Poll- Do you wear a helmet?



Rustyhöle said:
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!!
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.
 
Dr.Hairybiker said:
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.
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.
 
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.
 
genesisscubakid said:
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.
Who cares? Nobody gives a **** 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?:D

Just kidding........sort of.
 
Erzulis Boat said:
Who cares? Nobody gives a **** ....................dorky by sporting some lid with peace sign on it?:D

Just kidding........sort of.
"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 ...
 
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 % :Dspeed...23 mph :D
Next thing I remember (2 miles later) was a guy holding my head asking me if I was OK :eek:, 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. :p:p:p:p:p:p


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 :D
 
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:)




Dr.Hairybiker said:
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.
 
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. :)
 
I never wore a helmet for 39 years and I was lucky never to have needed it. Maybe it was advancing age or realizing my own mortality but I bought one in my 40th year of riding and will not ride without it. While I do support helmet use, I do not support government mandates requiring helmet use.
 
Always. Not just for my own protection but for my two boys aswell. I can't tell them to wear one if I don't. Plus I'm a very active member in our local cycling club and it's rule #1 no helmet no ride. Plus it's just the right thing to do.
 
99.5% of the time.

A few strolls in the park on hot summer days being the exception. Or remote mountain roads while going up, I'll pin it to the front of the bars. But only if it's really hot, like over 90.
 
My philosophy is, you often dont choose when you are going to crash, why should you choose when your going to wear ur helmet. I crashed in a club race about 2 months ago at around 45kmh, got up with only a scraped hip. They asked, did you hit your head, i said no not all, later on i find my helmet was cracked right through. Testament to the use of the helmet, didnt even know my head hit, now without i could say otherwise.
 
Erzulis Boat said:
I used to, but I got hit by a car making a left and the helmet was damaged. I just have not bothered to get another. That was 5 years ago.

Honestly, I really don't care. I have been hit a few times without a helmet in the 80's and with a helmet twice in the 90's and am still alive to tell the tale.

It is probably better to have one on than not- but so what.

Agree. Personal choice. May help, will never hurt but I don't look down on anybody that doesn't wear a helmet. AND I have been hit by a car, from behind, while riding. NO helmet but no damage to my noggin that would have been prevented by a helmet. I wear one, don't like it(it IS a high end Giro), I really liked the feeling of riding w/o one. I wear one now, used to wear one anytime I was in a bunch but before my wife demanded I wear the thing, didn't wear one when alone. Don't care how whizbang they are, it's cooler w/o one on on a hot day.

But it's up to the rider. Whether or not the guy next to you wears one has no impact on you.
 
kdelong said:
I never wore a helmet for 39 years and I was lucky never to have needed it. Maybe it was advancing age or realizing my own mortality but I bought one in my 40th year of riding and will not ride without it. While I do support helmet use, I do not support government mandates requiring helmet use.

With all the passion for helmets I think another question to ask, "do you think helmet use should be mandated by law?"

I do not. It would be a 'nanny law', those laws to protect us from ourselves. Laws that protect us from others are spot on, like second hand smoke and not driving while yaking on a cellie but not helmets on bicycles. If that were to happen, better put motorcyclists in helmets first.
 
Probably already mentioned but...

Scenario: person not wearing a helmet falls and sustains a serious head injury requiring hospital stay and incurring significant medical costs. Serious injury could have been avoided by wearing a helmet. Person has no insurance to pay for costs. Who pays the bills? You and I (taxes, increased insurance rates, increased hospital costs to insured individuals to offset the uninsureds).

Helmet law doesn't only benefit the individual wearing the helmet. Same rationale is used for seat belt laws.
 
tonyzackery said:
Probably already mentioned but...

Scenario: person not wearing a helmet falls and sustains a serious head injury requiring hospital stay and incurring significant medical costs. Serious injury could have been avoided by wearing a helmet. Person has no insurance to pay for costs. Who pays the bills? You and I (taxes, increased insurance rates, increased hospital costs to insured individuals to offset the uninsureds).

Helmet law doesn't only benefit the individual wearing the helmet. Same rationale is used for seat belt laws.

Agree, start with motorcyclists. BUT make it 'serious injury 'may' have been avoided by wearing a helmet'.
 
Why risk serious injury when you can just strap on a helmet, and take away most if not all the risk. Laws regarding that would be a good idea, just my opinion.
 
genesisscubakid said:
After a few bad bike wrecks, I never leave the house without my helmet, whether it is a road ride, cross ride, or just a trip around town. I was surprised to see how many riders around Kutztown, PA don't wear their helmet on group rides. Back home in Atlanta there is only a couple of old soviet block riders that don't wear a helmet, but it seems to be more of a trend here.

So, how many of you always wear your helmet?? Any stories of a helmet saving your life?

Jafer Beizer
Kudzu.com U23 Cycling Team

always wear it
especially after last years little accident that put me in the hosp. for a week:eek:
 
I live in atlanta and I see some people riding without their helmuts when the park. I had a nasty accident in a park about 4 months ago where I flipped over on my mountain bike. If I was not wearing my helmut I am pretty sure I would have suffered severe head trauma. Helmut was totalled. Better that then me