Will wearing a bike helmet save your life

These are my children's heads unsurprisingly I want to do everything I can to protect them.

I got to debating helmets yesterday with Richard from the excellent Ride Harrogate on the back of this Telegraph article. "It's a no-brainier and common sense," says Richard "helmets protect your head, it should be law to wear one."

At face value it seems obvious protect your head and live longer. Lord Bradley Wiggins of Modshire is calling for a helmet law too.

But do helmets actually work and would a law save lives? 

I'm an evidence boy,  I'm cynical and I don't often believe the hype, so lets look at some data . Dr Ben Goldacre if you don't know, is an epidemiologist and  a real life nerd god. He wrote the excellent Bad Science and Bad Pharma books. One basically amongst other things,  rubbishing Dr Gillian Mckeith or to give her, her full name Gillian McKeith and the other pointing out that the international drugs trade has  harmed quite a lot of people unnecessarily, often for money. He is the real thing, he is a welcome research fellow, he knows his stuff.

Ben does fact, he doesn't do common sense and he can pull facts, or at least strong statistical probability out of a research study and make me get it better than anyone I know. A while back I got him chatting on twitter as he rides a bike a bit. He said he thought the data on the benefits of helmet use was unclear but he didn't have the time to look into it as he had a book to finish. 

Later he found the time and he wrote this. It's a review of the evidence on helmet legislation and its effect on bike riders. There are quite a few studies out there of variable quality, read Bad Science if you want to know why some research is better than some of the rest. The best study in Canada showed that a helmet law had "no effect" on cyclist mortality. This seems to be contradicted by studies that show helmets reduce head injuries. Although these studies have some problems with how they were carried out.

The big concern with a helmet law is the so called second round effect. You put a law in place that says wear a helmet and as a result  less people cycle, because wearing a helmet is a faff and these now inactive people die of heart disease and stroke. Woops, unintended consequence.

See  my post on the risks of sitting on your bum versus being active and how your nice "safe" sofa may be killing you. In Holland injury and death rates for cyclists are relatively, very low. Hardly anyone wears a helmet  they do have excellent infrastructure though, so traffic and bikes are often separated.

So that's why I'm against a law because based on the evidence I don't think it will save lives and I don't want to infringe people's freedom unless I can see a significant provable benefit. Now the weird bit. I usually wear a hat, not always but often. It makes me feel safer. I make my kids wear hats. It might save our lives and I have bought them now, so better to stick them on our heads than leave them in the kitchen.

To be honest though writing a cycling blog, lobbying local government, getting more people cycling, prioritising  infrastructure. These things seem looking at all the evidence, way more likely to save my life than wearing a helmet. I appreciate some people have very strong opinions about this but here are two quotes from Mr Goldacre worth remembering.

"You have the right to your own opinions, but not your own facts."

"I think you will find it's a bit more complicated than that."

We ned your help - extend the Nidderdale Greenway to Hampsthwaite

Plans are afoot to extend the marvellous Nidderdale Greeenway through Hollybank Woods to Hampsthwaite. This is a beautiful broad leaved wood and if you haven't been you should, its cool. It's a right of way at the moment but its not in the best of states for bikes. This from Malcolm Margolis

....This is the lane which leads west of Ripley Castle over the little bridge with the waterfall next to it, through Hollybank Woods for a mile or more and comes out on Clint Bank Lane above Hampsthwaite. In its current state it is unsuitable for cycling for most of the year, except for mountain bikes. It is no use as a family route, or for wheelchair users.

Sustrans wants to bring the path up to standard. Everything is, or was, in place for the work to go ahead. The budget is £160,000, which is to be paid for jointly by Sustrans and North Yorkshire. The funding is available for this financial year only, so the path has to be built in the next few months, or it will be lost. Sir Thomas Ingilby, who owns the land, has given his permission, as has English Heritage whose permission was needed as it is an ancient way.
Trouble is the plans are looking like they might be thwarted by local resident objections. The same sort of views that hampered the Stray cycle path routes and nearly did for the Greenway before it got started. Apparently some people don't like cyclists. I'm not much keen on 20 tonne HGV's myself but they bring me stuff and come past my house so I have learned to live with them. I'm not sure a few bikes will necessarily be the vanguard of the new apocalypse but I know the people of our area can takes strong views about these matters.

It looks likely that at a soon to be held Ripley village meeting, there will be a split between those who are pro and those who are anti the cycle route.

How You can help

We need to demonstrate to North Yorkshire that there is strong support for this route from the people of the area who will use it. If your in favour that's you.

Update Lunchtime 22/8/2013

A few hours a go we were asking for people to email in to NYCC to say they supported the Greenway extension. We have just heard from NYCC that they get the message and an inbox is overflowing with support, so please no more emails. I think that is a win for making our views known. Hopefully somebody's inbox will calm down now.

The Cycle to work Scheme

Cycle to Work Schemes

I was promoting cycle to work schemes at the hospital the other week. They could use some further explanation I think. Firstly your employer has to be signed up with one of them before you can benefit. If they aren't ask them to, its not hard. In Harrogate the Hospital and North Yorkshire County Council are signed up and if any other employers want me to publicise their participation let me know, I will be happy to.

How it works

You find a bike you want up to the value of a £1000 this can include accessories like locks and helmets too. You have to use participating stores but there is usually a good range including online outlets. You tell your employer and the bike shop  what you want they arrange a "certificate" you drop it off at the bike shop and you get a bike.

You then pay for the bike, usually 12 payments over a year that come out of your salary before tax and national insurance. It's what is called a salary sacrifice scheme. At the end of the scheme you pay one more payment typically half of the monthly cost and the bike is yours in another two years, on paper it belongs to the scheme for these two years but you still get to ride it. Well you have other options actually, like having another bike using the scheme and handing the first one back. Or paying more to own the bike outright after a year. The details vary slightly scheme to scheme but that is the broad thrust.

Can I use it in my own time?

The scheme is about getting people to cycle to work but nobody is checking, if you ride the bike at other times nobody really minds. If you want a mountain bike that's fine too.

How much can I save?

Depends how much tax you pay but a basic rate taxpayer could save roughly 29 %, top rate taxpayers more. This is not completely free money as you pay less pension (if you are lucky enough to have one) as the bike money is deducted first, but its is the next best thing and you get a bike.

Some Thoughts

I looked at using the scheme when I worked at the Grammar School but decided that I could pick a bike up cheaper in the end of season sales as most shop worked on RRP's when using the scheme. As bike shops get ready for next years models it is not unusual to see discounts of up to 40% especially if you are an unpopular male size or a women.

However  I have just found these people Eureka cycle sports who will do the scheme on sale bikes with a 12% surcharge as there are some costs to them for administering the scheme. Now that is looking like a winner to me if I'm looking to get a bike.

Good Fettle and riding your age

It was my youngest boy's first proper cycle ride on Thursday. He has been threatening to be a fully independent cyclist for a while. We bribed him with the threat of cake and headed off from Starbeck down to Bilton on the cycle way.

We cut back towards Asda on the start of the Nidderdale Greenway. Just after you cross the railway at Grove Park is the new and charming Good Fettle cafe. We had tea, cake and a chat. I had been twittering away to Moira the owner for a bit so it was good to catch up face to face and check the place out. 

Not your ordinary cafe this one and I have reviewed a few.  Part tradesman's refuleing stop, part organic bistro it was a genius mix. The cake was first rate I'm told, I didn't get any they ate it  all whilst I was chatting. There was a cracking choice of drinks and much of the food is homemade from the owner's own organic produce. The welcome was warm, what's not to like?

Now if more cyclists knew about this place, I reckon it would get the love it deserves and the unfriendly Gardeners arms would have to cheer up a bit.

The littlest one made the cycle back, now full of cake and pop. He cycled 5 miles, which is his age. I got to wondering if I can still cycle mine? I think so but it has been a while, I think I will check soon.

Harrogate Hospital promote Cycling - Rejoice

I spent my lunchtime in the restaurant at  Harrogate Hospital yesterday. The HR department at the hospital have put together a leaflet with a bit of input from Cycle Harrogate. It details the cycle facilities on offer for bike riders at the hospital and gives some advice on commuting to work in Harrogate. Katy Ward and Craig from HR were there to promote the cyclescheme. This if you don't know is the government backed initiative where you can get a bike, pay for it over a year and not pay any tax or national insurance on the purchase. Basically you get a bike for a third off, more if you pay top rate tax.

I was a little apprehensive that we would spend two hours talking to no one. I couldn't have been more wrong. There was a long stream of people interested in the scheme, a few people after advice on bike parking and a few folk wanting some cycle training. I think we managed to help everyone out.

A couple of issues that did come out of all of this was that there are is not enough cycle parking at the hospital. People were complaining about struggling to get anywhere to put their bikes. Katy took this issue back with her. Lets see if anything can be done.

overflowing cycle parking

Secondly there where quite a few people who didn't know that their daily commute was right by traffic free cycleways and they were put off commuting because they thought they would have to cycle down busy roads.

In the short term I am going to make sure Katy knows about my Cycle Harrogate app and map. Hopefully sometime this financial year we will have North Yorkshire County Councils much needed improved signage and online map.

So well done to the Hospital for taking up the gauntlet Cycle Harrogate threw down this time last year. They have more than risen to the challenge. Its great to see Harrogate's largest employer doing its bit for health promotion amongst its staff. It would be good to get some of the town's other large employers doing the same if they aren't already. It looks like these events may be happening a little more often going forward and we are looking at ways to build on this excellent start.

Beryl Still in Peril- Moutainbiking in Harrogate

I rode the Beryl Burton last night, I was off to the pub. The rather excellent half moon in knaresborough. Its been done up in the recent past. I recommend it if you fancy a swift half in calm but convivial surroundings. Anyway back to the  Beryl Burton, its really rutted in places and seems to be deteriorating rapidly. It made for quite good fun on my mountain bike. I wizzed in and out of the potholes. Thing is it supposed to be a cycle way not some technical singletrack for those with skills to nail it hard on a retro hardtail. My wife on her city bike had to slow to nearly a stop in a few places. My kids would have been unable to ride it, their wheels are too small. Should it be requirement of urban cycling in Harrogate that you need a good suspension fork and the skills to use it? I think not.

Come on NYCC the state of this route should shame you, it embarrasses me.

The reluctant Cycle Activist

I just spoke to Harrogate labour party who asked me along to talk all things bike. I hope nobody was so bored they had to chew their own arm off. Here is the transcript of what I said.

Can I start with an apparently ludicrous claim and a few facts?
I can save your life, well perhaps.

Half an hour of moderate exercise five times a week is easily the single most important health intervention you can make if you are currently inactive. The science and data on this is good, you can even be quite overweight if you exercise regularly, you will still live longer than lazy skinny people.

Check out the excellent You tube video 23 and a half hours by Professor Mike Evans for how we have found that this is true. Trouble is if you drive to work and have a sit down job you struggle to get your half an hour in. High stroke and heart disease rates seem unlikely to be lowered by people driving to the gym and fasting two days a week.
During rush hour, cycling in Harrogate can be twice as fast as driving. Skipton Road has been identified as one of the slowest places to drive in the UK, during rush hour.
Cyclists seldom pay to park, nor do they currently pay Vehicle Exercise Duty based on their Co2 emissions. Even if they did rates would be quite low.

People who cycle to work have lower sickness rates than people who drive. The more often people cycle the lower their sickness rates. There can be as much as 18% difference.
The data on the benefits of regular exercise and the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle are now so clear that NICE the governments health promotion and drug endorsement people, have recently said that local authorities have an obligation to actively promote cycling and walking for their clear health benefits.

Car emissions are killing about 13,000 people in the UK every year according to an MIT study, mainly people who have chronic heart and lung disease. Knaresborough has one junction with such high pollution levels that action should be taken, so far nothing has been done. 

Fear of a dangerous cycling environment is the number one reason people give for not using a bike to commute. 

Despite this fear you are actually somewhere between 13 to 35 times more likely to die from being inactive than from riding a bike. This runs contrary to much of the coverage of cycle deaths you see in the media. Stroke deaths of ordinary people seldom make the papers. 

One of my favourite quotes from the Mayor of Bogota. "A cycleway that is not safe for an 8 year old is not a cycle way." 

We don't have to live in towns and cities that are unhealthy and congested, we choose to. The way we travel to work, in our town centres, the way we let our local government build and develop these towns, its all our choice.

We have elected to prioritise car use over generations because we wanted ease and freedom, these freedoms are killing some of us.

In Harrogate I believe we are acting too slowly to make our green and pleasant town bike friendly. I think it is time to make some different choices.

I didn't plan to become a cycle activist. For a start my working life is spent driving round in a large 4wd SUV, I don't ride a bike that often, Neither am I  anti-car, I don't wear lycra or socks with my sandals. This is probably not the usual CV for a cycle campaigner. 

This though is my story. I used to teach at the Grammar School and I cycled daily from the picturesque spa, fishing village of Starbeck to the lush tree-lined splendour of West Park on the edge of the Stray.
It never crossed my mind as I began my 6 years of commuting that cycling across these paths by the side of this immense, green lawn was forbidden by an act of parliament, but it was so. The Stray Act forbids cycling. Good grief a lawn has its own Act of Parliament.

Every so often on my ride, I would end up arguing with a PCSO who would try to rebuke me for riding across the Queen's garden by threatening me with a fine. Soon as the conversation went on they would lose the will to live and try to escape from my visceral rant. Feeling I'm sure like a fox caught in a trap, trying to chew off its own leg. Them trying in vain to get away from my endless stream of consciousness. If you where one of those PCSO's I'm really sorry.

About this time a campaign to get some cycle paths across the Stray started. Local hero Malcolm Margolis writes letters to the press and stages a demo. 400 odd people bring their bikes onto the hollowed yet forbidden turf. Local residents with a Strayside view, try and stop this quiet two wheeled revolution by the time honoured techniques of glaring and tutting. "Let them eat cake" they mutter behind their Hermes headscarfs. After a few photos and a couple of press interviews, the protesters head off to Betty's. Fat rascals in pursuit of fat rascals.

The upshot of this very genteel protest is that much unflattering coverage forces the Council to take cycling seriously. There is a public debate and the neigh-sayers are massively outnumbered in the consultation that follows, the battle is won.
It then only takes another 3 years before the cycleways open, but at least for my last 6 months of work at the Grammar School I cycle legally across the Stray. 

Suddenly it's 2012 and the Knaresborough road is being resurfaced. North Yorkshire County Council put even wider chevrons up the middle of this already cycle unfriendly road, forcing lorries and cyclists into an uneasy battle of wills. Things are particularly bad at the pedestrian refuges in the middle where these pinch points force a game of chicken that scares me so much I don't dare ride up the hill any more as its too scary.

I write a letter to my MP on the same day as my wife does, we don't confer it just happened. Meanwhile I use my IT nerd skills to start an on-line petition, as well as the Cycle Harrogate blog and we write letters to anyone we can think of who might care.

Andrew Jones MP comes up trumps and he gets involved, He bothers NYCC, they ignore him, he bothers them again. They send a man round. The man is mainly memorable for putting on a high viz jacket before entering my house. I know it not quite finished yet, but it's not that dangerous. He knows nothing about our concerns and promises little, we are off to a great start.

Letters are exchanged with NYCC highways. A meeting is arranged, we get a commitment to a narrower median strip as "the contractors had done it wrong."They also commit to some cycle lanes between the level crossing and the hospital which is what we had asked for. We start celebrating.

Everything then goes quiet for a while. Then at two minutes past midnight after the contractors have started the re-lining the road we are told that only about 300 metres of cycleway in one direction will be done. I am ever so slightly miffed. I flame NYCC on my blog, a formal complaint goes in, it finds in our favour as the council failed to consult as they promised, but nothing changes, Is that a win? A draw? Or a loss? You decide.

I decide that NYCC' cycle promotion strategy which as far as I can see involves dishing out puncture repair kits with stickers on needs to improve, I'm not making this up.
I go negative, I start berating NYCC in public for their lack of a cycling officer and more importantly a lack of a cycling development policy. We petition for a cycling officer like the one Harrogate Borough Council had when they where responsible for highways. 500 people sign up.

About this time I remember going to a County Council area meeting in town. I am the youngest person there, I'm asked to speak loudly into the microphone as many councillors are hard of hearing, I figure I may not be amongst friends, indeed NYCC reject the idea of a cycling officer on the grounds of cost in a prepared statement read quietly with gruff indifference. I wonder if everyone could hear ok?

Dejected by the lack of progress, and feeling like part of the problem not part of the solution. I toy with the idea of doing more climbing and less lobbying, but eventually figure I may as well keep blogging and writing the letters. We get to 600 followers on twitter about then, we are nearly a 1000 now. Somebody has to keep the need for cycling infrastructure in the spotlight, If I don't, maybe no-one else will?

Recently things now seem to be getting better here is a news round up.

Well the Tour de France is coming. For many years I have thought of going out to France in July, to stand on a desolate mountain side with thousands crazy people dressed as the devil or only in shorts. All off their heads on cheap red wine. I wanted to witness the greatest free sporting event in the world. Next year its coming past the end of my road, go figure.I would of course like to claim sole responsibility for this news, but I suspect Lord Bradley Wiggins of Modshire may claim the honours, with some responsibility going to Welcome to Yorkshire.

I mention this not just because of my stupid child like excitement but because after months of letters being mostly ignored, suddenly people are answering my letters and returning my calls. Increasingly they are phoning me for quotes advice and offers of business deals. cycling now seems to matter in Harrogate, cheers Wiggo. 

The Nidderdale Greenway, that wonderful off road cycleway from Asda to Ripley is now open and making Ripley Ice cream even more world famous than it was already. Its making Sir Thomas Ingilby even richer and good on him for championing the route, a huge thank you to Sustran's the cycling charity for making this route real. Some sunny days Ripley looks like a bike park, If you haven't ridden it, go on its a grand trip out on a sunny day.
Harrogate's big red bike shop (not I believe part of the Labour Movement) have started a bike hire business on the back of demand from the Greenway and good luck to them.

