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Education Using bicycle helmet cameras?

Discussion in 'General' started by bigsharn, 29 Oct 2011.

  1. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    I do it all the time... you'll notice almost all my posts over a certain length are edited. Type fast... edit later :)
     
  2. €gr€s

    €gr€s What's a Dremel?

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    Gentlemen, been a lurker on this great server for a long time, but now i had to find my old login and pwd and add my two cents:

    Many of you mention various Highway Codes etc. For gods sake, forget the law, use your bloody head.

    Yes, it is just simple as that. No exceptions.

    So what, cycling in pairs next to each other is not forbidden? Well, maybe it isn't, but if you managed to behave yourself, ride in a way that you are clearly readable (not sure if this is a good expression, man from Slovakia here) and try to be tolerant. If you know you are slowing traffic behind you, try to help the ones behind you. Wave if they can overtake you if you have better view of the road than them. If it helps, stop and move away for a few seconds. I know that's what i would have done. And it doesn't matter if sitting in a car or on a bike. When driving a car, I try to cooperate with faster drivers too and you know what? They don't stick on my rear bumper and after overtaking, 90% of them thank me.

    Riding on a pavement is illegal? It is in Slovakia too. But well, whatever.. tell me, what does your head tell you, when there are 1000+ kg pieces of metal behind you and next to you is rather nice pavement with occasional person on it. For crying out loud, use the bloody pavement and communicate with the people on it. Make eye contact. Be predictable, do not decide in the last second, which side will you pass the oncoming person on. When passing someone from behind, do not be too fast and too close. Do not cross paths of other people. Sad thing is, intelligent person would do that if there was no law at all, but, not many of those left. In fact, I would rather live in a world with no laws. People would always find their way to live and handle situations. And they would do it the. logical. way. !

    When the bicycle lane is 4ft wide and the law dictates you should be 3ft from the kerb, what does your head tell you? My head tells me, that I would like to be in the safer part. And I believe, it is much safer somewhere between 1~2ft from the kerb, than nearly in the car lane. Handlebars on road bicycles are 40~60cm (1.3-1.9 ft) wide, half of it is 0.65~0.95ft, so if you follow the law, you can be 0.35~0.05ft from the car lane. Do you know what will happen if someone will even slightly touch your handlebar with the mirror? On your bloody road bike with high center of gravity, you will most probably fall. And if you fall under another car's wheels, no matter whose fault that was, you will be dead.

    Long story short version again - do you really need the law to tell you what's good and what's evil? Use. Your. Head.

    :wallbash:
     
    Last edited: 1 Nov 2011
  3. bigsharn

    bigsharn Officially demotivated

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    Road users in Slovakia are a LOT more polite than the ones in the UK then



    Out of those cars, one thanked me for pulling over. Granted, usually I manage the 20mph limit, but you can hear from my breathing that I was struggling that day :p


    York is full of tourists from all over the place, some are polite and courteous and some just stand there and expect you to go around them. Until you're within feet of hitting them, you have no idea which of the groups they are. The video above is a bad example because it's 11am outside a rural school, but the majority of the time there are a shedload of people on the pavement and navigating them, even at walking pace is impossible.

    It's all well and good it being safer on the pavement, but as soon as a copper clocks you on the pavement in the UK you're usually in for a £30 fine, regardless of the traffic.


    Personally, I stay in the lane with the cars the majority of the time. People think that because you're in a cycle lane, that 4" or so of white paint is going to protect you, even if they stray into your lane.

    People are thick, and you have to ride assuming that everyone is going to make mistakes and hit you (yes, I know that's rich coming from me, but at least I admit it when I cock up).
     
  4. julianmartin

    julianmartin resident cyborg.

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    I also have a double crown. I cannot find what you mean and my understanding of a double crown relates to hair growth only, as does the rest of the internet's understanding of a double crown. Can you cite what you mean please, for my own benefit?

    And what do you mean the only kind of helmet you can "physically wear safely" are motorcycle helmets? So, non motorcycle helmets do damage? Or is this your quasi-placebo helmet sickness talking again?
     
