Dutch cyclists talk helmets and bicycles

[@windsurfer]

If you like this video, check this one out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boXIm2ebh8qtY5o

[@m4d3y3m00dy]

Seen already! :) Thanks for pointing out anyway! :)

[@georgewashington8338]

I started at around 1pm....lol

[@gnawershreth]

A lot of people don't seem to get that in the Netherlands, Denmark etc. cycling is transport. Look at them, they're wearing normal clothes. They're not going out there to sweat like crazy. Lower speed = Fewer serious accidents. Just like with cars. That doesn't mean they're going 5 km/h though. It's probably closer to 15-20 km/h for the average cyclist. Of course we have people who ride their bikes for sports, exercise etc. as well, but they're riding out of the city center. There's way too many bikes on the bike lanes for them to have a good race/work out around the center of Amsterdam anyway. They'll usually use the bike paths along highways or find some remote country side road to do their racing in. Are there times when a helmet could save a life? Sure, there is. And there are times when a full motocross safety "suit" would save a life, but I don't see people wanting to use those. There are so few accidents in the first place though, and most of those aren't head-related at all. It's just people falling over hurting their hand, wrist, shoulder, elbow, knee etc. and a lot of the fatal car-bike accidents are not fatal because the cyclist aren't wearing a helmet. They're fatal because a car just hit a guy going 50+ km/h. Would helmets be a good idea? Perhaps. They would be just as good an idea for pedestrians and drivers of cars though. That's why they use helmets in car racing. You're much more likely to smash your head into the steering wheel or windscreen in a car crash than a cyclist is hitting their head by falling over.. And even if their were to fall over and hit their head, it happens at a fractions of the speed of head injuries in cars. The main safety feature is education/knowledge among cyclists, pedestrians and drivers alike. They know the rules, they know how to act around each other etc. Chances are the guy driving the car also owns a bike or that his kid, colleague etc. rides a bike to school/work every day. Bikes aren't some strange alien object to people over here.

[@jimbobeire]

Gnawer Shreth I just passed through the Nederlands by bike and I was wearing my helmet simply because it was the easiest way to carry it. (Going to UK and Ireland so definitely want it there, esp for the extra mirror). In Rotterdam I saw one other adult wearing a helmet. It is just so much safer cycling there. Then I get to London and cycling in the city centre is just such a crazy thing.

[@Pidalin]

I've just been shopping with my bike here in Czech Republic and I was riding more than 35 km/h on straight road. That cyclicst in Netherlands look like snails. I would prefer walking than biking such slow in bike traffic jams.

[@robberth6947]

Ondřej Matějka , we do the same when we bike for sport, not for transportation to work or scool

[@obama69890]

@@Pidalin dude I go 22 kph and that is wayy faster than walking

[@Pidalin]

@@obama69890 I am walking much faster than most of people and if you are going somewhere 1 kilometer, it can be faster walk because you don't have to lock and unlock your bike in front of shop and such things.

[@UncleVoodoo]

As a cyclist in the USA, I don’t wear a helmet when commuting. I’m more likely to be shot than be killed riding my bike, I don’t wear a bullet prof vest either.

[@Joiedevivredesilives]

You are safe knowing you have Medicare for all , oops

[@RoarofdalioN]

@@Joiedevivredesilives you do know that when people get shot in America they still have to treat you right?

[@bramvanduijn8086]

I heard bullet proof vests are illegal in the US, is that true?

[@KeVIn-pm7pu]

@@RoarofdalioN Happy to know a still can live in crippiling debts

[@Daniel-pc1mh]

We laugh about the helmet question cause we've been cycling all our lives. As a kid we start of with 'zijwieltjes', which basically are wheels next to your rear wheel. We ride like that for a few months and after that we just ride normal bikes all our lives, so it basically became like walking for us. Also our biking infrastructure is much better compared to other countries, which makes cycling a lot safer here.

[@kudosbudo]

I'm guessing most dutch people just don't fall off? If thats teh case then you don't get GOOD at falling off yeah? See falling off is learnable. Any MTB or BMX rider knows this. You get good at bailing. So when WE fall off we don't injure ourselves unless its some really crazy crash. WHEN YOU fall off at low speed and don't catch it you go down like a sack of shit with risk of head damage cos you don't have teh training and don't have the skill to fall properly cos your infrastructure is SO SAFE you never learn how to deal with dangerous events. You never get teh skills to ride safely really. I'll ask this. How many Dutch people can front brake skids for over 3 meters without the front wheel slsipping out? Thats my max so far with a lot of practice. #You might think why learn that skill? Well its actualy saved me three time snow in severely wet conditions where i have either managed to ride outa front wheel slip in bad conditions OR get a leg down fast to stop a fall. The point i'm trying to make is this. Dutch riding is so safe and secure you never actually have to get any of teh skills that are worth learnign to make cycling safer meaning you all really should be wearing helmets...

[@mariadebake5483]

@@kudosbudo We don't fall. If we should we don't fall on the head, but on the side, maybe grazing an elbow or a hand. Because we ride a so-called dutch city bike, where you sit in a straight, upright position. Also we ride slow speed, should you begin to fall it's easy to just put your foot down on the ground. Also we don't have mountains, it's totally flat here. The dutch are very good and experienced riders who are able to do (and really do) things on their bike you wouldn't believe possible and you wouldn't be able to do yourself. Helmets are not needed by us and nobody would wear one. Only professional bikers who ride very fast need them. Not the usual normal dutchie riding from A to B, for transportation

[@starbase218]

@@kudosbudo Well in winter conditions it might be prudent to mentally train yourself for the off chance of falling off. Sometimes you have to be more careful as well, under those conditions. But falling off from being hit by a car? That happens maybe a few times in someones life. Except of course we have MTB and BMX riders as well, who cycle for sport and not to get from A to B. I see no reason why those people in The Netherlands would be any less adept at falling than in other countries. Also, saying what we should or should not do as an outsider is ehmm.. let’s just say we won’t lose any sleep over it. We don’t wear helmets and we don’t learn those techniques (except for those winter conditions) because it’s really not necessary.

[@Lara-zu1bx]

I'm Dutch. I used to attend Utrecht University. I was an International Law Student. I would have graduated in December 2021 with a master's degree. Unfortunately, because The Netherlands does not believe in laws to mandate head protection, I fell off my bicycle on August 10th, 2021, and passed away on the 11th at 22.03. I sustained brain bruising, swelling, and pressure that couldn't be relieved. I was only 23 and born on November 22, 1997. My name was Lara.

[@rudib4353]

@@Lara-zu1bx Ik ben ook Nederlander. Omdat er geen wet is die mij als voetganger voorschrijft een helm te dragen, ben ik laatst mijn hoofd verloren toen ik aangereden werd door een personenauto.

