked like had I not been wearing it.

As is done with all Gyro helmets, I sent the pieces back and it was promptly replaced by the company. As much as I didn't like them at first, I may not be sitting up typing right now, had I shunned wearing one.

4 posted on 06/01/2014 8:23:55 PM PDT by Baynative (How much longer will the media be able to prop up this administration?)
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To: left that other site

PING


5 posted on 06/01/2014 8:24:23 PM PDT by kingattax (America needs more real Americans.)
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To: Huntress
Any chance the neurosurgeon is suffering from sampling error? Those cyclists who bang their heads but survive without major injury because of a helmet don't see him and similarly those who are killed without helmets don't see him either. Only those who are severely injured but survive, whether they were wearing a helmet or not, get on his patient list. Has he done a statistical analysis of the number of riders, number of riders in accidents and the severity of their injuries outside of those who end up as his patients? Or does he just go by his anecdotal knowledge of his patients.

I'll keep on wearing my helmet while riding.

6 posted on 06/01/2014 8:24:46 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (Republican amnesty supporters don't care whether their own homes are called mansions or haciendas.)
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To: dfwgator

Ya, LOL - had to sit through like five CD’s of his with my g’pop and gg’pop to teach and explain to me what it was like growing up in the city. I live 600ft. up the side of a heavily wooded mountain on the Olympic Peninsula (when I’m not working in Oz) - so I had no idea of what they were talking about until then. Now I’ve been to many sites showing pictures of old NYC and have a better understanding of what their lives were like when they were eight and up ....


7 posted on 06/01/2014 8:25:43 PM PDT by SkyDancer (If you don't read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read newspapers you are misinformed)
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To: Huntress

Well, Dr. Marsh, the neurosurgeon with a lifetime of clinical experience, better mind his Ps and Qs. Doesn’t he know this is “settled science”? Is he some kind of helmet “denier”?

Even if helmets aren’t effective, they look kind of cool and lots of kids in China are employed making them. And they make certain people feel good that they’re doing something for the children.


8 posted on 06/01/2014 8:27:41 PM PDT by BigBobber (`)
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To: KarlInOhio

My oral surgeon was 100% against me going on a medication because it can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw. The problem was the doctor only saw the tiny fraction of patients who had this rare complication, not the 95-99% who greatly benefit from it.


9 posted on 06/01/2014 8:30:16 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: All
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10 posted on 06/01/2014 8:30:30 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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11 posted on 06/01/2014 8:35:36 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Huntress

What the neurosurgeon said sort of agrees with what an emergency room doctor said of motorcycle riders about a decade or so ago.

He said there are two types of motorcycle riders, those who don’t wear helmets, they are called organ donors.

Those who wear helmets...............quadriplegics.


12 posted on 06/01/2014 8:51:08 PM PDT by Balding_Eagle (Want to keep your doctor? Remove your Democrat Senator.)
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To: LukeL
My oral surgeon was 100% against me going on a medication because it can cause osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Was it a bisphosphonate (e.g. Fossamax, Boniva, etc.)? I was on one of those for a while, and my dentist would not do any major work on me until I was off it for at least six months. He told me that osteonecrosis is rare, but is so awful he would not risk it.

13 posted on 06/01/2014 8:51:40 PM PDT by Huntress ("Politicians exploit economic illiteracy." --Walter Williams)
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To: Huntress

It is like a bisphosphonate, it is called Denosumab. It works on a different principal and the risk of osteonecrosis is unknown (but does occur). What makes it worse is my treatment is for bone tumors in the jaw. I too can have nothing but cleanings until I am off the medication.


14 posted on 06/01/2014 8:53:35 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: Huntress

Helmets are generally wise; should they be required (and if so when) is the question.

I twice conked a helmet on the ground and was glad it was not the corresponding part of my head that had conked.


15 posted on 06/01/2014 9:01:38 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: KarlInOhio
Any chance the neurosurgeon is suffering from sampling error? Those cyclists who bang their heads but survive without major injury because of a helmet don't see him and similarly those who are killed without helmets don't see him either. Only those who are severely injured but survive, whether they were wearing a helmet or not, get on his patient list. Has he done a statistical analysis of the number of riders, number of riders in accidents and the severity of their injuries outside of those who end up as his patients? Or does he just go by his anecdotal knowledge of his patients.

Nicely stated.

The neurosurgeon's analysis is different from an epi study, which would have taken a large sample size, included reporting bias and other errors.

I focused on the "too flimsy" comment. Flimsy can be good when it comes to impact attenuation.

I will wear my flimsy helmet as well.

.

16 posted on 06/01/2014 9:10:23 PM PDT by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except to convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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To: Huntress
Road safety campaigners have accused a leading neurosurgeon of putting lives at risk after he claimed cyclists who wear helmets were wasting their time.

I'd think that would depend on whether it's true or not. I'm so sick of people who act as if their opinion should be treated as sacrosanct and anyone who dares disagree should be treated as wrong, and probably malicious, and punished, without ever debating the issue on its merits.

17 posted on 06/01/2014 9:15:25 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Seaplaner

Good question. Is this an actual scientific study.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation in the USA, which HAS accessed scientific studies, always recommends the helmets, though keeping its hands off of political treatment of the issue.

Maybe there is a perverse point here. Basket cases with a helmet might have just died without the helmet.


18 posted on 06/01/2014 9:17:02 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Still Thinking

But there is good reason to question whether this is scientific. He does not get a view into all accident cases, just some of them.


19 posted on 06/01/2014 9:18:01 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

OK, just read the first couple sentences. Still reading the entire article.


20 posted on 06/01/2014 9:18:48 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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