Alyson France is at it again in CW (remember her daft letter re the Rhyl tragedy
– despite the accounts of those actually involved and outcome of any investigation…and we know also that a lot of insurers will try to close a case where no one accepts liability by a 50 /50 split. I thus doubt she succeeds any more than this in claims.
She reckons almost every letter to date in CW supports compulsory helmet use
and has decided to rant off against helmets. Very strange for an insurer – especially if she’s dealing with the sharks who want to keep pay-outs to minimum. Like reading or not – the unpalatable truth is that insurers do NOT LIKE shelling out cash and will seek to reduce as much as they can… whilst at the same time loading the insurance for the hapless driver for any claim made. This also applies just as much to home insurance.... loss adjuster assesses and if there's one area of your house which he thinks was not "adequately protected against a break-in or you left a window open whilst you were out... - it could affect the claim.
It's not "automatic pay out" - the insured forks out higher premiums and the insurer tries to keep as much as he can! She should know this!
She slates one reader for recounting his own experience “merely anecdotal” and then goes on to say she has been riding for 36 years and dealt with 2000 claims from riders. (Only 2000 claims? Would have thought more….but then we are seeing more folk – er – wear – er helmets than previously.. by choice ….)
Of course – Mad Doc has always posted this … K or SI …it depends just as much where and at which angle the impact just as much as speed of the impact.
By this we mean – it is quite possible despite all the hype to be seriously injured at a low speed. Why we’d rather folk drive to COAST principles on basis that this promotes plan, adjustment, re-positioning and the safest speed to proceed.
She quotes an example whereby a chap hit a pothole and was flung over the bars.
She says the coroner commented on the lack of helmet and fatal head injury and “completely ignored the autopsy report which referred to a fracture of the upper vertebrae of the upper spinal column as “being the cause of the death”. It was still caused by landing on his head regardless – based on chat with one of the medics on family and Mike Barry’s account below. I suspect the two injuries were linked in any case and I strongly suspect she is not telling the whole of the report based on my own experience of reading these darned things – (see the add –on about Mike Barry
Oh and by the way .. over the years .. reckon it tops her 2000 claims.
She then mentions deaths through not wearing seat belts and by driving whilst drunk as topping the charts on road deaths. (Ahhhh…. So no speed then eh- Allyson …) an mentions that car deaths do not make this distinction about the deceased’s lack of helmet. (Ahh… but we take account of the state of car, lack of seat belt, lack of competence and lack of legality and the speed ….with regard to the road condition and lay-out.. A rally or racing driver .. helmet would certainly come into the equation there. Also – there is a bit of a difference as in one earlier lette our Allyson referred to “drivers cocooned in a protective metal cage whereas the cyclist is vulnerable against the elements .. and this is partly why this “drivers should wear helmets” fall apart.
However, I am sure that with the new super cams
– a lot of drivers will take the cyclist’s argument on board completely .. to carry on using the “Hamilton defence!”.
Hmmmm! Be careful of what you wish for ….
She does ask people not to assume the helmet saved their life – it is just coated polystyrene. Only the polystyrene does offer at least some protection from a small impact. I am sure she would not pack her computer and breakables without wrapping them in bubble wrap, polystyrene chips if moving home.
Besides …. I ‘d rather the insects squished on my lid than in my hair and scalp!
That’s what I think it protects me from really.
But as a person whose day job is to promote safe practice – I will encourage people to use a lid. On the basis I have seen more grief without one than with one – over a career spanning over 20 years at the sharp edge and not pushing a pen in an insurance office.
Oddly enough – this week’s edition focuses on how Discovery Channel Pro Michael Barry recovered from spinal injuries incurred through landing on his face.. (He was the support rider for the team’s leaders and was instrumental in helping Roberto Heras win the 2003 Tour of Spain. He finished seventh overall in a World Champ road race in 2003 and is married to Dede Demet who won silver in the Olympic 2004 road race.
He was wearing a helmet – but landed on his face – thus the helmet could not protect. Anyway.
He clipped a road barrier which was sticking out in the road and went straight over the bars – landing flat on his face – literally.
He lost a lot of blood at the scene, was out cold for 45 minutes and broke thoracic vertebrae seven, eight and nine.. He was lucky – he did not need a corset
He was told to say off his bike, not to lift anything but to keep active by walking without straining his back. The compression fracture occurred when the force pushed together the front part of the vertebrae. Per CW - the bone tissue of the vertebral body collapses within itself and has a smallet vlume. Apparently this heasl within 6-8 weeks with pain killers.
Ten days later – he got on his spinning trainer – holding the door handle to keep his back straight and gradually increased each day and practised yoga to keep the muscles loose. After a fracture “muscles are tight”
He's looking to ride in the Vuelta and late Classics.
Mike Barry has written a number of books on fitness plus one "Inside the Postal Bus" - a wityy and wry look a life pn the road as a pro-cyclist.
You can follow his progress on
www.michaelbarry.ca
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