[@rikeuachr]

I have cycled round Holland two times and I always thought Dutch people had perfect English .Infact some of the Dutch speak better English than the British .Love your country !

[@wilhelm7635]

Gewoon niet op je bakkus vallen dan heb je ook geen helm nodig

[@bananarama1]

Maar dan moet je ook even de historie bekijken waarom mensen hier niet op hun bakkus vallen, en in het buitenland wel. Sinds 1970 is hier de fiets-infrastructuur structureel beter geworden. Elk jaar weer. Daar hebben andere landen "geen last van", daar is alles weggegeven aan auto's ed. En dan heb je het ook over wetgeving (grotere voertuig heeft altijd schuld), over opvoeding (fietsen met je kinderen vanaf 3 of 4 jaar oud), over eductatie ("fiets-lessen" op school), samenleving (voor schoolgaande kinderen uitgedachte fietsroutes) , over veel meer als alleen een fiestpad. En *zeker* meer als "alleen niet op je bakkus vallen"

[@Diggnuts]

rldsoftware, Onze fiets intrafstructuur doet voornamelijk het aantal ongelukkig afnemen. Wat weinig verandert zijn het soort letset. Slechts in zeer uitzonderlijke omstandigheden helpt een helm.

[@carlobravo9531]

Wilhelm wil geen helm ,

[@2coixos]

Much more people get head injuries in car accidents so by that logic people should wear Helmets in cars.

[@joshsmith159]

That's because much more people drive cars.

[@2coixos]

No, i mean if you take all car accidents in The Netherlands in one year the % with head injuries wil be higher than the % of al the de Dutch with bike cycle accidents in that year.

[@computeraddic675]

But thats because they dont use the safety belts!

[@Arjay404]

Not sure why you say that, just to be clear safety belts are mandatory by law in the Netherlands.

[@computeraddic675]

rjh00 I know!I am Dutch,but that doesnt mean they use the safetybelts.....

[@StewartGartland]

I'm Australian and we have had a helmet law for many years now, but many of us still never wear one. The police have long ago given up chasing us😂

[@LeoFreemanAUST]

Unless you're a kid. My 11yr old daughter was in a park, sitting on her bike, moving slow but not pedaling. A policeman who happened to be there told her to put her helmet on. It's the same mentality that bans under 16s from buying any sort of bladed tool. It has nothing to do with safety; it's just another form of mind control.

[@flynnd6516]

Yeah same. I never wear one and police were never tight ass about helmets like when they were in the 90s.

[@gerryhouska2859]

They never stopped in Queensland.

[@KeVIn-pm7pu]

@@LeoFreemanAUST no Not mind control. Simply to satisfy superiority complex of some police officers.

[@Braii]

Wearing a helmet when cycling here in the Netherlands is unnecessary because motorized traffic and cyclists are segregated. And if they ever have to share the road with motorized vehicles it would be in a 15-30km/h zone. Add to that the fact that most drivers are also cyclists, so they know what to look out for.

[@Pidalin]

You have bike paths even in every village? Sorry but I don't believe that. Cycling on normal roads must be normal even in Netherlands. You can't reconstruct whole country for cyclists. :-D

[@Pidalin]

@sa our bike paths usually end in crossing with cars :-D

[@simonh6371]

@@Pidalin Doesn't matter what you believe. There are bike lanes not just alongside car roads in the middle of nowhere in the Netherlands, but across fields and through woods etc. where no roads were built. The whole country was reconstructed for the Dutch people, nearly all of whom ride bikes.

[@obama69890]

@@Pidalin yes, on roads the left and right part is colored red so we can cycle there.

[@Pidalin]

@@obama69890 That's normal in cities or in more civilised areas, but I don't believe it's even in some random village out from civilisation.

[@paulleonard8656]

The most interesting point about the video is that you notice that the dutch don't actually mention safety as a reason that they cycle. In almost all cases the reason they chose to cycle is because it is the fastest way to get around the city. That's the important lesson that city planners often forget. People cycle when it is faster. Safety is important but you have to build cycle lanes on the routes people want to use.

[@mongol4live]

yes and no it is true that people cycle because it is faster but nobody mentioned safety because we don't consider cycling a dangerous way of transportation cycling is as safe as walking and safer than driving a car in the Netherlands when people ask you why do you walk would you mentioned safety as a reason no because you don't consider it a possibility that it could be more dangerous than an other way of transportation

[@inepthabit]

The reason they don't mention safety is because it's safe, it's normal to us for it to be safe so why mention it. We made it safe a long time ago, I've never once questioned in my life whether it's safe or not to ride a bike here.

[@johanwittens7712]

Actually if you only build cycling paths on routes that people may (or may not) want to use, it doesn't work that well. People still will need to use stretches of road that then aren't very safe for bikes to get from their house to the route, to get from the shop to the route or from the workplace to the route. EVERY road in the netherlands (and flanders where i live) HAS to have some form of biking infrastructure, wether it is a suggestion strip in color, a lane seperated with lines or a seperate bike lane. Every road has to accomodates bikes. Almost no exeptions. And if there is a road where there is no bike infrastructure (like small city streets or rural streets), the speed is reduced to the slowest speed (30km/h) to keep cyclists safe. The netherlands has been working on ths cycling infrastructure for 40y now. It was a consious choice that was consitently implemented. Every road that gets renovated gets bicycle infrastructure integrated. It's that simple. And even those that already have the infrastructure get checked wether something can be improved or not when it gets renovated... Cycling ifrastructure is so part of everyday culture, that is is integrated in (almost) every single road. (More so in the netherlands than in flanders though) But still this is the only way to really make cycling as common and every day normal as cars. It is the only way to really ensure cyclist are safe. every street is bicycle friendly in the netherlands, or tries to be.

[@93elnym]

We spent a few weeks in New Zealand in May 2024. We took our Brompton folding bikes and helmets -- because helmets are mandatory there as well as Aust. We needn't have bothered. Hardly anyone wears a bike helmet in in New Zealand. Still, it would have been just our luck to get fined if we hadn't. I'm with the Dutch on the helmet issue. It shouldn't be mandatory for adults here in Australia. Thanks for your bike videos Paul.

[@dirkjanwubbolts798]

Last time I fell with my bike, a helmet would not have been much use. I slipped on a patch of ice, stumbled to the right and the handle bar came down on my right hand. Two fingers stood straight up, backwards. So I clicked the fingers back into their sockets and continued my ride.

[@taerial879]

The detrimental effect of such regulation is very well understood in The Netherlands!

[@charlytaylor7203]

I detest cycle helmets. The law in Spain says it's obligatory out of the city. Even on roads where there is literally one car per hour passing by. Almost every week a pro cyclist is killed on the road. Presumably with state-of-the-art helmets on. Obligatory helmets reduce bike use. Cars kill cyclists. Separate the cyclists from the traffic,

[@kudosbudo]

Not being funny but if i'm bombing the hills where i live i'm gonna wear a helmet haha just in case i come off.

