Cycle helmets - no proof they're safer
SIR – The trouble with bike helmets is that the figures don t show they work. Laws have stopped a lot of people cycling and have done nothing for head injury rates, see Robinson DL. There is no clear evidence from countries that have enforced the
SIR - The trouble with bike helmets is that the figures don't show they work. Laws have stopped a lot of people cycling and have done nothing for head injury rates, see Robinson DL.
There is no clear evidence from countries that have enforced the wearing of helmets.
It appears helmets break easily, but don't absorb the impact; see the engineers quoted at http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Bicycle_helmet.
Helmets have also strangled some young children who were wearing them while playing off their bicycles.
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At Mr Mears' age, or even at mine, it's far too dangerous not to cycle - regular cycling, Danish style, not too far, not too fast, nearly halves the death rate, see http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/ abstract/160/11/1621
But wearing a helmet is very unlikely to make riding any safer.
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Richard Keating, Wales.
SIR - If pensioner Mr Mears has been cycling for so many years, he should know the importance of regular safety checks on his bicycle.
Nuts don't' 'just come undone', it takes a lot of time and effort to unscrew a nut just by cycling.
I'm sure he doesn't do anything extreme on his bike at his age to have caused this. If he maintained it, he wouldn't have come off in the first place.
I regularly cycle offroad and have never had a wheel 'just fall off'.
Bicycles need regular maintenance.
Mark Mazora,
Elliott Close, WGC.
