OT: CSU STUDY SHOWS BICYCLE HELMET USE MUCH LOWER FOR COMMUTING

[Eric Vey]

http://newsinfo.colostate.edu/index.asp?url=news_item_display&news_item_id=814952904

FORT COLLINS - There is a significant difference in bicycle helmet use
between recreational activities and everyday commuting among college
students, according to a recent Colorado State University study.

The study found 40 percent of surveyed students wore helmets every time
for recreational activities like trail riding. For commuting around
town, the rate of helmets worn by those same riders plunged to 9 percent.

"This means students have different risk perceptions for recreation and
commuting," said Itsumi Kakefuda, a social psychology doctoral student,
who conducted the study. "It's very intriguing because before this study
no one figured bicycle helmet use was different."

With the help of the Colorado Injury Control Research Center based at
CSU, Kakefuda surveyed more than 300 student bicycle riders last spring.
The idea for the study stemmed from previous CICRC findings as well as a
traumatic experience suffered by Kakefuda.

In 2004, Kakefuda was riding her bicycle to a Fort Collins grocery store
when a car struck her leaving her unconscious. She was not wearing a helmet.

"When I woke up, I was in an ambulance going to the hospital," she said.
"I suffered a mild brain injury."

Kakefuda, who sustained a concussion, was not wearing a bicycle helmet
because of cultural differences. In her home country of Japan, it is not
a common practice to wear a helmet, she said. Since the injury, she
always straps on a helmet whenever riding her bike.

As for the reason why students only wear their helmets for certain
purposes, Kakefuda suspects a number of factors. She believes students
hold a sense of invincibility as well as the perception that injury is
less likely close to home.

From 2000 to 2002, the CICRC conducted a number of activities following
two bicycle-related deaths in Larimer County in 1999. One of those
activities included mapping reported bicycle-related injury incidents to
Fort Collins police.

The map showed a significant number of bicycle-related injuries happened
around the Colorado State campus, said Julie Gibbs, CICRC associate
director for community programs.

Kakefuda explained one of the biggest challenges is reaching these
students, who only wear helmets for certain activities. She noted many
of these brain injuries would be preventable with more precaution.

"You may not think an injury will happen to you," she said. "This is a
big problem for us. How do we change this kind of perception?"

Kakefuda is currently working with the data she has collected to better
determine the reasons why students do not wear helmets for certain
activities. She is also examining methods in how to change this attitude.

In article <fqkt75$1hr$1@news.datemas.de>, junker@ericvey.com says...


> As for the reason why students only wear their helmets for certain
> purposes, Kakefuda suspects a number of factors. She believes students
> hold a sense of invincibility as well as the perception that injury is
> less likely close to home.

....

> "You may not think an injury will happen to you," she said. "This is a
> big problem for us. How do we change this kind of perception?"

I suppose the easiest way to change that kind of perception would be to
make cycling *be* hazardous. Since it generally *isn't* hazardous, many
people don't *perceive* it as hazardous.

Has she studied why most motorists don't feel the need for helmets?

--
josh@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Braze your own bicycle frames. See
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html>

[carlfogel@comcast.net]

On Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:35:47 -0500, Eric Vey <junker@ericvey.com>
wrote:

>http://newsinfo.colostate.edu/index.asp?url=news_item_display&news_item_id=814952904

[snip]

>The study found 40 percent of surveyed students wore helmets every time
>for recreational activities like trail riding. For commuting around
>town, the rate of helmets worn by those same riders plunged to 9 percent.

[snip]

>Kakefuda, who sustained a concussion, was not wearing a bicycle helmet
>because of cultural differences. In her home country of Japan, it is not
>a common practice to wear a helmet, she said.

[snip]

Dear Eric,

Interesting logic in that article.

First we're told that over 90% of CSU students don't wear helmets
while commuting.

Next we're told that it is not common to wear a helmet in Japan,
either.

It's a mystery how not wearing a helmet in both countries illustrates
a "cultural difference."

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

[Werehatrack]

On Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:35:47 -0500, Eric Vey <junker@ericvey.com>
posted the following quote:

>Kakefuda is currently working with the data she has collected to better
>determine the reasons why students do not wear helmets for certain
>activities. She is also examining methods in how to change this attitude.

