Economics can sometimes be a much greater agent of social change than almost anything else. It certainly influenced me today as I found myself parting with nearly 25 earth pounds for something that I think is unnecessary, overrated and possibly dangerous.

The European Leg of the ‘Continental Cycle Climb Challenge’, as hopefully you are already aware, is to take place in Spain this month. In 2004, ‘Espana’ decided to make the wearing of cycle helmets compulsory – a fine of 90 Euros payable by those poor unfortunates refusing to comply. Strangely, there are several exceptions in which a rider does not by law need to wear a helmet; if it is hot, if the rider is in a built up area or if he or she is climbing up a hill.

Erm… anyone who has ever been to Spain would know that a UK equivalent list of exceptions would include: – if it was raining, if it was dull and miserable, if there was a steady flow of aggressive and impatient motorists trying to get past, if  the kids on the estate were trying to happy-slap you, or launch a stick between your spokes…

So it was that I found myself purchasing a Bell Avanti helmet, for the sole purpose of avoiding a 90 Euro fine while cycling through Spain. I got a great deal on the lid but this was scant consolation to the fact that I will need to carry this unnecessary kit with me, and actually wear it for parts of the trip. It worries me that the reason that I would wear a helmet was a fear of financial burden; and not because a coherent and substantiated claim had been made that the wearing of cycle helmets was in my interest.

There are several problems:

Cycle helmets can make you look like a complete dork. This is something that doesn’t bother me massively – my halcyon days of sartorial elegance are long gone. However, for young people (especially teenagers), this could be enough to put them off cycling for good. OK, OK – before I hear you defensively snap that “it’s better to look like a tool than to end up a dead fool etc etc”, in the immortal words of Loyd Grossman, “Let’s loook at the evidennnce..”

The enforcement of helmet wearing in Australia, New Zealand and Canada has greatly increased numbers of cyclists wearing helmets (due to fear of financial / legal punishment), but there have been no reduction in rates of head injury relative to cycle use. Analysis of enforced laws in these countries found no clear evidence that compulsory helmet use was beneficial.

In the States, an increase in helmet use from 18% to 50%  was accompanied by a 10% increase in head injuries; although there was no clear evidence of any overall increase in cycle use.

In the same way that some people claim to have an Uncle Joey who drinks 3 litres of whisky a week, and has smoked 80 a day since he was 3 – and is celebrating his 108th birthday next week; there are several cyclists who will claim ‘a helmet saved my life’ – an exception to the rule, not proof of it. The issue is whether helmeted cyclists are more likely to have a crash than non-helmeted cyclists – due to several factors including ‘risk-compensation’ (I’m wearing a helmet therefore I am safe), the distraction of wearing a helmet (discomfort and irritation) and that a helmeted head is much bigger and therefore much more likely to hit something!

Also, helmets which split-open following a crash are not good evidence that the helmet had stopped a cyclist from suffering a large impact. Helmets are made from polystyrene and are fragile. The forces involved in high impact crashes are sufficient that a helmet will break in roughly 0.001 of a second. The energy absorbed during this incredibly short period is unlikely to make a significant difference to the likelihood of serious injury or death.

If you choose to wear a helmet – then that is 100% your business – and I would always respect someones decision to do so. However, I fear that there is much hype, mis-information and dogma surrounding the use of cycle helmets. I wish that comprehensive, independent studies were  to be carried out on a global scale into the benefits of wearing a cycle helmet.

My greatest fear is that  the UK health and safety executive will  lobby parliament for the introduction of a cycle hemlet law – as a fear-based money-spinner, and not as the result of a substantiated, comprehensive and impartial study. Don’t believe the hype – find out for yourself; become a safer rider through education, improving skill and confidence – and not just from sticking a lid on your head.

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