[@sipkebijlsma]

12 years later we still don't wear helmets on a bike; with windsurfing I do nowadays, protects against sunburn, btw glad you switched your videos from biking to windsurfing 😂

[@windsurfer]

Ha thanks Sipke!! 😄

[@branislavboba1699]

Because I don't fall. Simple as that. And if I did - it certainly wouldn't be on my head. I know how to cycle. And don't know of anyone who doesn't. That's it! Exactly.

[@tails8806]

Branislav Boba You can't really say: "Because I don't fall". A car could run you over and you could still land on your head. But I have to agree with all these people in the video. We have a good infrastructure here for cyclists, so it's not really a necessity. Although, it's probably always better to wear a helmet but we're just not used to it or ever felt the need for them. There are still cyclists here in The Netherlands that die because they get run over by a car. I can only imagine that if everyone wore helmets it would definitely decrease the death rate among cyclists.

[@nastythomashobbs]

Moontje More pedestrians are struck each year than cyclist. Should we wear walking helmets? the most traumatic brain injuries occur while driving...drivers should be the ones forced to wear helmets. Helmet laws serve their purpose to keep people of bikes.

[@branislavboba1699]

nastythomashobbs It's just another tool of oppression.

[@branislavboba1699]

Exactly. Just another fascist rule you're ordered to follow. For your own good. So they say.

[@janellechase]

+nastythomashobbs ha! This made me laugh!

[@TheAdekrijger]

I am dutch and when i was very young i fell of the bike often but you never actually fall on your head and really the only situation you hurt your head is when a other vechile (car) is involved we dont really have that problem because we have got a cycling infrastructure and almost everyone older than ten years doesnt really fall of their bikes anymore

[@emiel1976ep]

And you are learned to interact with other traffic and respond to it. That makes a very big difference why you can ride savely around and tourists are very often in an accident as they are here! Education is way more important than people think and yes infrastructure helps but only with the propper education!

[@klaasdeboer8106]

Helmets are for the weekend, when people go on their racingbikes in the countryside most people do wear helmets lycra and everything like shirts from their favorite racingteam etc.

[@richieyeah]

the lycra boys otherwise known as wielrenners (wheelrunners) are universally hated even in the Netherlands. Wielrenners are aging balding 40 year olds with a phat gut and relationship problems cause their wives are boss over them and that's why they terrorise the elderly and small children on the cycling paths

[@williamgeardener2509]

@@richieyeah MAMIL is short for Middle Aged Morons In Lycra. It also sounds like it's some disease spreading rodent.

[@Widdekuu91]

@@richieyeah Zeg Richard, over gefrustreerde mannen gesproken, je klinkt zelf ook een beetje moeilijk.

[@manouchk38]

When I lived in Netherland I did not use a welmet. In Brazil, I use it even if it's not an obligation but here cyclist safety is much much worse.

[@thecrow3875]

Someone wearing a helmet on a bicycle is like someone behind the wheel wearing a hat. You know they’re probable 80+, you know they are a danger in traffic and are not confident or in control of their vehicle. Best to keep a distance.

[@yellowlightingbolt]

Yeah sure, that is why professional cyclists wear one...

[@casverduin2517]

ViAaRo its serious in the netherlands the only persons who where helmets are tourist and they cant ride a bike normal.

[@acied6200]

Same goes for the so called professional cyclist... I have friends doing this in the weekend, and come in on monday limping.. fallen again.. pathetic. Yes they should wear helmets because they are dumbasses. But for the original Dutch, no need, start cycling at 3-4 years old and you know how to fall... if you do at all.

[@kudosbudo]

@@acied6200 Is that dutch professionals? Maybe they need to practice falling off...

[@mikewade777]

@@yellowlightingbolt Rally drivers (professional drivers) wears a helmet, car commuters don't. The Rally driver " taking that corner at 100kmh is dangerous.. Wear a helmet"... The commuter " I don't!, also that's well above the speed limit for that road"

[@Marinus_Calamari]

The safety record of bicycle helmets is dubious at best, but they are great for getting the message across that cycling is dangerous and inconvenient. So they DO prevent cycling injuries but unfortunately mostly by discouraging cycling altogether.I loath bicycle helmets, and I'm very happy no one is wearing them around here Btw, the Netherlands is the best and safest place for cycling, so we must be doing something right.

[@НинадаТарапицца]

There are two major problems with helmets: 1. It makes you look stupid and messes up your hair. 2. When you take off the helmet, where would you put it? It's a pain the butt. I cycle for more than 30 years and had never hit my head.

[@Engineer9736]

Златко Попов You shouldn't put the helmet in your butt, then it also doesn't hurt there 😂

[@Engineer9736]

Red Rider7 lol

[@Froggability]

The biggest pain with helmet is at the destination do I carry it around while shopping or what? I'd love if helmet were not compulsory in my country, I'd ride twice as much

[@emiel1976ep]

Just stop wearing one. Here they never used the lights on the bikes and all the other things that where needed like reflectors. They changed the law, because it was easier than giving everyone a ticket. 😂😂😂

[@papje]

Do put on a helmet when you walk ? Is the same question here in the Netherlands

[@Maurazio]

the red girl understood austria instead of australia

[@carolinavanderlande4904]

I’ve been cycling almost daily for about 45 years in the Netherlands and can count the amount of accidents on one hand, so about one every decade. Never broke anything, at the worst I had some major bruises on arms and legs, once also on my chin and nose. Most incidents happened while being drunk (so due to my own stupidity). Cycling over here can be compared to walking. Low speed, like 15-20 km per hour on mostly seperated bike paths. Cyclists are extremely protected by law as well. Any motor vehicle that hits a bike is considered the perpetrator, unless proven otherwise. Helmets for cyclists are not necessary in the Netherlands, everywere else they probably are.This of course excludes speed cyclists and elderly people on electrical bikes.They often wear helmets and rightfully so. The first catagory goes very fast on a light-weight bicycle with their heads bent forward, the latter goes too fast while being less physically flexible on a heavy-weight bicycle. So don’t compare apples to oranges. Until you match the safety for cyclists in the Netherlands in your environment (which will take at least a decade) the discussion about helmets yes or no in the Netherlands is useless.

