My helmet saved my life

My helmet saved my life is a frequent claim by helmet promoters. It is in virtually every case provably nonsense.

Even if helmets were 100% effective, given the wearing rate of under 50% it is implausible that there could be more than a handful of valid claims per year, as the number of cyclists who die of head injuries alone is tiny (the single most common cause of death seems to be multiple injuries due to crushing by large vehicles).

Most of these anecdotes are the equivalent of a, where you give someone an intervention and then ask them if they think it helped. Virtually all those seeking the intervention are already vested in the outcome, so it is highly unlikely that the result will come back negative.

Thanks to Robert Haston of alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent for this gem:

A friend comes up to you and says: "Man I was almost killed last night!


 * I was riding my bike:
 * on a high speed road (the back route takes too long)
 * where everyone speeds
 * and the cops don't care
 * It has no shoulders
 * I had no front light
 * or back light
 * or even reflectors
 * or any mirrors
 * I wore black clothes
 * I rode on the left (right if you are in the UK) side of the road
 * entered an intersection from behind bushes
 * with bad brakes
 * but my hands were full of groceries anyway
 * and a driver
 * who was 78
 * with bad eyesight
 * and was driving drunk
 * again
 * despite two previous DUIs
 * came along
 * speeding
 * talking on his cell phone
 * and ran the red light
 * And was coming right at me!
 * I couldn't stop! I had to ride into the ditch!
 * I fell and hit my head.:


 * As I got up I realized my helmet was cracked!


 * My helmet saved my life!


 * Thank God I always wear my helmet.
 * It means I am a safe cyclist.