  5. €gr€s

    €gr€s What's a Dremel?

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    Well, it depends.. it is getting worse every day. people are fckn sheep. For example, few years ago when the police stupidheads measured speed somewhere, the oncoming cars were blinking like christmas tree to warn you. Then a novel of a law came out, that flashing lights is subject to a fine, cca 60 euros. Nowadays, only christmas tree is me and maybe 2 cars out of 100. Stupidheads even drive around in unmarked cars when their mates are measuring speed and try to fine blinking drivers. Stopped me three times, told them to FO three times. (i know the law better than they - i can legally warn other drivers that i am going to overtake them, or there is something dangerous, say a dog on the road, or a few idiots in green outfits trying to get some money from you :) )

    I know the feeling, people generally sucks. Police sucks few times more. Don't you have something called "material aspect"? Here the breach of the law has two aspects - formal and material. Formal is breaching the written law, for example going over the speed limit. Material is, that someone must have been influenced in a bad way with your action. So going 160 kph on a highway, no traffic, no towns, with 130kph legal limit at 02:00 at night is perfectly fine, no material aspect. Of course, cops will try to shake their little fists and write you a fine - they have no idea about those aspects. Fortunately, when you mention it and tell them, that they could try to fine you, but you wont agree and take it to the court, you will win.

    On the other hand, UK is probably the most orwellian country in Europe, so I would not be surprised if cop's last word was the last thing you could do about that and nothing would help you get rid of the fine.
     
  6. bigsharn

    bigsharn Officially demotivated

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    I've always been told it's called a double crown, but there may be another name for it. I have a decent sized lump on my head where my skull didn't grow properly and bicycle helmets don't fit properly.

    Wearing a helmet that doesn't fit correctly does more harm than good in an accident:
    The brain can get banged against the skull wall and cause a clot or a bleed.
    If the helmet doesn't fit properly it can come off, offering no protection at all, and can even cause whiplash or break your neck if it slides back far enough.

    (full face) Motorcycle helmets are padded with fabric rather than solid styrofoam so fit me comfortably and safely, but are far too warm for cycling in.


    There is of course also this study carried out by the University of Bath, that wearing a helmet makes people drive closer to you, because you're more protected so they subconciously believe they can be more reckless. This has no bearing on my beliefs, but it's one of the most used anti-helmet arguments and worth posting for that reason alone.
     
  7. mvagusta

    mvagusta Did a skid that went for two weeks.

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    I don't understand how it's possible to get a full face helmet on, but a bicycle helmet won't sit on top... maybe you just need a haircut?

    Short hair and a vented helmet will feel much like a med/long hair and no helmet, except if your head bumps something, then there's a massive difference!
    I'd use duct tape to hold a helmet in place if that's what it took, but I'm sure there's no need to go that far. Visit the biggest bike store near you, I bet they have a helmet that fits your head.
    If you still want to get so close to cars, then get some elbow and knee pads too.

    As for not wearing a helmet to keep cars away from you, even better results would be had if you rode without clothing, but I wouldn't do that, since clothing is like a second skin should you fall.
     
  8. Picarro

    Picarro What's a Dremel?

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    Wait. So what you are saying is that if you ride with an ill fitting helmet the brain will bang against the skull wall. What exactly happens then, when your head hits the pavement at 20 mph? Does the brain go "Oh, no foam around me, I don't have to hit the skull wall then"?

    Yes, if your helmet does not fit properly it can cause problems due to sliding off but with modern helmets the amount of adjustment options are endless. My head is large and funny-shaped but I can still wear my Specialized helmet no problem.
     