[@SIG442]

I am Dutch, use a bike since the age of 3-4. I use a bike because it is easier then the car, I do not need to go that far either. Besides that you always have the obvious parking spaces for cars and cars can not get everywhere. Some roads are blocked off for motorized vehicles all together. Which improves savety for cyclists in a huge way. Helmets? Well no, you simply do not need those in the Netherlands. Why you ask? The roads are not as chaotic as in any other country, specially compaired to the US. You being teached at very young age where you can ride your bike, what is save and what not. not by parental teachings alone, but also by school. It is not the law to teach how to ride a bike on school nor at home, yet its common sense to teach everyone so there wont be many problems and accidents. So you only really use a helmet at young age when you learn (I never even had a helmet on during my childhood). Falling and getting up is a learning process that you need so you can understand what you can and can not do on a bike. So eventually you do not need a helmet, it just adds to the baggage you have to carry along and it messes up your hair. It is also a lot more fun to feel the wind in your hair as you cylce trough nature. A helmet will confine that feeling and block your view as well. Also German's would wear a helmet only? Not true, there are a lot of tourists that take their helmets along or specially get one to ride a bike. But it is indeed very obvious that most Germans do have these helmets on and look redicilous in the process ;) The inner cities and even towns are too crowded for cars, also people love to smell the fresh air. There for they choose to ride the bike instead of using their cars. Also, which is not really mentioned in the answers given in the video. In many towns, specially in the north of the country, you would use a bike to get to school. Not just to get around the corner or to the other side of town. But many miles away from home. Which would pretty much be similar to riding a medium sized city in the US from one side to the other. This of course at the end of the day in return trip as well.

[@albinscott]

Brilliant! These are some very merry people!

[@AmandaParnell123]

Interesting that when you asked about helmets, all your Dutch cyclists laughed!

[@SeaJayBelfast]

They don't wear helmets because most bikes are single-speed, barrel brake, heavy bikes with an upright riding position. Thus: Typical cruising speed in amsterdam is about 10mph (less than a good marathon runners pace). In contrast, many cities (London, ny etc) have cyclists riding road bikes or fixies with an aggressive body position (head forward). Crashing upright with your hands free at 10mph on a strong bike is a hell of a lot safer than crashing headfirst with both hands squeezing the brakes on a fragile bike going 20mph.

[@branislavboba1699]

Oh wow!

[@Ms10000123]

I can easily go over 18 mph (~30kmh), on a medium weight bike, cycling upright. If I go stop speed, "aggressive body position", I'd go about 25 mph (>40kmh) with that same bike (7 gear). I've fallen a few times, though I've never had an injury that could have been prevented if I'd had wore a helmet. The main problem is that outside of the Netherlands, people don't know how to deal with cyclists, nor do cyclists know how to drive safely.

[@martijnvv8031]

Not exactly..... most bikes may look heavy but in reality are light weight aluminum frames with seven or eight speed Shimano Nexus gears and Shimano roller disk brakes ! A good Dutch bicycle (Batavus or Gazelle) can cost over 1600 Euro so the myth that cycling is only for poor people can also be busted. On my "mountain bike" from the year 2012 I have a speed computer and looking at the data I have about 1500 km driven with average speed of 19.43 km/h , my top speed was 53.6 km/h , that was (downhill wind in the back) in my city on public road. Did I feel the need for helmet? NO WAY !! I trust my Brembo hydraulic disk brakes (180 mm front and 160 mm rear) , just one finger on the brake lever and I stop with in a couple of meters. I'm more afraid of flipping over the front wheel by braking to hard LOL

[@LMvdB02]

False, almost all bicycles have multiple gears

[@Saartje05]

Single speed, LMAO. No. Almost all bikes have a lot more speeds.

[@eyerninja]

Forgot to mention, holland has an AMAZING network of bike only paths, for every road(almost) there is a red/brownish bike path to cycle safe away from cars there is really no need for a helmet since they roads are also kept very well, no potholes and such. The fact holland is mostly flat also is a huge influence on this mode of transport.

[@frankhooper7871]

I can't find any mention of cycle helmets being mandatory in Germany via Google. It _certainly_ isn't a requirement here in the UK, although many choose to (not me LOL). Can any Germans confirm?

[@Jaydon05]

Helmets are for tourists they need them! We are born (almost) on a bike!

[@andrew097]

harshbarj has it in one the bicycles that you use that are granny bikes are the best for just getting around. The bikes derived from sports are exercise equipment.

[@MrPhotodoc]

Helmets are for the Germans. Haha.

[@Dark__Thoughts]

Hijacking your comment to say: 5:14 Helmets aren't obligatory in Germany. However we don't have a safe bike infrastructure here, so you are almost always in contact with car traffic, making it actually pretty dangerous to ride a bike for everyday usage. You swamp Germans are blessed with your bike infrastructure and I am certainly very jealous of it.

[@mellevandijken358]

Dark Thoughts he made a WWII reference

[@notorio526]

@@mellevandijken358 No it's because most cyclists with helmets in NL are German!

[@peter1062]

I don't mind Germans wearing helmets, as long as they don't come over in their hundreds of thousands, all wearing the same helmet.

[@teunkiewiet840]

True

[@Pumpkinhead77]

"Why do you use a bike for transport?" It's faster than walking.

[@ex0stasis72]

Also faster than a car because, in the Netherlands, most people live in close proximity to where they need to go.

[@paroxysms5062]

I read the article, it was awesome. There is some really great information on bike helmet standards and testing o.o Thank you for sharing

[@rutgerhoutdijk3547]

There might be a safety benefit in wearing helmets, but there will also be safety costs, and the question is if the benefits outweigh the costs. Here are just a few reasons why helmets could decrease overall safety: - A well studied psychological phenomenon describes that if people feel more secure, they will automatically take more risks, even without realising it. - Helmets can limit your view, for example when your hair get stuck between the helmet and your forehead and you have to remove it. Also, on warm days, sweat will build up and flow down, possibly in your eyes, which needs to be wiped off on a regular basis. - Discomfort will affect your focus on traffic and people will likely try to move or adjust their helmets while driving - Many people will stop cycling, or not as often. This will reduce the amount of bicycles on the road, and overall safety decreases when the amount of cyclists decrease.

[@samhooijer6719]

..

[@kudosbudo]

Most of these are such non problems or total bollocks... Like teh discomfort one. Helmets taht arn't comfortable mean sYOU didn't get one that fit properly or diodn't set it up properly. It not the helmet thats bad, YOU just failed at putting it on. Or the limit view... what a loa dof shite. A good helmet THAT FITS doesn't limit your cycling view. If its does its to big and slipped down OR you are fuckign wearing it backwards! and i've seen cyclist who don't normally wear helmets do this haha. That well studdied phenomenon yeah probably bollocks as well when you look at all the NYC messenger rider in the 90s hardly ever wore helmets themselves despite how risky their job was! And most folk WONT do risky stuff even a with a helmet. And if you stop cycling cos you have to wear a helmet then... thats just sad. You just bowed to some sad little "oh peopel will think i'm a geek" beta shit.