On the latter point, the impracticality factor is, IMO, the biggest
problem. I've heard more than a few Rice students complain that
helmets are too hot, and that they're a pain to carry around with you
when going to class (or anywhere else, for that matter). Plus, there
is some anecdotal support for the contention that "it won't happen to
me" is a prevalent attitude; I've heard it expressed more than once.

On the group and solo rides I've made to, from and at Rice, I've noted
the same pattern that was noted in the article; students joining up
with the group rides often wear a helmet even if the ride doesn't
explicitly require it, but students at large on campus and nearby
seldom do. (OTOH, I've also noticed that there don't seem to be many
riding their bikes off campus solo, either.)

I suspect that if an effective and not overly insulative helmet was
available which could be folded up and stashed in a pocket in a matter
of a couple of seconds, usage would go up, but I can't think of any
way to make something which would fit that description and cost less
than a MIL-spec project.

If the U simply required helmet usage, I'm certain that most bikes
would remain parked.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

[SMS]

josh@phred.org wrote:
> In article <fqkt75$1hr$1@news.datemas.de>, junker@ericvey.com says...
>
>
>> As for the reason why students only wear their helmets for certain
>> purposes, Kakefuda suspects a number of factors. She believes students
>> hold a sense of invincibility as well as the perception that injury is
>> less likely close to home.
>
> ...
>
>> "You may not think an injury will happen to you," she said. "This is a
>> big problem for us. How do we change this kind of perception?"
>
> I suppose the easiest way to change that kind of perception would be to
> make cycling *be* hazardous. Since it generally *isn't* hazardous, many
> people don't *perceive* it as hazardous.
>
> Has she studied why most motorists don't feel the need for helmets?

Yes, 'motorists enclosed in a steel reinforced cage, protected by
multiple airbags and restrained by lap belts and shoulder belts feel
that helmets are unlikely to provide additional protection.'

[Werehatrack]

On Tue, 4 Mar 2008 18:49:35 -0800, <josh@phred.org> may have said:

>Has she studied why most motorists don't feel the need for helmets?

Presumably not. Have you? (Some quick guesses: Most of them have
never been in a crash in which a head injury reducable by helmet usage
was a factor or a danger, and never will be. And most who have been
in a crash found the vehicle's current safety equipment adequate. Add
to that the fact that wearing a helmet while driving an automobile on
the streets and highways can, in some cases, be considered prima facie
evidence of participation in illegal street racing...)

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

[datakoll]

> Has she studied why most motorists don't feel the need for helmets?

no. her brain was damaged.

advert helmets as increasing sexual activity

In article <47ce21fc$0$36373$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>,
scharf.steven@geemail.com says...
> josh@phred.org wrote:
> > In article <fqkt75$1hr$1@news.datemas.de>, junker@ericvey.com says...
> >
> >
> >> As for the reason why students only wear their helmets for certain
> >> purposes, Kakefuda suspects a number of factors. She believes students
> >> hold a sense of invincibility as well as the perception that injury is
> >> less likely close to home.
> >
> > ...
> >
> >> "You may not think an injury will happen to you," she said. "This is a
> >> big problem for us. How do we change this kind of perception?"
> >
> > I suppose the easiest way to change that kind of perception would be to
> > make cycling *be* hazardous. Since it generally *isn't* hazardous, many
> > people don't *perceive* it as hazardous.
> >
> > Has she studied why most motorists don't feel the need for helmets?
>
> Yes, 'motorists enclosed in a steel reinforced cage, protected by
> multiple airbags and restrained by lap belts and shoulder belts feel
> that helmets are unlikely to provide additional protection.'

And yet motorists are generally at a higher risk for helmet-preventable
head injuries than cyclists.

If motorists don't feel the need for helmets, it should be no surprise
that people at less risk than motorists also don't feel the need for
helmets.

--
josh@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Braze your own bicycle frames. See
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html>

[Pat]

>
> First we're told that over 90% of CSU students don't wear helmets
> while commuting.
>
> Next we're told that it is not common to wear a helmet in Japan,
> either.
>
> It's a mystery how not wearing a helmet in both countries illustrates
> a "cultural difference."
>
> Cheers,
>
> Carl Fogel

Oh, it's no mystery for me. US students think wearing a helmet where
non-cycling friends could see them would make them "nerdy." I have no idea
what the Japanese think.

I visited a site that explained that people in the Netherlands do not wear
helmets because it isn't seen as being "cool" by their friends.

