Helmet research for MP

bikingbill said:

I wrote to my MP re the compulsory helmets proposal. He is asking for more information. Can anyone
provide links or other sources of proper research on the subject
- in preference to the subjective arguments that bounce around from time to time? He has extended
his enquiry to proposals on improving the safety of child cyclists, so again any objective
sources would be welcome. TIA, Bill

The two sources are the CTC position paper and John Franklin's review.

ctc.org.uk0305 CTChelmetpromo8brf.docOpen ↗
lesberries.co.ukhelmets.htmlOpen ↗

Tony

bikingbill said:

He has extended his enquiry to proposals on improving the safety of child cyclists, so again any
objective sources would be welcome.

More training (Cycling Proficiency) and more use of lights and reflective clothing.

Quoted message said:

I wrote to my MP re the compulsory helmets proposal. He is asking for more information. Can anyone
provide links or other sources of proper research on the subject
- in preference to the subjective arguments that bounce around from time to time? He has extended
his enquiry to proposals on improving the safety of child cyclists, so again any objective
sources would be welcome.

Sorry if this sounds a bit patronising, but I'm assuming you have no academic background or
knowledge of statistics etc etc. I know just enough never to trust 'em - too many of the articles
you'll find draw conclusions which aren't valid. Be especially aware of small sample sizes and dodgy
control groups.

You've probably already found it but cyclehelmets.orgcyclehelmets.orgOpen ↗ is excellent as it has the magic
footnotes to back up what it tells you, and even the full papers you're after where possible. It's
also the easiest place to check up on the pro-compulsion claims. It does have an agenda so be aware
of that (the site is mainly geared to refuting the 'cycling is an extreme sport, helmets will save
you' mentality of the general public) but is generally balanced in its presentation.

In terms of getting the actual reports themselves, some are available free, but many of them will
only be available if you've got £20-30 to spend on each one, but the abstracts will be free, and if
you're a bit of a pleb like me all you'll want to read. Meta studies are like gold. It's basically
where someone clever takes a look at a whole load of previous studies and comments on them. You get
both an idea of the bigger picture and also on whether the conclusions of those reports are
reasonable or flawed in some way. Again, the abstracts will tell you what you want to know.

The big problem with doing research is that we should be able to go to organisations like BHIT and
get some good information. The problem is that almost everything they say tends to be untruths,
misinformation or tugging at the heart strings stuff. It makes it almost impossible to throw
together a pro-compulsion dossier that will stand up to even the smallest bit of half-arsed
research. This may be because there isn't a good argument for compulsory helmet legislation, or it
maybe because they're a load of amateurs, or that they're writing for plebs like me. As you are
researching for an MP they might give you something a bit more solid than the fluff on their website
so give 'em a go and tell us what you get.

For good sources of proper research, try starting at:
mmu.ac.ukejournals.htmlOpen ↗ It lists just over 30 collections of
electronic journals, enabling you to search squillions of journals. Scroll down the list, noting
which collection covers what your interested in then search 'em. It's time consuming but quicker
than a library and more chance of finding what you want. The abstracts will be free, and they
basically give the conclusions of the paper without all the boring numbers.

Good luck and tell us what you find.

Mark.

In article <[email hidden]>, one of infinite monkeys

at the keyboard of Zog The Undeniable said:

Quoted message said:

He has extended his enquiry to proposals on improving the safety of child cyclists, so again any
objective sources would be welcome.

More training (Cycling Proficiency) and more use of lights and reflective clothing.

Erm, sounds reasonable, but where's the hard evidence?

More speed cameras. More enforcement of traffic laws. More provision for cyclists at schools, to
increase numbers (and hence awareness amongst drivers) and reduce the number of school-run drivers.
Oh, and get some exercise ...

--
Hutton: Nobody is asking why Blair was so keen to have a damaging inquiry into a minor side-issue of
going to war.