[@ex0stasis72]

As an American, every time I think to myself that I should ride my bike more, the thought of having to wear a helmet and where to put the helmet when I get to my destination is what quickly quells my desire to ride my bike. Not that I'm advocating that she shouldn't wear helmets in areas outside the Netherlands because it really is more dangerous everywhere else.

[@jasvinsinghrehal]

Very simple logic but seems only Dutch have mastered it.

[@bloopblooper490]

That's it, if I had to wear a helmet I wouldn't ride my bike.

[@Moker2012]

0:26 "My name is Sywert van Lienden and I am an anti-social pathological liar since I was born, maturing into an immoral profiteer during the corona pandemic; when I scr*wed Dutch society for more than 100 million Euros."

[@windsurfer]

And he seemed so innocent when I met him 😬

[@SamVekemans]

Thanks for sharing, I wanted to know this. Please link to more detailed information if you have it.

[@DerekHouston]

I did review those articles. My reading of them was that the weight of the evidence supported the hypothesis that wearing a helmet reduces the chances of head injury, at least in the U.S. where most of the studies finding this effect were done.

[@MaxwellEindhoven]

Niemand die de DWDD politiek commentator Sywert van Lienden herkent op 0:26 ? Ik ken deze video al sinds september 2011 en kijk hem nu nog eens terug. Grappig dat 'ie in deze video te zien is! Toen (in 2011) was hij uiteraard nog niet bekend bij het Nederlandse publiek.

[@DeBert]

Het is nu nóg grappiger geworden :-)

[@zovirl1]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like the cycle paths are improved and perhaps people are a little less rushed in their riding. Sounds nice, hopefully I get to ride in the Netherlands some day!

[@yellfire]

0:27 Sywert van Lienden nog jong en fris. 21 jaar is hij volgens mij hier. 9 jaar later verkoopt deze mondkapjessjoemelaar zijn ziel voor €9 miljoen ! Als vrome cda'er bekeerd hij zich tot de griekse blinde afgod Plutus. Gezwicht voor de verleiding. Sywert haalt tegenwoordig zijn neus op voor de trein en de fiets, want hij verplaats zich sinds kort in n BMW Z7 van één ton !

[@windsurfer]

Wow just looked it up!

[@MerlinMan1579]

A few years ago I ran into a car on my bike, my helmeted head went through the back window saving me from a severe head injury or death. I consider myself a careful rider but my incident illustrated to me how easily a serious accident can occur.

[@simonh6371]

If you ran into the back of a car at such high speed, I don't consider you a careful rider.

[@mikewade777]

Yesterday I did 25mph down a hill passing some parked cars, left a little room just incase some little kid or old lady jumped out from between the cars and said " surprise motherf****r". There was a car ahead stopping at a junction, I pulled up behind it.... No contact no helmet. Later on, on a shared path there was this father and son walking ahead of me. I approached them slowly 6mph and dinged my bell.. They moved to the side to give me room to pass... No helmet. It was a typical uneventful day, not worthy of sensationalist news.

[@Ramdodge582]

no stats for bike crashes/head injury in Holland?

[@taerial879]

With approximately 14 million cyclists, about >-10 severe crashes per year. And when there would have been a crash, a helmet wouldn't have saved you. Accidents in and outside the home outdo this number by far... do you wear a helmet at home?! Bicycle friendly infrastructure and cycling skills are the helmets of the Dutch, who consequently are dressed for their destination, not the journey! PS Statistics from Emergency Rooms, 2006-2010: Injuries of people aged 55+ in single vehicle crashes: 43% shoulder, arm or hand 28% hip, leg or foot 19% head or neck (= 7% open wound on head, 5% minor brain/skull injury, 3% bruises on head, 1% major brain/skull injury, unspecified).

[@zovirl1]

Do the sporty riders wear helmets? It is true that most of the times I've crashed I've been riding fast and aggressively. I suppose if I was riding slowly I wouldn't ever crash, but where would the fun be in that? :)

[@frankzvovu]

I actually looked at the option and made the decision that the helmets really add no value... Besides if I get hit that hard, I'd rather die than survive as a vegetable...

[@kudosbudo]

I dont get this. You can improve your survival odds, slkap sticker on them to make em funky, put a camera on to film nice rides, i mean helmets are cool. And necessary if you like to ride hard and proper fun on a bike. You are literally NOT losing anything by riding with one. In fact it seems like dutch folk are scared of peer pressure and don't like being individuals and just go along with the norm or no helmet

[@Widdekuu91]

@@kudosbudo No, it is an unneccessary item, because we cycle about as slow as we walk. It'd be like having pillows on your side, in case you fall during a walk. I've slipped on the ice (on the streets) many times in winter, because I am stubborn and I keep cycling. It's always the same. You hear a swoosh as your tire slips, you hear a soft 'pfff' when your shoulder hits the snow and then a man/woman across the street yells; Alles oké?' and you yell back; 'JA!' and then you continue cycling and on the next bridge, you fall again. I personally prefer to fall with my bicycle, rather than walking, because the times I slipped on ice while walking, I fell backwards and hit my head, one time that resulted in a concussion. Whereas on a bicycle, you softly fall sideways, on your padded coat. We sit upstraight, we don't crash forward (like on a racing bicycle or a BMX or an off-road-mountainbike, all of which we agree on, need helmets.) Also, making them funky and put cameras on to film rides, that's just not something you do while you go to work. Studies have shown that helmets give people (and kids) a false sense of security, because you can still crack your skull open when you speed from a hill (not that we have many of those...) and fall down. Stunting and speeding and crashing into things, that's not happening here. Just for fun, watch the video with the busy cycling crossroad in Amsterdam. There's a crash around 2 minutes, see what happens.

[@harshbarj]

Second post Also I have noticed here in the states a LOT of people seem to think you have to wear a helmet. Now I'm not going to stop someone that want to wear them from wearing them, but they simply are not required and don't make you any safer. When that 2 tonne vehicle runs you over a bit of foam is going to do NOTHING to save you. May as well enjoy cycling for what it is.

[@windsurfer]

@roadworms You're right, I think it shows though that even if helmets are not obligatory and people still wear them on city bikes, they obviously don't feel as safe as they would as if they were walking down the street.

[@industrialbluelights]

In Holland people don't cycle for leisure, they cycle as a useful, convenient way to travel. People make trips to the supermarket, work, the theatre, bars etc. Wearing a helmet would make this much less convenient. You have to constantly carry your helmet everywhere and it can mess up your hair. This would discourage many people from cycling. People who haven't been to the Netherlands probably believe the infrastructure is the same as in their country but in NL you don't cycle in amongst the cars as you do in most countries, and cycle lanes and bicycle crossings are well designed with the most vulnerable users' needs as a main design criterium. A loss of cyclists through enforcement of helmet-wearing would reduce the power in numbers that the bicyclists have now. I'm also not sure if helmets always prevent injuries but can actually cause certain injuries by the way you fall. My point of view is: wear a helmet if you like but making it mandatory would make it less convenient for people which would result in a reduction in cycling. The emphasis should be on making the infrastructure safe. Note that Holland has much fewer accidents than US, UK etcetera

[@KrunchyJD]

industrialbluelights that's what a bicycle should be, a means to get around.

