Do you wear a helmet?
Posted: November 13, 2009 at 9:58 am | Tags: debate, helmets, safety
The use of helmets in cycling is a topic with various points-of-view, all of them very vocal. So my question to you is: Do you wear one? And if so, how often.
I will confess now. I almost never wear one. I commute daily and never protect my melon in traffic. I imagine it’s complacency. I’ve not had any bad wrecks, in fact, I’ve only had one minor spill. I’m extremely familiar with my route and am on alert at all times, especially at intersections and other spots where drivers are more likely to not see me as well. I just feel safe on the road and never reach for the helmet when I walk out the door.
The only time I do wear one is when mountain biking. The combination of my inexperience and rough terrain (not to mention trees) makes my chances of falling/wrecking a lot higher.
So readers, do you wear one? Feel free to comment and let us know why or why not.
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The Discussion
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In my neighborhood, drivers are really careless. A couple of years ago, I was hit by a car while jogging, so I imagine it’s only a matter of time before I get hit while riding my bike.
I never ride without a helmet. Ever.
I’ve only gone down a few times, with fairly minor consequences, but I just think the benefit outweighs the inconvenience I had a buddy do a wheelie from a standstill, smacked his head on the concrete and ended up being in pretty bad shape… That’s enough for me.
I know that my chances of having an accident (while I’m sober) are very low, but I just feel safer with a helmet on. That’s why I wear one. Although I feel that way, I’m glad people have a choice.
In over 30 years of relying on bikes as primary transportation, I have fallen or crashed more times than I can count (literally: I was trying to keep track, but I lost count years ago). As a result, I will not ride without gloves (unless there’s really no choice), but considering that the first 10 years of my cycling life came before helmets existed, and considering that my crash rate has been diminishing every year as I get older and more savvy (or cautious), I don’t feel that I have any more need to use extra gear to protect my head now than I did then. It is well protected already by my increasing ability to avoid crashing, as well as by my ability to lead with something other than my skull in emergency situations. In response to all the stories about people crashing and boldly stating “The helmet saved my life!” I would point to my experiences and state (equally boldly) “My ability to fall without hitting my head saved my life!”. Either that, or it was whatever hat I happened to be wearing at the time. Either way, I survived. For a refreshing perspective on promoting helmets, take a look at: http://tinyurl.com/5bpjzw In fact, if you just go to http://www.copenhagenize.com/ and hit the link entitled “All Articles About Helmets” you will find many interesting resources and opinions, as well as a lot of actual science (in contrast to intuition and anecdote). I will say that I do wear a helmet when I go on organized rides that are sanctioned by large groups, as I realize that the liability and insurance situation makes it necessary, but it doesn’t make me feel any safer. Flame on, ya’ll.
I said “always”, though I’ve only been commuting by bike for a few months now. I hang my helmet on the frame of my bike, so it’s always “in the way” when I go to ride. Therefore, I put it on. I don’t have a good reason not to where one, so I wear it.