Pat in TX

[frkrygow@gmail.com]

On Mar 5, 1:44 pm, "Pat" <t...@tock.com> wrote:
> > First we're told that over 90% of CSU students don't wear helmets
> > while commuting.
>
> > Next we're told that it is not common to wear a helmet in Japan,
> > either.
>
> > It's a mystery how not wearing a helmet in both countries illustrates
> > a "cultural difference."
>
> > Cheers,
>
> > Carl Fogel
>
> Oh, it's no mystery for me. US students think wearing a helmet where
> non-cycling friends could see them would make them "nerdy." I have no idea
> what the Japanese think.
>
> I visited a site that explained that people in the Netherlands do not wear
> helmets because it isn't seen as being "cool" by their friends.

I'd bet it's not seen as being necessary, either. Which is, of
course, correct.

- Frank Krygowski

[Werehatrack]

On Wed, 5 Mar 2008 23:39:26 -0800, <josh@phred.org> may have said:

>In article <47ce21fc$0$36373$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>,
>scharf.steven@geemail.com says...
>> josh@phred.org wrote:
>> > In article <fqkt75$1hr$1@news.datemas.de>, junker@ericvey.com says...
>> >
>> >
>> >> As for the reason why students only wear their helmets for certain
>> >> purposes, Kakefuda suspects a number of factors. She believes students
>> >> hold a sense of invincibility as well as the perception that injury is
>> >> less likely close to home.
>> >
>> > ...
>> >
>> >> "You may not think an injury will happen to you," she said. "This is a
>> >> big problem for us. How do we change this kind of perception?"
>> >
>> > I suppose the easiest way to change that kind of perception would be to
>> > make cycling *be* hazardous. Since it generally *isn't* hazardous, many
>> > people don't *perceive* it as hazardous.
>> >
>> > Has she studied why most motorists don't feel the need for helmets?
>>
>> Yes, 'motorists enclosed in a steel reinforced cage, protected by
>> multiple airbags and restrained by lap belts and shoulder belts feel
>> that helmets are unlikely to provide additional protection.'
>
>And yet motorists are generally at a higher risk for helmet-preventable
>head injuries than cyclists.

Cite, please? I sincerely doubt that it is possible to quantify the
risks involved for either group, let alone assess the degree to which
the risks could be mitigated by a helmet. Between the random factors,
the complicated physics, and the scarcity of adequately analyzable
incidents to draw practical actuarial data from, potential injury
reduction analysis is very difficult.

>If motorists don't feel the need for helmets, it should be no surprise
>that people at less risk than motorists also don't feel the need for
>helmets.

I consider the apparent contention that there is a connection between
the two as being asserted without proof. Cycling and automobile
operation are, IME, much more often viewed as being inherently
different activities with greatly different levels of risk. Certainly
all of the comments I have heard support that position; most people
whose opinions I've heard expressed feel that their car constitutes
protection as good as they are going to get while driving, but they
feel that they are vulnerable to severe injury (not just head injury)
as a result of the actions of negligent or malicious drivers of motor
vehcles if they go out on a bike. This latter opinion is one I hear
expressed repeatedly as the reason why the bulk of those persons
neither own nor ride a bike.

Apples and oranges.

IME, people wear helmets when they feel that the hassle is worth it,
while those who don't will give a multitude of reasons, some of which
are blatantly at odds with each other.

Frankly, I don't care what any specific individual does. That's their
business. But trying to tell them what they should think is foolish.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

[A Muzi]

> Eric Vey <junker@ericvey.com> posted the following quote:
>> Kakefuda is currently working with the data she has collected to better
>> determine the reasons why students do not wear helmets for certain
>> activities. She is also examining methods in how to change this attitude.

Werehatrack wrote:
> On the latter point, the impracticality factor is, IMO, the biggest
> problem. I've heard more than a few Rice students complain that
> helmets are too hot, and that they're a pain to carry around with you
> when going to class (or anywhere else, for that matter). Plus, there
> is some anecdotal support for the contention that "it won't happen to
> me" is a prevalent attitude; I've heard it expressed more than once.
>
> On the group and solo rides I've made to, from and at Rice, I've noted
> the same pattern that was noted in the article; students joining up
> with the group rides often wear a helmet even if the ride doesn't
> explicitly require it, but students at large on campus and nearby
> seldom do. (OTOH, I've also noticed that there don't seem to be many
> riding their bikes off campus solo, either.)
>
> I suspect that if an effective and not overly insulative helmet was
> available which could be folded up and stashed in a pocket in a matter
> of a couple of seconds, usage would go up, but I can't think of any
> way to make something which would fit that description and cost less
> than a MIL-spec project.
>
> If the U simply required helmet usage, I'm certain that most bikes
> would remain parked.