[@KrunchyJD]

Warren Chu idiotic statement..

[@hanskuijsten2380]

Warren Chu as if you're going to prevent brain trauma by wearing a puny bicycle helmet.

[@MoonLiteNite]

The helmet question i have always had. Funny though, in my city you get a ticket if you don't wear one. So stupid.

[@Casimira26]

I really hope that some dat my city becomes safe enough to not wear a helmet, they are a hassle and can't keep my hairdo. The problem is that people try to push the use of helmets here as if it were necessary to avoid crashes... infrastructure and education is what we need, not helmets and reflectants :(

[@MeatNinja]

+Casimira26 So true.

[@emiel1976ep]

It is and always was saver to ride without a helmet. The fact is, is that people that don't wear a helmet have way less accidents than people that wear one in %. Also headinjuries on a bike a very low compared to other injuries. In a car you have a way higher risk to get a head injury even with 's seat belt on. Just don't tide on roads that aren't meant for bikes like highways. I can promise you, as a car hits you, your bike helmet will explode just like your skull under it! It isn't made for that. As you hk racing or mountain biking, than a helmet is useful. Else just ditch it!

[@kudosbudo]

Nobody pushes helmets TO AVOID crashes. Thats bullshit. Literally helmets don't help you AVOID crashes, only an idiot would think that helmets help you avoid crashes.

[@kudosbudo]

@@emiel1976ep And all of what you said is bollock and can be explained very easily. The majority of helmet users ARE taking some risks or greaters risks. where as non helmet users are just going to work slowly. So us helmet users depending what we are riding, in my case MTB parks and BMX track, are just more at risk. So what you end up with is stats showing that HELMET use correlates with more injuries thans NO helmet use. You've just NOT understood the basic statistics is all. Did you know in WW1 when they introduced helmets they actually had a recorded INCREASE in HEAD INJURIES. Ok. Can you guess why? Cos BY YOUR LOGIC its caused by the helmets. Only a fucking idiot would think that. There was an increase in head injuries because MORE PEOPLE SURVIVED what would normally be a FATAL head wounds, a wound that would kill them. They found this increase came because all those folk WOULD BE DEAD BEFORE. Helmets saved lives. Like this is basic stats shit. i don't even do statistical stats stuff and I get this, how can you NOT get this or did you read the stats and decided it cornfirmed your bias?

[@emiel1976ep]

@@kudosbudo You are clearly to dumb to look ad the numbers and fackts. People that wear a helmet on a bike have more accidents then people without one. THe ones with a helmet are lickly to take more risks but also cars give less space to people that wear a helmet, what also results in more accidents. Not only becauee they take more risks. They looked ad that also and that is just a very small part of it!

[@MT-sw5qe]

if a cycling accident happens when someone dies or has a serious injury, the government puts a team on it and in one day they simulate the accident over and over to see what went wrong and then they make it even safer all in one or two days. and if there's a cycling accident the person who's injured just goes: oh well, shit happens, let's not have a trauma for cars and/or cycling, and because we in the Netherlands are very well insured I'm not going to have any financial problems. oh what now, I don't have a car, oh well ill just cycle to work tomorrow.

[@JacobBax]

no one in the netherlands start biking by theyre self before the age of 3 or 4. I'm dutch and I have no idea how old I was when I cycled for the first time, but not at 2

[@bikelanez7376]

This was awesome to watch 👍👍👍👍😀🚲🚲🚲

[@windsurfer]

Cheers!

[@andr386]

The average speed is 12.5 km/h. You don't go that fast when the road is full of bicycles. I sort of fell off my bike twice and landed on my feet as I was going slower than the walking speed.

[@nitramluap]

Awesome! I love the outtakes, Paul! :-D

[@buffalomind6838]

The cycling in Holland is so coordinated into daily life that injuries by crashing is practically a myth.

[@kudosbudo]

218 died in 2018. in 2017 it was 206 previous years it was 189 and 185. Its like its getting worse. Some think its Ebikes and no helmet culture. See Ebikes are SUPPOSED to go 13kph BUT people often whack em up to 25kph.

[@mikewade777]

@@kudosbudo which demonstrates how safe it is. What was the accident investigations findings for each individual case.

[@allws9683]

@@kudosbudo About 75% of casualties is older than 60, often in one-sided incidents. Among U50 yrs old, casualties have decreased steadily. There is an increase in the 60+ casualties but that goes parallel with the growth of that population and the increase of cycling distances among that group. Sadly for the casualties, but it still is better to cycle than sit at home for those 60+.

[@MrSuperbia]

The only thing which makes cycling dangerous would be the other traffic around you (cars for example), but with that reasoning you might aswel wear a helmet when walking across the street. Falling without the interference of other people usually results into you being able to block the fall with your hands.

[@WildOutdoorLiving]

The people that said they started cycling between 3-5 years old are the honest ones. I have yet to find a bike that is small enough for my one and a half year old. People don't ride nearly as fast over there as they do in the states and the risk of motor vehicles isn't as high as here in the states. Wearing a helmet saved my life more than once, but like them I've never wrecked except under very unusual conditions. Like being hit by a car.

[@vhogunk80]

they look good without helmet :) i don't like using one too....but i have to because i'm not in Netherland.

[@jancoin3014]

Only tourist fall off a bike

[@In1998able]

on the 740.00 rides an accident happen why would we were a helmet?

[@Hirotoro4692]

I agree that a hi-vis jacket is far more important than a helmet, yet some research suggests wearing a helmet will make drivers take you more seriously - not sure if this can be backed up though. I do know a helmet could help if you were to otherwise whack your head on a kerb or something. I'm currently on the hunt for some soft knee and shoulder pads (already have gloves) because the other day some idiot stepped in our way and I came off and tore loads of skin off my knees

[@MartinIrma]

So if any Australian wants to ride a bike in the Netherlands he can leave his helmet at home. And when I'm in Australia my helmet carries the text 'I only wear this helmet because it's the law'.

[@SixBlix]

Same reason you don't wear a helmet when your out walking, the extra protection is simply not worth the hassle.

[@vaeridia]

The man at 1:14 is my English teacher wth

[@samjoss9005]

cycling in holland is completely different to the rest of the world, going at a steady pace along a designated cycle path where bikes are respected as the most common form on transport makes for an extremely safe environment, you never really come in contact with cars. people dont seem to ride aggressively in holland as they do elsewhere as its more of a means of transport and less of a sport.