  9. bigsharn

    bigsharn Officially demotivated

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    Unfortunately, we don't have two aspects to the law. The law is the law and if you break it for whatever reason the police can be arseholes about it and prosecute you if they're having a bad day, just to piss you off. Luckily there are little loopholes that we get away with, like a cyclist isn't classed as a motorised vehicle, so usinga mobile phone and speeding aren't illegal (though are still frowned upon)

    <warning, tangent>
    I used to ride this on the pavement, which under UK law is completely legal (and you're not allowed on the road if you're travelling at <8mph), it took me 20 minutes to explain to a copper the law, and he still slapped me with a £30 fine. (I went to the police station and got it revoked by the senior traffic bloke... but it was still an inconvenience)
    </tangent>


    My DP was taken New Year's last year, it's now cut to ~grade 4 length (though I'm due another cut soon)

    Bet they don't :) Halfords do them in my size, but they're incredibly uncomfortable (meaning they dig right into my bump), and Evans were the ones that put me in contact with a bespoke helmet maufacturer.

    Admittedly, I wear thick, gravel-burn-preventing clothing, then a cardigan/coat over the top. Still protected and people just think I'm larger than I am.

    I'm saying a badly fitted helmet is as bad as no helmet, and I'd rather not pay £50 for the same level of protection as I already have.

    *ninjapost*
    Do it. I condone pavement cycling as much as you do.
    Just be warned, you can be taken to court for damages to the bike and whatever time off work the cyclist needs to recover.
     
    Last edited: 1 Nov 2011
  10. sp4nky

    sp4nky BF3: Aardfrith WoT: McGubbins

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    Just like the cyclist that likes to hit cars if they get too close, I'm tempted to start hitting cyclists if they get too close on the pavement.
     
  11. €gr€s

    €gr€s What's a Dremel?

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    +1
    Do it. It's the only way most of them will ever learn. Over here I and a couple of friends managed to teach some ~15-18yr old kids to behave themselves on bikes. Year or two ago there was a "boom" of relatively cheap but relatively good looking DH/FR/dirt street bicycles, so many of the kids got them and they were everywhere. I especially hated when they rode on the full pavements wildly zigzagging between people, often cutting their paths.

    Simple solution.. when they are coming onto you and you are sure they will get uncomfortably close, reach out and press the front brake very hard (front is usually on the left from riders perspective). They will go over the bars and hit the ground quite hard. Yelling "pass anyone that close and that fast one more time and i will shove your bike up your ass" works quite well :) Did it ~5 times, my friends too, word spread and they now behave themselves quite fine.
     
  12. mvagusta

    mvagusta Did a skid that went for two weeks.

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    How about cutting off a bit of the foam where it digs in?

    I assume this lump isn't huge, so there'd still be heaps of foam around your head, otherwise, a delicate head is even more reason to wear a good helmet!

    Or since full face helmets fit fine, how about a highly vented one, with no visor or a detachable visor?
    [​IMG]

    Too much heat will be easy to fix, wear some lighter clothing!
    And I also forgot to mention gloves, there are heaps of highly vented ones, that feel like you are wearing nothing on your hands, and much more comfy than going without.

    Riding amongst traffic is serious business, ATGATT!
     
    sp4nky likes this.
  13. format

    format What's a Dremel?

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    Might be worth pointing out that I see police cyclists going two abreast on a regular basis.
     
  14. mvagusta

    mvagusta Did a skid that went for two weeks.

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    Might be worth pointing out that Police cyclists don't ride anywhere without Helmet and gloves.

    Sure a helmet might not be able to guarantee total skull and brain protection past ~10mph, but it sure will provide a hell of a lot more protection than going without! Even at 40mph, the protection offered by an average bicycle helmet might be small, but even then it's still much better than nothing!
    A layer of foam around a skull will provide absorption = slowing down any impact = less g force on the skull and the grey matter = less skull and brain damage = good thing, trust me on this one.

    Imagine being stationary, 0mph, and a car accidentally bumps into you... it's totally unexpected, you're just waiting at the lights, so you fall over, and before you can say sweet mother of cheesecake, your head crashes into the kerb :worried:
    You don't even scream, you're knocked out, your skull's cracked, brain is bruised and damaged, and you're bleeding profusely... if that car decides to do a runner, you're left lying there at the traffic lights, bleeding to death, and you were doing 0mph.

