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Helmet laws discourage the safest cyclists
Researchers in Norway have looked into possible reasons why there is no good evide
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Australian cycling boom a myth
According to the University of Sydney, claims that cycle use in Australia has rec
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Town drops helmet law to reduce its risks
For 15 years, until June 1, Milton, population 7,000, 45 minutes south of Seattle
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Vancouver acknowledges that helmet law could scupper bike-share
Responding to comments from the European Cyclists' Federation that the province's
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Switzerland rejects child helmet law
The Swiss Government has decisively thrown out a proposal to make it mandatory fo
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Campaign group stops publicising events that require helmet use
Scottish cycling campaign group Spokes, which has an extensive membership among c
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Perth mayor backs calls for law relaxation
The Lord Mayor of Perth has now joined Sydney, Adelaide and Fremantle in Australi
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Men cycle faster with helmets?
According to research undertaken in Bordeaux, France, men who used a helmet for t
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According to research undertaken in Bordeaux, France, men who used a helmet for the first time increased the speed at which they cycled, suggesting that they took more risks because they felt better protected. The same did not apply to women.
From 2009 to 2010 free helmets were given to 1,557 cyclists in Bordeaux who did not normally wear a helmet. 58% of the volunteers were women.
Cameras were used to record how 587 of the cyclists rode before and after being given helmets. Helmet use was recorded in 99 of their movements. The average speed of the men was 19.2 km/hour when wearing a helmet and 16.8 km/hour without. The speeds for women were 16.5 km/hour and 16.1 km/hour respectively.
However, the robustness of the results is uncertain. The researchers caution that Bordeaux is a city with high cycle use and that the behaviour of the 970 other cyclists who were not captured on camera might be different. Moreover the helmeted riders comprised only 3.8% of the trips analysed, a very small sample from which to extrapolate a clear outcome.
Tue 22 May 2012