[@TheQuintonio98]

im dutch i am 14 years old and i go to school by bike since i was 5 and i have only crashed once into someone else that person flew against a tree and had to go to the hospital (she was fine after all) and i have never worn a helmet in my whole life it is uncomfortable and it would impede my movement with my head so i think its save to ride without a helmet

[@smurfiennes]

No need to wear a helmet when you have good bike lane system and cycle slowly like we do as transportation.

[@stefvanwijk8163]

I am not wearing a helmet when biking. I am Dutch. A helmet, come on, that's poofy. I have a lot of biking safety, it is in my head, and the rest is watching, looking and constantly interpreting what you see, while biking.

[@fixedgearforlife]

I'm in Roanoke, not far from where you lived. I used to own a car before I started cycling. Living in an urban area a car is not nearly as efficient as a bicycle. That's why I gave it up. Plus the car payments, insurance, taxes, fuel, and maintenance it all adds up to thousands of dollars and in the end I just didn't think it was worth it. I could spend a fraction of that amount on bicycling and actually get to places quicker vs. the car. The whole attitude and mentality of people here.

[@MrIce807]

@fietsya I live in the US. Our infrastructure is built up around cars more than bikes and even public transportation. A few of our bigger citys have bike lanes and they are growing. It's my choice to wear a helmet.

[@durrantmiller8810]

See the thing is is seems in the Netherlands most people ride at a relatively relaxed pace and traffic for the most part is other bikes. I wear a helmet because when I ride I average about 18 mph and I ride more aggressively in general (I also do mtbing and and plan to start trails riding.) Also, I've actually known people who have gone brain dead from hitting their head cycling. That's why I wear a helmet.

[@weeardguy]

Uhm... I don't get your problem: Many places have an integrated network of cycle-paths: if you can get there by car, you mostly also can by bike. Even some high ways have cycle paths running parallel to it, and most 50 and 80 km/h limit roads do to. The law you refer to is more like a safety issue: when a road has a cycle-path running parallel to it, yes, then it's prohibited to cycle on the road. But to be short: you don't have to cycle on the road, just because there is a cycle-path

[@MrPijus123]

I wear a helmet mostly to help with aero stuff. A good helmet makes a major difference compared to hair flailing in the wind.

[@jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Cut your hair short; even better ;)

[@simonh6371]

Netherlands is the worlds no. 1 consumer of hair gel and hair products. Fact. So hair doesn't flail in the wind.

[@irsyadkamil4835]

wait who is the name of second guy?

[@windsurfer]

Dick is his name.

[@AlmeydaTV]

Ja tebe nikako ne kontam, znači u sudaru sa motornim vozilom i pri ozbiljnijem padu na glavu ti bi radije da ti se to desi bez kacige nego sa kacigom?

[@weeardguy]

You're not the only one... This is like the same english I heard when I was still in school. Most tourists even think I'm English when I speak to them, so I much be doing something right ;)

[@extreme2themax]

Cycling in vehicular manner as you put it is the safest way, and the highway code encourages this. I often see timid cyclists in the gutter being bullied into the drain covers by motorists. In the UK the idea of a separate cycle path is usually a mixed use footpath, which is useless for anybody who wants to progress at any speed.

[@trilobyte3851]

4:09 Helmet question

[@onebicycle3772]

Are netherland and denmark a multi cultural country?

[@Brozius2512]

Yes.

[@Brozius2512]

@daAnder71 yes

[@zovirl1]

I'm curious why they aren't worried about solo crashes, crashes with pedestrians, or crashes with other bicycles. How fast are they riding? Are they ever riding on hills or mountains? I've never been hit by a car, but have crashed from taking corners too fast and running off the pavement, debris in my path, and colliding with another cyclist while drafting. I've also witnessed accidents where cyclists collided with pedestrians and where cyclists went over their front tires.

[@mariadebake5483]

There are no mountains in the Netherlands. The speed is around 15 to 20 km/hour. We are not afraid of crashes like you describe because they simply don't happen here. Everything is seperated here in traffic, and we know how to cycle. We are very skilled riders, riding since a young age, and ride straight-upride dutch city bikes

[@quarzi]

It's funny how you bring up 30mph out of the blue, knowing nothing about my crash. This was a 15-20mph car in the city running into my left side while I and other cyclists started pedaling over a crosswalk (for bicycles) slamming my head to the pavement. I guarantee that a helmet would have saved me a LOT of money on hospital bills. I don't argue that a helmet wouldn't help in a crash at higher speeds, only pointing out that it does help a lot in many other circumstances for example mine.

[@radiohobbyist13]

You have to understand that the culture here in the United States is very different from the Netherlands. They really don't care if they hit you and kill while you are riding your bicycle. Many people are very rude and disrespectful. There is almost no penalty for hitting and killing a cyclist. The car is king in the United States and many people worship their vehicles. Bicycling is not taken seriously and is viewed as childish behavior. If you ride a bicycle in the streets you become a non person (thing) and you are asking to be hit. It is really very much like swimming in a tank full of sharks with the idea that you won't get bit. You are very lucky to live in another country. Now you understand why people in the United States wear helmets, very sad.

[@MauritsVeen]

We have a rule in the rulebook (idk the real name) that when a car hits the driver and the driver is dead or injured he has to pay a lot of money to the victims and maybe he has to go to jail

[@Hangmata]

The reason why cars are valued that highly is because the distance you need to cover is generally much higher then in the netherlands. Yet in urban area's bikes should be fine.

[@discoastronaut3635]

+Maurits Veen " ITS THE LAW "

[@Tripserpentine]

Used to be like that here until the body count of kids got to high, changed legislation and now riding with a helmet is weird.

[@xmateinc]

exactly.

[@taerial879]

Annual King's Day in The Netherlands: a no helmet festival too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZq8hmOhbNupgNE As well as these kids (age 5 -12) leaving primary school: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZvFaIKBr5uqgc0

[@bubbleman1081]

I think it is important to wear a helmet when you have more cars and trucks on the road. It's not dangerous when you are surrounded by bikes. It's really nice that Amsterdam is a cycle friendly city; you get a little workout during your commute.

[@BartBart22]

The most ardent helmet law supports generally accept that helmets (bicycle) don't don't do any good in a crash with a motor vehicle. The good news is that bicycling is perfectly safe. Where I live in Toronto Canada a city of over two million and very car centric there have been two bicycle fatalities in 2016 so far. One was an older gentleman who was wearing a helmet and the other was a teenager struck but a fact moving train. In that same period almost 50 pedestrians have died on out streets.

