Comment 912

By adrian (registered) | Posted September 13, 2006 at 09:23:10

I think the research might be valid in the UK, but in this case, I think the differences between that country and Canada are significant.

I haven't been to the UK, but if it is anything like the other countries I have been to in Europe, then I bet that the roads are much narrower than they are here, and that many more people use bicycles as a form of transportation, rather than for recreation, and so challenging, off-road riding (mountain biking) is less common.

This matters because on narrow roads, drivers are more likely to get close to you because they have fewer options of space. He says that when wearing a helmet, drivers were twice as likely to get close to him, on average within 8.5cm. Cars never get that close to me when riding. Most cars give me a half-metre at least.

As well, bicycles used for transportation are commonly found on roadways. Bicycles used for recreation are commonly found on trails where no cars are present. In Canada, I'm guessing that not wearing your helmet while riding frequently means riding on challenging off-road trails without a helmet, and that means increased risk. Surely riding headlong into a tree is more dangerous without a helmet.

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