Helmets on Tour

martin said:

have I missed something: have they really forced all the TDF riders to wear helmets? or was it cos
of the dodgy sprint finish to yesterday's stage.

The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following the death of Cofidis rider
Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
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Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
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"Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

martin said:

have I missed something: have they really forced all the TDF riders to wear helmets? or was it
cos of the dodgy sprint finish to yesterday's stage.

The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following the death of Cofidis rider
Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.

Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.

On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 15:47:02 +0100 someone who may be "Dave Larrington" <[email hidden]>
wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following the death of Cofidis rider
Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.

Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
their helmets.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

Quoted message said:

Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.

Why?

--
Mark

"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak"

In message <[email hidden]>, MSA <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.

Why?

It's a shame that they haven't protested about it like they did a few years ago when they tried to
impose a helmet rule in the Tour.

Didn't they all get off their bikes and sit in the road or something?
--
Chris French, Leeds

I feel a helmet wars thread coming on!

Taking cover.

--
Mark

"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak"

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The rule requiring all riders to wear h+lm+ts was introduced following

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

death of Cofidis rider Andrei Kivilev in Paris-Nice earlier this year.

Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
their helmets.

and your point is that only reckless riders fall off bikes? I presume you've never fallen off
yourself? In case you hadn't noticed, even riders of the calibre of Lance Armstrong come off
sometimes...

During the London-Brighton this year someone clipped my wheel and I came off and landed on my head.
The helmet has a big dent in it, my skull doesn't. I wasn't riding recklessly and there wasn't
really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I not been wearing a
helmet I would at least have fractured my skull, if not severly damaged my brain.

I'm still around, Andrei Kivilev isn't. Go figure.

If you're ever unlucky enough to spend any time in intensive care, you'll probably see what happens
to people who hit their heads on kerbs without wearing helmets. Trust me, it's never pretty...

F.

Stephen Ferguson said:

During the London-Brighton this year someone clipped my wheel and I came off and landed on my
head. The helmet has a big dent in it, my skull doesn't. I wasn't riding recklessly and there
wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I not been
wearing a helmet I would at least have fractured my skull, if not severly damaged my brain.

I'm still around, Andrei Kivilev isn't. Go figure.

Today I was knocked off my bike by a motorist. I wasn't wearing a helmet. I wasn't riding recklessly
and there wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I been
wearing a helmet my knee would still be cut, bloodied and swelling.

I'm still around. Go figure.

John B

John B <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Stephen Ferguson said:

During the London-Brighton this year someone clipped my wheel and I came off and landed on my
head. The helmet has a big dent in it, my skull doesn't. I wasn't riding recklessly and there
wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that had I not been
wearing a helmet I would at least have fractured my skull, if not severly damaged my brain.

Sorry,I didn't want to start a h****t war, just could not believe that they could get away with the
rule for the tour after the aforementioned strike. I,m sure they'll find another reason for "Une
Greve" by the end of it. Having to come to London in 2006/7 could be one.

David Hansen <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
: one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
: might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
: their helmets.

Where was that?

--
Arthur Clune clune.orgclune.orgOpen ↗ Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester

Quoted message said:

Today I was knocked off my bike by a motorist. I wasn't wearing a helmet. I wasn't riding
recklessly and there wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure that
had I been wearing a helmet my knee would still be

cut,

Quoted message said:

bloodied and swelling.

I'm still around. Go figure.

John B

But if you had been wearing leg armour a la Downhill your knee would probably be unscathed. The
brain is a fairly vital organ.

KC

martin said:

Thought I'd read that , but I assumed they would exempt the Tour.

It's a UCI rule, so all events sanctioned by the UCI have to comply.

"[The] UCI said, as an exception to the rule, riders could remove their helmets during the final
climb provided finished the race finished on or at the summit of the climb and it was at least
five kilometres long. Racers had argued that the slow speed on climbs meant dangerous crashes
were unlikely.

Riders who raced without a helmet would be subject to fines and would lose ranking points. In some
cases they could also be expelled from the race."

Dave Larrington - legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uklegslarry.beerdrinkers.co.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

Abbey Engineer said:

Quoted message said:

Today I was knocked off my bike by a motorist. I wasn't wearing a helmet. I wasn't riding
recklessly and there wasn't really much I could do about staying on the bike. I'm pretty sure
that had I been wearing a helmet my knee would still be

cut,

Quoted message said:

bloodied and swelling.

I'm still around. Go figure.

John B

But if you had been wearing leg armour a la Downhill your knee would probably be unscathed. The
brain is a fairly vital organ.

I'll remember to put a helmet on my knee when I go out this afternoon ;-)

John B

MSA said:

I feel a helmet wars thread coming on!

Taking cover.

Is that a polystyrene foam cover?

On 10 Jul 2003 08:28:55 GMT someone who may be "Arthur Clune" <[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

David Hansen <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets.

Where was that?

One was in the USA. I suspect that the other one was too. A quick check through my archives did not
reveal the name of either person.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

On 10 Jul 2003 08:28:55 GMT someone who may be "Arthur Clune" <[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

: Meanwhile, two other racing cyclists died, of head injury, in crashes, while wearing helmets. No
: one seemed to ask why the helmets did not, as advertised and promoted, save them or whether they
: might have ridden a bit less recklessly if they had not had such faith in the saving power of
: their helmets.

Where was that?

I have now found a detailed reference. magma.ca~ocbcOpen ↗, the June 2003 headlines.

Quoted message said:

KIVILEV AND HELMET POLITICS. Much has been made in the cycling press of the tragic death of Kazakh
professional cyclist Andrei Kivilev [snip] Not widely reported or discussed in the English language
press was the role that Kivilev's radio earpiece may have played. The rider was seen adjusting it
immediately prior to the crash. Ex-French pros Laurent Fignon and Laurent Jalabert called for
earpieces to be banned because of the distractions they cause to riders. [snip] The reports of the
Kivilev tragedy contrasts with lack of coverage of similar racing tragedies. On March 15th, only
four days after Kivilev, Garrett Paul Lemire, 22, crashed and died during Saturday's (March 15)
Tucson Bicycle Classic. [snip]

Just over one month later on May 17th, Japanese rider Haruko Fujinawa died after a crashing while
practising for the first round of the NORBA series, the US's premier MTB race series.

Deaths of other helmeted riders in North American cycle racing include Canadian veteran cyclist Joe
Hailey last year and world class US women's pro, Nicole Reinhart in 2000. Hailey crashed and died
from head injuries in a race in March 2002 in Langley, British Columbia. [snip] Helmeted cyclist
deaths rarely, if ever, get much of a mention in the press. One can only speculate they don't sit
well with the life-style ideology of helmet advocates.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.