Comments on: Matthew Modine and League of American Bicyclists not at odds over helmets

By: D'Amico

D'Amico — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:18:10 +0000

My helmet this morning is covered with New Belgium beer caps…will this affect it’s efficacy?

It’s funny, though. The only time I don’t want to wear a helmet is when I feel pressured to do so.

By: Preston Tyree

Preston Tyree — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:34:10 +0000

Elliot, thanks for update on Modine article. I’m frequently accused of being a helmet freak but we even have un-helmeted riders in our new Traffic Skills 201 manual. We know people choose to ride without helmets and we like them anyway.

Preston Tyree
Education Director, League of American Bicyclists
Austin Resident.

By: Monica Leo

Monica Leo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:55:14 +0000

Kudos to Elliott McFadden and Austin on Two Wheels for being willing to take a second look at this story. It’s refreshing to see a journalist exhibit such integrity; and it’s a shame that NY Magazine stirred up a controversy where none existed. Thank you, A2W, for setting the record straight.

By: M1EK

M1EK — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:25:06 +0000

Actually, there is no data that indicates a helmet is safer if you get hit. Case control studies were severely flawed, and population-wide data has shown no detectible benefit from vastly increased helmet use.

By: Peter Smith

Peter Smith — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:59:52 +0000

“A helmet is safer, but a helmet won’t protect you if you get hit by an 18 wheeler.”

To this I would say, a helmet is safer if you get hit, but we’ve seen at least one study that suggests you may be _more_ likely to get hit when you wear a helmet — so we need more data on the question of whether wearing a helmet actually makes one safer.

Once we get through that, then we can talk about the ‘safety in numbers’ phenomenon and all the rest.