I was wearing one

"Niv" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:TomCc.166$UF6.5@newsfe3-gui...

Quoted message said:

...a helmet that is, when something fell off a tree and
bounced off my head. Don't think it was large but certainly
made a loud thud!
Anyway, let's keep helmets optional, stop all this
compulsory nonsense.

Niv.

....

So that's helmets for pedestrians as well then?

Or anyone else who stands around under trees?

Soon to be compulsory.....in a park near you.

Curious

....

On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 21:19:38 +0100, Dr Curious <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

...

So that's helmets for pedestrians as well then?

Or anyone else who stands around under trees?

Soon to be compulsory.....in a park near you.

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

Not an argument for compulsory wearing of helmets though.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

"Doctor J. Frink" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 21:19:38 +0100, Dr Curious <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

...

So that's helmets for pedestrians as well then?

Or anyone else who stands around under trees?

Soon to be compulsory.....in a park near you.

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

Not an argument for compulsory wearing of helmets though.

During childbirth my skull wasn't quite fully formed .. how about a small
snip, place a tiny helmet and then natural childbirth? Do I sound like the
craziest in the room?

In message <TomCc.166$UF6.5@newsfe3-gui>, Niv
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

...a helmet that is, when something fell off a tree and bounced off my head.
Don't think it was large but certainly made a loud thud!
Anyway, let's keep helmets optional, stop all this
compulsory nonsense.

Roll on the conker season!

--
Sue ];(🙂

Quoted message said:

...a helmet that is, when something fell off a tree and bounced off my
head. Don't think it was large but certainly made a loud thud!

Another kamikaze squirrel?

Mark Thompson said:

Quoted message said:

...a helmet that is, when something fell off a tree and bounced off my
head. Don't think it was large but certainly made a loud thud!

Ban trees! Thats what I say.

--

Doctor J. Frink said:

On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 21:19:38 +0100, Dr Curious <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

...

So that's helmets for pedestrians as well then?

Or anyone else who stands around under trees?

Soon to be compulsory.....in a park near you.

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

Any that wouldn't have touched you at all had you not been wearing a
helmet?

Quoted message said:

Not an argument for compulsory wearing of helmets though.

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
There's a song about Alice

On 23/6/04 11:05 pm, in article [email hidden],

Doctor J. Frink said:

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

I tend to use my eyes when cycling so that I can see branches and other
obstructions. I then ride so that I don't hit them. I find that to be an
effective way of avoiding head injuries from overhanging vegetation.

Anyway, Many many years ago I was riding through my local neighbourhood
when I heard a loud thud on the helmet. A brace of conkers had fallen off a
tree and conked me on the conk..

A few weeks later a similar thing happened except that they missed my head
and hit my knee instead, drawing blood from the wound.

...d

David Martin said:

I tend to use my eyes when cycling so that I can see branches and other
obstructions. I then ride so that I don't hit them.

All very well in theory, but if practice involves, say, an MTB descent
through woods then practice might not be so easy. You could always roll
around corners at speeds where you can always pull up, but that may well
be taken to be No Fun At All.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Niv said:

...a helmet that is, when something fell off a tree and bounced off my head.
Don't think it was large but certainly made a loud thud!
Anyway, let's keep helmets optional, stop all this
compulsory nonsense.

Not another guano-related incident, surely?

Regards,

-david, seagull poo free (for now)

Peter Clinch said:

David Martin said:

I tend to use my eyes when cycling so that I can see branches and other
obstructions. I then ride so that I don't hit them.

All very well in theory, but if practice involves, say, an MTB descent
through woods then practice might not be so easy. You could always roll
around corners at speeds where you can always pull up, but that may well
be taken to be No Fun At All.

Fair enough.. I was thinking utility cycling through parks/along cyclepaths
and so on.

Ever ridden the green circular route? lots of overhanging branches to avoid
there..

...d

David Martin said:

Ever ridden the green circular route? lots of overhanging branches to avoid
there..

Bits of it. Alongside Riverside Drive to the dump they're not so much
overhanging as barging you off from the side...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Doctor J. Frink" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

Not an argument for compulsory wearing of helmets though.

....

No it certainly isn't. What you choose to do in the course of
your activities when traumatising wildlife should in no way impact
on the activities of those of us who choose to make use of the
most efficient and non polluting means of transport yet devised.
On surfaces set aside for that purpose.

Curious

....

Quoted message said:

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

Keith Willoughby said:

Doctor J. Frink said:

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

Any that wouldn't have touched you at all had you not been wearing a
helmet?

Maybe a small fraction, but a lot is at face-height (when on the bike).
It's very simple to just dip the head, take the *thwap* on the helmet
and carry on unscathed.