    Most cyclists I see ride without gloves, but if they have a fall, the road can easily shred the skin from their hands = not pleasant experience.
    Just imagine getting through a day with your hands covered in bandage :waah:
    Maybe you could still fap, but not much else is getting done :hehe:
     
  15. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    ...You're upset that you have to wait like everyone else on the road?

    You arrogant, self important, git.

    Wear a helmet, too. Otherwise, looking at the standard of your riding, when you get hit someone is going to kill you, and they'll have to carry that burden because you were too lazy/cheap to find an appropriate set of protective clothing for cycling.

    So far you're in the same column of road users as motorcyclists that refuse to wear leathers when riding.

    If you think that is okay, then you really are an inconsiderate gibbon who deserves to wait at junctions.
     
  16. bigsharn

    bigsharn Officially demotivated

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    Defeats the purpose a bit, and being far from the steadiest of hands I don't fancy wrecking a £50 helmet

    It's not that it's delicate, in fact the skull's just thicker therethan it should be :p

    I can't see properly out of a full face helmet when I check over my shoulder, and bike mirrors won't fit onto my drop handlebars anywhere, because there's nowhere to attach them without impeding my braking. I have looked into this :p

    Won't stop my head being horrible and hot and sweaty, and this is what causes the sickness.

    and

    I wear protective gloves, and a thick underlayer like I said before... Let's just say that if and when I come off, I doubt road rash will be something to worry about :p

    It's just a pity they know nothing about road positioning or how to actually ride a bike

    I'm still not convinced that chipping away at a helmet would get one to fit properly, or provide any protection should I hit the floor, especially seeing as I've knackered the integrity by taking a hacksaw to it

    It won't happen, I'm clipped in on my right hand side at all times, so if I'm going down, I'm going to hit the tarmac, not the kerb.


    No. I'm annoyed that nobody let me merge with their line of traffic, even though I was indicating to turn. Rule 163 states "only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so", and 167 says "DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example... when a road user is indicating right, even if you believe the signal should have been cancelled. Do not take a risk; wait for the signal to be cancelled"


    My bike is pedal powered yet I still wear thick protective clothing underneath my civvies when I'm riding... So how do you work that one out?

    You're in the same column of idiocy as the people in government in favour of giving more money to other countries when we're still waist deep in manure ourselves. (Debate for a different day though methinks)
     
  17. mucgoo

    mucgoo Minimodder

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    Personally I'd choose to wear a helmet over protective cloths when road cycling every time. Protecting your head and brain is much more important than preventing grazing or broken limbs and such by protective clothing. Also the thermal insulation and hence discomfort from a helmet is surely much lower than an extra layer of padded clothing.
     
  18. mvagusta

    mvagusta Did a skid that went for two weeks.

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    I didn't mean to use a hacksaw or damage the helmet's outer shell, just to trim a little bit of the internal foam, with the intention of customizing the helmet's foam to better suit your head. This maximises the internal contact surface area = maximum load distribution in an impact = safer.
    It's worth even wrecking a few helmets if that's what it takes to protect your head imo, otherwise I'd just pay for a custom made one.

    And yeah I know, a full face helmet does seem a bit much, but considering bicyclists can hit the same speeds as motorbikes, and face the same obstacles such as kerbs, poles, other cars, etc, so it seems crazy to me that cyclists only wear these little things that don't even protect their whole heads! Even crazier is to not even wear a helmet at all :hehe:

    But yeah, sure plenty of cops don't follow the road rules, but that is a perk of wearing the uniform.
    There's an idea actually, impersonate an officer, and you too can enjoy the benefits of having everyone give way to you! When you want to turn right for example, people will stop for you!
    If you get busted and charged, feel free to blame me for it :D

    You know, you do seem to have a fairly hard head bigsharn, so I dunno, maybe you don't need a helmet?

    /badoomtish :lol:
     
  19. identikit

    identikit Minimodder

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    A full face helmet is a bad idea because it can restrict your vision and stops you from being able to look over your shoulder.
     
  20. MarkW7

    MarkW7 Total Noob

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    That's rubish, nearly all motorcyclists including myself wear a full face helmet.
     

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