[@u82zar]

I don't think a helmet is exclusive for protection from cars or trucks. I have personally had a helmet save me from serious head injury twice. The impact when hitting the concrete is the dangerous part.

[@Engineer9736]

Calvin Wong I think Amsterdam is the most bicycling UNfriendly city in the Netherlands LOL :-) The bicycle paths are so crowded.. Looks like those traffic-in-India videoclips on KZbin. One big mess. But with a car is even worse.

[@petechandanatural]

bicycle helmets = fear = control = money for helmet makers = money for law enforcement

[@jameswayton2340]

+pete chan except for racebike cyclists.

[@alanfrost75]

+Palafury No he is perfectly right. They make absolutely no sense, particularly when enforced by law - which is when they do the most damage.

[@alanfrost75]

+Palafury What are you a broken record? The fact is that helmets do more harm than good. You can research this or you can also read the post I made to this video earlier today (not on this thread). Also it makes no sense... do you also harass car drivers who wear no helmets? Because car driving leads to more head injuries than biking and is generally far more dangerous...

[@jameswayton2340]

So we can go even further!! Old people should wear helmets to cause they fall more then younger people xD....Can you imagine old the old farts wearing pink helmets in the supermarket.

[@petechandanatural]

It should be a choice helmet no helmet. The Dutch have no issue with not wearing helmets.

[@pericodelospalotes5738]

In Spain you must wear a helmet only on roads, not in cities or villages, which is a rather nice medium solution. Of course riding mopeds or motorbikes... everywhere.

[@DrQuatsch]

To answer the "Why do you not wear a helmet" question: wearing a helmet isn't going to help you in most cases. Most accidents that would cause head injuries can be prevented, if the cyclist would just pay attention to the surrounding (you'll never win against cars on a bike). If the accident couldn't be prevented, it most likely will kill you. If the government enforces a helmet law to reduce the number of head injuries, they are barking up the wrong tree. They should be spending money on making sure cycling is safe in general, instead of spending even more money on trying to make it safer for the individuals by introducing those laws. An interesting article on the subject: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1410838/

[@jaapweel1]

DrQuatsch No need to win against cars in The Netherlands. Bike lanes everywhere, with many of them physically separated. Mixed traffic is getting very rare outside of really quiet residential streets and rural one lane roads. Also the bike lanes and trails are well maintained. No potholes and the like, by and large.

[@DrQuatsch]

I know, I'm from the Netherlands. This was meant for people who live in other countries. There has been excessive research done on the matter, and enforcing helmets for cyclist doesn't prevent deaths.

[@Asrudin]

Riding a bicycle in the Netherlands is far safer than riding one in other countries. For starters the roads and situations are made with cyclists in mind and all participants on the roads are used to all the cyclists and there's always room for cyclists. A big issue however is not working lights, many accidents do occur in evenings or early mornings because cyclists don't operate with working lights all the time here. I would never ride a bicycle without good lights on myself though.

[@Lara-zu1bx]

I'm Dutch. I used to attend Utrecht University. I was an International Law Student. I would have graduated in December 2021 with a master's degree. Unfortunately, because The Netherlands does not believe in laws to mandate head protection, I fell off my bicycle on August 10th, 2021, and passed away on the 11th at 22.03. I sustained brain bruising, swelling, and pressure that couldn't be relieved. I was only 23 and born on November 22, 1997. My name was Lara.

[@windsurfer]

So there is an afterlife?

[@Benny_000]

There is no law against wearing a helmet, so your story doesn't make any sense.

[@AardvarkDK]

My name is Mathilde "Susie" O'Callaghan. I am the mother of comedian Tig Notaro. I fell in my living room and hit my head on a coffee table. I spent a couple of weeks in a coma, and then I died. If only helmets were mandated in private homes, I would still be alive.

[@4vrceltic]

I wish Canada would step up to the plate and narrow the roads for cars and widen out a designated bike path alongside EVERY motorist road so as to encourage cyclist and a healthier population! If we build it they will come!!!!!

[@JasonJones-fs6jf]

I ride about 8000 km per year between racing, recreation, and commuting and I always wear a helmet. I don't particularly care when people don't wear a helmet, I just think it's ignorant to claim that helmets don't have a net positive effect. I've been hit by a car once and was flown into the air and landed on my back and head. The helmet took a big impact and cracked by my head was okay. I know people who have crashed at 50 kph landing on their head and the only thing that saved them from death or serious brain injury was the helmet. For me the helmet doesn't get in my way and there are no downsides to wearing it so I do so.

[@ThomBindels]

+Jason Jones When people are cycling over here for racing/recreation, you know the fast ones with the small tires like in the Tour du France most of the cyclists wear helmets. However, because The Netherlands has got such a top notch cycling infrastructure it's not needed because we barely get close to cars where speeds are getting dangerous. Our cycling 'skills' and also the mutual respect between cars and cyclists makes it hardly necessary to wear a helmet over here simply because it's really safe to cycle.

[@jimbobeire]

+Thom ' True. Here in Ireland I wear my helmet almost every time I go on the bike. When I cycled in Germany and the Netherlands I felt I was wearing it just for the mirror. The infrastructure and difference in culture made cycling so much safer than cycling through London or Dublin, which are far more hostile and have unsuitable infrastructure for safe cycling.

[@jameswayton2340]

+Thom Bindels yeap. Ik heb zelf fanatiek wielrennen gedaan (wedstrijden), en ook buiten de wedstrijden op je racefiets in trainingen waarbij je gewoon lange tochten maakt voor conditie, draag je een helm. Redenen voor een wielrennen om een helm te dragen. 1: Gemiddelt 10 km/h sneller gaat waardoor je harder valt als je valt, en meer kans maakt op een ongeluk omdat het verkeer sneller moet reageren op je. 2: Je veel meer uren elke maand op de fiets hebt gezeten, dus automatisch meer kans hebt op een ongeluk. En 3 de belangrijkste wat de meeste mensen niet weten: Je raceschoenen zitten vast aan de pedalen, waardoor de kans groot is dat je (onhandig) valt.

[@Widdekuu91]

+Jason Experiments show that cardrivers are not as carefull when the cyclists wear helmets. It gives them a wrong sense of the cyclists-safety.

[@KrunchyJD]

Jason Jones nobody is against your choice to wear a helmet, what people don't agree with is making it a law that you must wear one on a bicycle. A number of the people interviewed here show that being forced to wear a bicycle helmet reduces the rate of cycling.

[@AKA001]

The main reason why cycling in the Netherlands is saver is because by law motorists are ALWAYS in the wrong in a collision and carry full responsibility. Which passively and actively creates awareness with motorists and thus protects cyclists and pedestrians. It is something you miss in countries like Australia. Simply looking over ones left shoulder to check when turning left is just something Australians don’t do, because they wouldn’t be at fault when they cut off a cyclist.