A few years ago we sold an Israeli folding helmet - complete with belt
clip! - which was an abject failure with the riding public despite being
the same price as any other basic helmet.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Davy.Haynes@gmail.com]

On Mar 6, 9:38 am, Werehatrack <raul...@earthWEEDSlink.net> wrote:
>
> I suspect that if an effective and not overly insulative helmet was
> available which could be folded up and stashed in a pocket in a matter
> of a couple of seconds, usage would go up, but I can't think of any
> way to make something which would fit that description and cost less
> than a MIL-spec project.
>

We used to call those cycling caps :-) Good ones are now hard to find
(at least without gaudy team advertisements).

Davy Haynes

[Werehatrack]

On Thu, 6 Mar 2008 08:30:55 -0800 (PST), datakoll <datakoll@yahoo.com>
may have said:

>
>> Has she studied why most motorists don't feel the need for helmets?
>
>no. her brain was damaged.
>
>advert helmets as increasing sexual activity

Now there's a marketing plan.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

[carlfogel@comcast.net]

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:28:22 -0600, A Muzi <am@yellowjersey.org>
wrote:

>A few years ago we sold an Israeli folding helmet - complete with belt
>clip! - which was an abject failure with the riding public despite being
>the same price as any other basic helmet.

Dear Andrew,

Was the Israeli folding helmet just soft padding like an old-fashioned
hairnet, or was it sections of hard styrofoam and plastic?

I'd love to see a picture.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

[A Muzi]

> A Muzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>> A few years ago we sold an Israeli folding helmet - complete with belt
>> clip! - which was an abject failure with the riding public despite being
>> the same price as any other basic helmet.

carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:
> Was the Israeli folding helmet just soft padding like an old-fashioned
> hairnet, or was it sections of hard styrofoam and plastic?
> I'd love to see a picture.

No photo; An ABS outer shell with styrofoam-like liner in three segments
with an ABS pivot front and rear, straps and Fastex like any other $30
helmet.

here's a similar current product from UK:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/stash_folding_b.php

but not in bright primary colors.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[datakoll]

If the U simply required helmet usage, I'm certain that most bikes
would remain parked.

nada. Current crop will conform or get a negative future rating.

butbutbut so far yawl missing the point.

riders do stuff caws its cool, sexy attractive, narcisstic, feel good,
stimulates whoremoan production...

NOT YOU off course butbutbut given 100 riders at random, the
preseeding sentence is accurat

THUSK, when riders don their gunbelts assembled ahcoooootramah to
RIDE, said riders beat their meat with a helmet.

BUTBUTBUT, the commuter or nab rider, he/she/?, that's a different
kettle of crabs. The helmet may reverse image meanings, the helmet is
now nerdy, play racer, mitty pro. A cool hairdo, sunglasses, the
Tropez approach more functional for the imagined sexual confluence.

another way of approaching the idea is, are people as a total group
who buy bikes riding or next up, training to ride?
answer is no. Very few people are training to ride (as a new sport)
and most bikes sit in the garage.

One group wears helmets as gunbelts (or USPS racing suits) one wears
sunglasses and aftershave.

[carlfogel@comcast.net]

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:50:04 -0600, A Muzi <am@yellowjersey.org>
wrote:

>> A Muzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>>> A few years ago we sold an Israeli folding helmet - complete with belt
>>> clip! - which was an abject failure with the riding public despite being
>>> the same price as any other basic helmet.
>
>carlfogel@comcast.net wrote:
>> Was the Israeli folding helmet just soft padding like an old-fashioned
>> hairnet, or was it sections of hard styrofoam and plastic?
>> I'd love to see a picture.
>
>No photo; An ABS outer shell with styrofoam-like liner in three segments
>with an ABS pivot front and rear, straps and Fastex like any other $30
>helmet.
>
>here's a similar current product from UK:
>http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/stash_folding_b.php
>
>but not in bright primary colors.

Dear Andrew,

Thanks!

The links seem to be dead, but here's a page that shows the helmet
folding up:
http://www.stashkit.com/design.htm

The purple animation shows the sides rotating inward.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

[datakoll]

Stash locks down right?