Summary:
A doctor has said that wearing a helmet on a bike is a 'disaster' and a 'waste of time'.

Full article:
Wearing a helmet when cycling is a waste of time, a leading neurosurgeon has claimed. Henry Marsh – a keen cyclist himself – argued that the ‘flimsy little helmets’ had done little to help many of his patients who had been involved in crashes. The eminent doctor cited academic research that showed motorists drove closer to cyclists with helmets on because they perceived them as safer. Neurosurgeon Henry Marsh said 'flimsy little helmets' had done little to help many of his patients who had been involved in crashes (stock pic) Cycling helmets are not compulsory in the UK. However, the Government encourages cyclists to wear them and a recent petition demanding they become a legal requirement attracted some 12,000 signatures. So Mr Marsh risked a backlash when he told an audience at the Hay Festival yesterday: ‘I ride a bike and I never wear a helmet. In the countries where bike  helmets are compulsory there has been no reduction in bike injuries whatsoever. ‘I see lots of people in bike accidents and these flimsy little helmets don’t help.’ He added: ‘I have been cycling for 40 years and have only been knocked off once. I wear a cowboy hat and cowboy boots. I look completely mad.’ The doctor, who is based at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, made the controversial comments during a discussion with Ian McEwan, whose most recent novel, Saturday, is about a neurosurgeon.