Do you always wear your helmet?

DirtTurtle

A Helmet will cut down the incidence of serious brain injury by 80%, i think that speaks for itself

Eden

What I don't get is that some people think that if there's not much traffic and they aren't taking screaming descents then its all safe....
I know more people who've been seriously injured on the local bike path than have been hit by cars.... I've also personally cracked 3 helmets in the last 2 years (OK, I race and that ups the risk, and one of those was damaged while it wasn't on my head- freak accident a truck rolled over and flipped one of those concrete parking space barriers into my bike and helmet that were leaned nearby)

Dude in the mt bike forum thread was riding along slowly on a deserted bike path when he got his 3 skull fractures

I've heard all the arguments against and I'm not convinced. I always wear a helmet, since I value my head.

MMSR

Yes, and I won't even sit on a bike unless I'm wearing one.

A few years ago I fell off my MTB in some woods near me at speed and hit my head on some rocks. Basically my helmet was a total write off. It was cacked in several places and very badly scratched in others. Luckily for me the friend I was riding with is actually a paramedic so I had just about the best first aid cover possible, although he did say he didn't want to think what might have happened had I not been wearing a helmet. It might have saved my life; I don't know. It certainly saved me from some pretty nasty injuries, and as result of that incident I absolutely refuse to ride without wearing a helmet. No helmet - no ride. It's that simple.

Scotttri

I always wear a helmut, one for safety and secondly it's a hefty fine from our friendly police if caught not wearing one

Rustyhöle

if you live in a rural area with 'little' traffic, there's probably even less bicycles for what traffic there is to practice their avoidance techniques leading to the enevitable... as drivers are notorious for 'multi-tasking' while driving

Then you state that you ALWAYS wear a helmet in the following:

• whenever I'm in an event/paceline (meaning they let you race?)
• where there are a lot of people (sidewalks?)
• whenever I'm traveling, touring, or in an unfamiliar area (sound advice, but tell me... what's the difference between a rural road near you and one that's far away?)
• if I'm somewhere where there are big hills (why... do big hills scare you?)
• lots of traffic (??... traffic doesn't cause accidents... inattention does [both driver & cyclist] & generally only one car hits you at a time)
• hazards such as these (pretty much describes cycling in general, doesn't it?)

You are free to ride as you wish, but are, in my opinion, an accident statistic waiting to happen. I ALWAYS wear my helmet (since 1990 or so) and thankfully have never needed one. Anyone who doesn't is foolish to say the least. The above analogy by another poster likening not wearing a helmet to testing a burner to see if it's on was great. Yes, it's true that we all could conceive of situations where a helmet would do no good, but that's looking at the glass half empty and rather a defeatist outlook. I prefer to see the glass half full and would like to keep it that way if at all possible. I wear a helmet for those siuations where it'll do it's job and I come out no worse for wear in the hopes that I can ride another day!!

Dr.Hairybiker

My, aren't WE passionately opinionated!

Well, shame on me, I guess. Shame on me for posting when I know better than to get into these conversations. But I'll say one more thing: I'm not new to bicycling. I've got a whole bunch of mileage in my legs, and I've been riding regularly for a long time. And I know several gentlemen who have been riding regularly for more than 50 years, and they seldom wear helmets. It is only recently that wearing helmets in the pro peleton became mandatory. Experience goes a long way towards avoiding accidents, and it's always better to NOT get into accidents, than to be prepared in case one occurs.

You feel better wearing a helmet? Fine, wear one. I won't mind. Don't run with scissors either. I probably won't be wearing one, don't let it bother you. I don't own a cell phone either. Maybe someday I'll catch up with the times.

genesisscubakid

Now here is something that we can all agree on whether or not you wear a helmet:

"You'd look sexier in a helmet"
www.safetyissexy.blogspot.com

Check out the shirts as well.

Rustyhöle

driver to policeman: "I don't understand. I'm not new to driving. I've got a whole bunch of mileage under my foot, and I've been driving regularly for a long time. And I know several gentlemen (& women) who have been driving regularly for more than 50 years, and they..."

"Experience goes a long way towards avoiding accidents, and it's always better to NOT get into accidents, than to be prepared in case one occurs." ... how's that go again...really??

easier said than done, but if you are unlucky and in an accident why not be prepared so you can say... damn that helmet saved my life (or serious injury) rather than your family/doctor saying "if only..."

ounce of prevention = pound of cure

about the only argument you've made is that it's your choice to wear a helmet and I agree, but most people don't choose to be in an accident, they just happen and if a helmet helps me in that situation great, if not, at least i tried. Not wearing one is like giving up and not even the cool breeze thru my hair will change that.

ClemmonsHoo

Never had a serious wreck, so yes. It's yes because Murphy's Law states that the second after I remove it, I will get hit by a truck.

Erzulis Boat

Who cares? Nobody gives a shit if I pull some legendary stack sans helmet.

What's the bit about "misery loves company", like some meth tweak trying to get you hit the pipe so that you suck as bad as he does? Or, maybe to balance out some inferiority complex by insisting everyone is equally dorky by sporting some lid with peace sign on it?

Just kidding........sort of.

9.8mps2

"How's it gonna look if you get killed with "Born to kill " on your headgear and a peace sign on your body armor ? What's this supposed to be - some sort of sick joke ? " heh heh

As far as anticipating and avoiding accidents let's not defy physics...an ounce of prevention is worth precisely an ounce of cure . They just have different specific gravities ...

Farmguy

just a thought, I was just in my first road bike accident last friday, after 20 yrs I was due I guess. Riding along a route I ride once a week, check HR 90 % speed...23 mph
Next thing I remember (2 miles later) was a guy holding my head asking me if I was OK , seems a dog decided to chase my front tire and almost caught it. I have no memory of the crash so from the bike and my body it looks like I hit the dog and went over the handlebars landing on my head then shoulder then sliding and rolling along legs, they found me still clipped in both pedals laying on my stomach trying to get up.

Damage....collarbone broke, bones overlapping a bit with a chunk 1 inch long floating around
Road rash on face, arms, shoulders legs.
Bike has a 2 bent shifters, pointing towards each other > <
and a helmet with one side pretty well crushed and no sore spots on my head.


NO cars within 1/2 mile of me..........

If a helmet that will let me walk away from that, I will never ride without.


Ride Safe guys, its not if, just When


...I forgot the best part...I killed the F*****G dog and I have pics to show it

Bigbananabike

Hey, I've NOT got a cellphone and have NEVER had a cellphone and hope to never have one in the future....but I'll ALWAYS ride with my helmet on

Powerful Pete

Well. I have two young daughters and I intend to do my best to see them grow up.

I wear a helmet.

And actually, I also own a cell phone.

Have a nice day. Stay safe and ride.

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