TEDxCopenhagen - Mikael Colville-Andersen - Why We Shouldn't Bike with a Helmet

Copenhagen's bicycle ambassador talks about how important the bicycle is for liveable cities and how bicycle helmets are threatening bicycle culture.

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[KrunchyJD]

And the safest places to ride a bike are The Netherlands and Still Denmark where few people wear helmets. Control and restrict car drivers and you will get more safety then making cyclists wear helmets. Here in Idiotland Australia where helmet use is compulsory it is far more dangerous to ride a bike then in The Netherlands where no one wears a helmet. Because they seperate cyclists properly, and we do everything for the bloody motorist. Restrict cars, not cyclists.

[BartBart22]

For those that flippantly deny the speaker's research numbers these two web sites have gathered numerous studies (peer reviewed) and articles on the topic, vehicularcyclist (dot) .com & cyclehelmets (dot) org.

Mr Colville-Andersen's claims are the opposite of emotional contrary to some assertions, they are rational and fact based and if anyone wants to challenge them do the minimum amount of research.

[Webgkil]

Still waiting for the reason NOT to wear a helmet while riding...

[AloisMahdal]

That's part of why I enjoy my *step-scooter* here in Brno, Czech Rep.: It's because you shouldn't be riding bike be on the pavement, but riding it on a road? Way too dangerous to be enjoyable.

(So far?) step-scooter is kind of a compromise between biking and walking: generally you don't get frowned upon when seen on the pavement, and if pavement is too narrow you don't get frowned upon if you go few dozens of meters on an empty road.

[NewYorkCityUSA7]

You're obviously immune to facts and logic.

[KrunchyJD]

"people stop cycling because they have to wear a helmet".

The fact is people do stop riding bicycles if they have to wear a helmet. The best thing to do to make cycling safer is to have more cyclists. So by forcing people to wear a helmet, or saying cycling is dangerous we actually make cycling more dangerous, by increasing the number of cars, and reducing the number of bikes. Because there is less people biking there is also less demand for safe cycling infrastructure adding more danger.

[papa lazaru]

No helmet.

I live on the edge.

[filip000]

You sir, are a victim of fallacy of correlation. Let me explain:

In the last 50 years, there has been a significant rise of CO2 in the atmosphere. Also, in the last 50 years crime rates have more than doubled. By your logic: CO2 causes crime. See?

Cyclists aren't better in traffic because of helmets...it's because culture and awareness have risen. It's because there are more bike paths and more alert drivers. Please stop hurting others with your ignorance.

[Voxnulla]

"No helmet DEAD"

Baseless assumption and probably false. In all the cases where you are frontally hit by a car, a helmet with do squat for you do to the forces and mechanics involved.

If you are run off the bike and fall, most people are able to execute a rolling fall instinctively. If you are clumsy then you'll probably break a wrist or arm, hit your shoulder with possible socket damage or dislocation or suffer trauma to the neck. Headwounds are mostly superficial although they bleed like fuck.

[Voxnulla]

Judging by your comment, there is nothing inside your nugget worth protecting with a helmet.