Maybe I should ride around with a hedgetrimmer clamped to my handlebars.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

David Martin said:

On 23/6/04 11:05 pm, in article [email hidden],

Doctor J. Frink said:

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

I tend to use my eyes when cycling so that I can see branches and other
obstructions. I then ride so that I don't hit them. I find that to be an
effective way of avoiding head injuries from overhanging vegetation.

So do I... when I can see them coming. A particular trait of the redways
round here is blind corners. I can either crawl round them and give
myself time to avoid vegetation or just go round at a sensible speed and
take a *boink* if necessary. Or on canal paths where to avoid the
overhangers is to attempt divine sporting prowess (cycling on water).

Also hard to avoid if there's traffic (other bikes, peds) coming the
other way.

This is just my personal experience on some of the routes I take.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 11:23:23 +0100, Dr Curious <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Doctor J. Frink" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and country
paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has taken
quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown vegetation
that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

Not an argument for compulsory wearing of helmets though.

...

No it certainly isn't. What you choose to do in the course of
your activities when traumatising wildlife should in no way impact

I don't traumatise wildlife. I'm an amateur wildlife photographer so the
last thing I want to do is scare off the wildlife. There's precious
little wildlife beyond urban birds in places where I have need to get
clonked on the head by branches.

Quoted message said:

on the activities of those of us who choose to make use of the
most efficient and non polluting means of transport yet devised.

That'd be me then wouldn't it, seeing as I'm utilising one of these
things and it is my only form of transport.

Quoted message said:

On surfaces set aside for that purpose.

That's exactly what I'm using when utilising cycleways and shared use
tracks, as well as Her Majesty's highways.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

On 24/6/04 2:51 pm, in article [email hidden],

Doctor J. Frink said:

So do I... when I can see them coming. A particular trait of the redways
round here is blind corners. I can either crawl round them and give
myself time to avoid vegetation or just go round at a sensible speed and
take a *boink* if necessary.

And what about pedestrians and other cyclists? Do you just boink them off
your helmet too?

...d

"Doctor J. Frink" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 11:23:23 +0100, Dr Curious <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Doctor J. Frink" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm more inclined to wear a helmet when going through parks (and

country

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

paths/tracks) not because of things falling on me but because of tree
branches, twigs, brambles etc sticking out in my path. At pedestrian
speeds they're easily avoidable or non-dangerous but my helmet has

taken

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

quite a few *clunks* and *slaps* when encountering overgrown

vegetation

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that my skull and face wouldn't have enjoyed.

Not an argument for compulsory wearing of helmets though.

...

No it certainly isn't. What you choose to do in the course of
your activities when traumatising wildlife should in no way impact

I don't traumatise wildlife. I'm an amateur wildlife photographer so the
last thing I want to do is scare off the wildlife. There's precious
little wildlife beyond urban birds in places where I have need to get
clonked on the head by branches.

....

That's an interesting observation. So how do they keep the wildlife
away ? If there are trees one would imagine there'd be other types
of wildlife present as well. How can you be so confident that
you're simply not scaring all the wildlife away with your approach?

The point being that before the utilisation of ATB's, Scrambler
bikes and FWD vehicles, disturbance of the off-road countryside was
limited to those sufficiently determined to expend the energy to walk
to these places. Now it isn't.

As it isn't strictly necessary*, I personally regard all such
activity as intrusive and an unnecessary impostion on a precious
resource. Both for humans and wildlife.

Curious

* Strictly unecessary i.e sports and leisure cycling on public roads
and paths etc is entirely different because that impact is forseen.

Quoted message said:

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse

David Martin said:

On 24/6/04 2:51 pm, in article [email hidden],

Doctor J. Frink said:

So do I... when I can see them coming. A particular trait of the redways
round here is blind corners. I can either crawl round them and give
myself time to avoid vegetation or just go round at a sensible speed and
take a *boink* if necessary.

And what about pedestrians and other cyclists? Do you just boink them off
your helmet too?

I don't go flying round corners at 30mph. If there was a cyclist on that
side of the path then

a) they would be in the wrong because the rules of the redways is you
keep on the right hand side of the paths
b) I'd slam on the brakes

With pedestrians I would have more time to react and would again brake
to stop, or enough to go round them. There are simply too many corners
to be slowing to a crawl, I take them fast enough to get me from A to B
in a sensible time but slow enough to stop if I have to. I'm not an
idiot.

All I am saying is that I don't have to take sudden diversions or brake
suddenly just to avoid vegetation that's heading towards my face. It
gets the helmet treatment. And yes, there are also some times when I
just haven't seen the offending branch (thin but often nastily thorny)
until far too late to stop.

This is a consequence of the paths I take round here and the inability
of the council to keep them well maintained.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse