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Boris: I admit I need to start wearing a helmet
13.05.08
Boris Johnson today promised that he would start wearing a cycle helmet on his journeys to and from City Hall.
The new Mayor of London is notorious for cycling without a helmet but today he said he was making moves to become a model cyclist. On Sunday, a newspaper printed pictures taken last week of Mr Johnson cycling through six red lights, riding on the pavement and not stopping at a pedestrian crossing - all of which he apologised for.
He said: "I must admit it's time for a change. I need to wear a helmet and I'm going to start setting an example." But he added: "I can't promise it will be all the time."
Mr Johnson fell off his bike a couple of years ago after a collision with a pedestrian and had to be treated for an injured arm. He later said, jokingly, that pedestrians were the most dangerous thing on London's roads.
Reader views (7)
I will simply quote the most detailed UK study into helmet use in the UK and ask why the Standard is having a campaign to get him to wear one?
"The conclusion cannot be avoided that there is no evidence from the benchmark dataset in the UK that helmets have had a marked safety benefit at the population level for road using pedal cyclists"(Traffic Injury Prevention. 2005; 6: 127-134).
Incidentally the country with the lowest level of head injuries in cyclists is the Netherlands where no-one wears a helmet.
- Tony, Cambridge, UK
"...why isn't everyone clamouring for pedestrians to be forced to wear helmets?"
Well, I certainly am considering it, being faced every day with cyclists regularly coming at me from ALL sides (worst of all from behind) on the pavement.
Boris really must sort out the menace of cyclists - and I am not thinking of just a few here - on pavements.
CYCLISTS DO NOT BELONG ON THE PAVEMENT.
I do not see pedestrians walking along roads instead of on pavements.
- Robert Zimmerman, London
The research is equivocal about the efficacy of helmets. If Boris doesn't want to wear one that is his choice.
As a driver or passenger in a car, or as a pedestrian, you are statistically more likely to suffer a head injury in a road accident than if you are a cyclist - why isn't everyone clamouring for pedestrians to be forced to wear helmets? Or car drivers/passengers?
- Greg Price, London, UK
Not wearing a helmet is a sound decision for Mr. Boris as his head is not an asset.
- Golodh, London, UK
Forget the cycle helmet but use old fashioned bicycle clips or you will spoil the trousers of that nice suit.
- Steve W, West Midlands
re Stewart Cheeseman's comment: "How on earth did he get in?"
He was voted in. And whilst on the subject, how did Gordon get in?
- Robert Zimmerman, London
The man's a liability. How on earth did he get in?
- Stewart Cheeseman, London