So, what has he successfully deflected media attention from?

bikingbill said:

I wrote to my MP re the compulsory helmets proposal. He is asking for more information. Can anyone
provide links or other sources of proper research on the subject

I would advise him to contact the following:

Jane Griffiths, MP, chair of the all-party cycling group John Franklin (john dot franklin at quinze
at lesberries dot co dot uk Roger Geffen at the CTC (roger dot geffen at ctc dot org dot uk)

All the above have "MP grade" credibility, in my view, and can be counted on to give accurate
information.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
chapmancentral.demon.co.ukchapmancentral.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

"Mark Thompson" <[email hidden] (change warm for
hot)> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

..... You've probably already found it but cyclehelmets.orgcyclehelmets.orgOpen ↗ is excellent as it has the
magic footnotes to back up what it tells you, and even the full papers you're after where
possible. It's also the .....

Good luck and tell us what you find.

Mark.

Thanks for the replies so far. I'm not a Parliamentary researcher, just a constituent writing to his
MP. Being aware that MPs have lots to do in little time I'm sending him the CTC position paper and a
link to the www.cycle-helmets.com site which has a readable synopsis. On child safety I've taken
Zog's comments about training and lights, and added speed limit and parking enforcement, and street
lighting improvement. My concern, that I'll pass on to him specifically, is that the arguments
against helmets are counter-intuitive and many busy MPs will just nod it through because it seems
like a good idea without checking the whole story. Bill

--
Cyclists are always well-balanced.

On Thu, 08 Jan 2004 23:04:51 +0000, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Oops!

John Franklin (quinze at lesberries dot co dot uk)

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
chapmancentral.demon.co.ukchapmancentral.demon.co.ukOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, one of infinite monkeys

at the keyboard of bikingbill said:

My concern, that I'll pass on to him specifically, is that the arguments against helmets

Aaargh! Don't fall into that one.

There's no argument against helmets. Only against compulsion.

--
Hutton: Nobody is asking why Blair was so keen to have a damaging inquiry into a minor side-issue of
going to war.

So, what has he successfully deflected media attention from?

Nick Kew said:

In article <[email hidden]>, one of infinite monkeys at the keyboard of

bikingbill said:

My concern, that I'll pass on to him specifically, is that the arguments against helmets

Aaargh! Don't fall into that one.

There's no argument against helmets. Only against compulsion.

There might be, since there is still no agreed explanation for why they fail at the
population level.

But arguments against promotion are stronger, and those against compulsion may even convince dozy
MPs who can't be bothered to check the facts for themselves.

Colin McKenzie

Mark Thompson said:

The big problem with doing research is that we should be able to go to organisations like BHIT and
get some good information. The problem is that almost everything they say tends to be untruths,
misinformation or tugging at the heart strings stuff. It makes it almost impossible to throw
together a pro-compulsion dossier that will stand up to even the smallest bit of half-arsed
research.

Venus de Milo - "That's OK: your tears say more than real evidence ever could".

you know? said:

On 8 Jan 2004 20:29:42 GMT, bikingbill

Quoted message said:

I wrote to my MP re the compulsory helmets proposal. He is asking for more information. Can anyone
provide links or other sources of proper research on the subject

I would advise him to contact the following:

Jane Griffiths, MP, chair of the all-party cycling group John Franklin (john dot franklin
at quinze at lesberries dot co dot uk Roger Geffen at the CTC (roger dot geffen at ctc dot
org dot uk)

All the above have "MP grade" credibility, in my view, and can be counted on to give accurate
information.

In case anyone hasn't come across it, a convenient means of reaching your MP is via
faxyourmp.comfaxyourmp.comOpen ↗. This does work; I used it a few weeks ago to fax my MP (Sir Sidney
Chapman) about a different matter (EU legislation on patenting software) and got a reply from him.

I've just sent him a further fax about the proposed helmet law.

AC

--
Using Linux GNU/Debian - Windows-free zone acampbell.org.ukacampbell.org.ukOpen ↗ (book reviews and articles)
Email: replace "www." with "ac@"