buzzman

#1. Sorry if you've taken my tone as sneering. I have little knowledge of how, where or what you ride other than that you don't wear a helmet- and I have absolutely no problem with your choice not to wear one. Perhaps my occasional derision, exasperation and frustration at things like "Magic Hat Theories" and "Risk Compensation Theories" and debatable "studies" that go counter to my own personal experience and observations are what trouble you. Well, those are simply my opinion on those opinions- no need to take them personally.

#2. With regards the speed at which you descend hills on bicycles. That is also your choice. And that's fine by me. I just posted a clip from a film in another A&S thread of a guy riding down hill with 450 lbs of potatoes on the back of his bike, dragging one foot on the ground, wearing flip-flops and smiling away as he does so. I posted it because I'm profoundly inspired by how he uses his bike. I would never presume to tell him how to ride or to put on a helmet even though I think he'd be safer with a helmet, decent shoes, disk brakes and not dragging his foot along the ground.

#3. As far as the speed at which I descend- I'll take your opinion under consideration. There are many cyclists who post regularly in BF's who average between 20 and 30 mph on level ground- I am one of them on occasion. If that is a speed you consider risky while descending do you consider those speeds unsafe on level ground as well? Should we all be riding our bikes at less than 20 mph because we'd probably be safer?

Here are some clips for your perusal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5xR4rYo9tw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zYV_iwXZhg

In both cases I happen to think they were better off with a helmet than without but you may disagree, particularly since the South African cyclist suffered a concussion despite having on the helmet.