I have been working with the hospital the town's largest employer to promote cycling to their staff. They were doing little or nothing despite much fruitless winging from me, Eventually I think I wore them down, they are doing much more now, good on them.

It is easy to paint NYCC as the baddies in all of this but they are starting to come good. They have appointed a sustainable transport officer to promote cycling and walking. Mark Kibblethwaite wants to make Harrogate a bike town he says. They have 600 grand to spend on sustainable transport this year, a fair chunk on cycling, this is a good thing. They have had money to do this stuff before they haven't always bothered to spend it. I suspect holding them to account in public may well help. I expect they will spend the money now, if not I will make sure as many people as possible know what's happened.

There is a Tour de France legacy document which NYCC have put out. Its unfunded currently but amongst a raft of great proposals is the idea of extending the Nidderdale Greenway to Ripon and even on to Masham. Also a plan to link Harrogate to Sustran's national cycle network at Spofforth. If any of this stuff comes to pass I will do my little dance that scares my wife. Hell I will put it on Youtube.

We got a commitment at Christmas from NYCC to resurface the Harrogate to Knaresborough Beryl Burton cycle route which currently resembles a stream bed, its was a fitting testament to a great British champion. If you don't know how good Beryl Burton was on a bike check out the recent radio 4 play. Suffice to say she made Wiggins look like he rides with stabilizers on.

NYCC are currently trying to wriggle out of most of their commitment. You may have seen the picture of me looking somewhat unhinged in the Advertiser along with the background to the story. Even this is a positive as a few councillors have got involved and they are having words with council officers about now. This wouldn't have happened a year ago. I suspect we may yet get this route resurfaced before the tour comes, we shall see.

Harrogate Borough Council have a sports development officer the excellent Jo Armstrong who is doing good work. She is getting people who haven't or couldn't ride bikes riding them, as well as working with employers to get their staff on bikes. Jo ran a cycle festival at Killinghall moor a few weeks back there were bikes everywhere. I'm sure it will be a bigger gig next year when the Tour comes.

If you leave here tonight remembering only one thing its that cycling is an underused and viable transport method that can make towns and cities nicer and healthier places to live. If that's to happen we need to up our investment levels in cycling infrastructure.

In countries and cities where they have spent the cash, notably Copenhagen, Holland and recently Berlin, cycling rates have rocketed and you see all the benefits that cycling can bring to an urban environment. Near here, York has done loads to build bike infrastructure. It took time and money but you can see the benefits if you visit. We could do the same here if we chose to.

Harrogate's economy could also benefit from cycle tourism. Cyclists spend lots of money on cake and they need places to stay. Two things we already cater for pretty well as a town. Lets get them here from York on their way to the dales, we could clean up. Cycle tourists are affluent and the money they don't spend on petrol they flash around on shiny things in bike and clothes shops, we lots of have those to.

I'm also here to argue for the benefits of single issue campaigning as a method for getting your policy agenda heard by local government. It has worked for me. I don't think I can point to a single big win but I think the drift has definitely been in the right direction and I reckon some of that is my fault. Social media and the interweb make it easy for an opinionated chancer to punch above his weight in the media especially if you are tenacious. Make your message simple and keep getting it out there, you will be heard, you may even get listened too eventually.

Looking forward Harrogate's cycling future looks like a bumpy ride, but it will be fun. Whatever comes to pass in the next twelve months. I intend to be stood next July, with a load of crazy people, clad in only raincoats and wellies off their heads on expensive lager, on the side of the Stray screaming my lungs to bursting point egging on the best sprinter this country has ever produced. I will be hoping that Mark Cavendish can win his first yellow jersey in his mum's home town, whilst the world watches.

Come to the pedal on fun day at Ripley Castle 2 Sept

This just in from Gia Margolis of Wheeleasy and Harrogate Cycle Action, sounds like a great occasion and Sustrans are rattling the tin too, I can think of worse places to give my hard earned too.

Pedal On UK Family Fun Day, Monday 2 September at Ripley Castle 3pm-6pm.
The 144 mile North West and Yorkshire leg of the Pedal On UK Ride will end at Ripley. Details at http://www.sustrans.org.uk/events/pedal-uk-ripley
The last day ending in Ripley is being flagged as a Family Day and I believe that it is the day before the kids go back to school. So if you could help to spread the word that would be great.
Malcolm and I have been invited to join the ride starting in Sale. We do have a fundraising page too collecting funds for Sustrans  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=margoliswheeleasy&isTeam=true