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Helmet saved my life - the next step forward?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-63608090 Police motorcyclist saved by inflatable clothing. How long before not wearing something similar, possibly in hi-viz and bearing a unique identity plate, is seen as a self inflicted failure of cyclists to protect themselves?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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5 comments

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Simon_MacMichael | 2 years ago
0 likes

Duplicate thread so I am closing this one, head over here for the other thread: 

https://road.cc/content/forum/helmet-saved-my-life-next-step-forward-297325

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mattw | 2 years ago
3 likes

This is already a thing.

 

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hawkinspeter replied to mattw | 2 years ago
1 like

mattw wrote:

This is already a thing.

You need some extra protection if you're going to use a bike with no brakes.

Also, how are those jockey wheels staying there? The lack of spokes is worrying too.

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IanMSpencer | 2 years ago
4 likes

Bear in mind that drivers are so bad that even within a padded safety cage, they are provided with multiple explosive devices that have the potential to seriously injure you (burns, deafness, broken bones) to save you from a fatality.

And those devices are not optional, you are obliged to have them. That's because statistically they can show that drivers are so good at attempting to kill themselves they can make the case.

The problem with bike safety is that the typical fatal accident is not simply crashing off a bike, but colliding with a vehicle whose outside has not been designed as a crash structure for cyclists. To get the same level of protection, say a cyclist should be able to survive a collision with an HGV from any angle at up to 40mph, representative of the majority of the urban environment, you would need to design some form of protective cage (capable of withstanding a lorry wheel) and airbags - making cycling impractical.

Given that motorcyclists aren't safe with rollbars to protect legs, airbags, full protective clothing and full face helmets, it's hard to see what the solution is (aside of course for motorists to read the Highway Code and abide by it).

And given that by the same argument that motorists are crap so cyclists should just deal with it, the same applies to pedestrians and anyone venturing out into the public realm should also be wearing some form of bionic extensions to fend off those motorists who think that pavements are fair game or pedestrians in the road should lead out of the way rather than the vehicle slow down.

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NOtotheEU replied to IanMSpencer | 2 years ago
3 likes

IanMSpencer wrote:

. . . . . it's hard to see what the solution is (aside of course for motorists to read the Highway Code and abide by it).

If that's true we're in big trouble.

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