Originally Posted by
JBHoren
Throughout my ride I kept thinking about that essay, and trying to remember the term he used to describe more "reckless" behavior with helmet wearers; couldn't recall it, but a quick look in his book did the trick:
risk compensation (
interesting discussion about it, in Wikipedia). I also stop where I'm supposed to, signal my intentions, lights, reflectors, etc.
Grant, like many, is wrong about this. There was a study done: those who usually wear helmets ride safer without them, those who usually do not wear helmets did not ride more recklessly while wearing them. Inconclusive. But a couple of points: Not that those who usually wear helmets ride dangerously all the time, but take their helmets from them and they tend to ride safer. And those who usually do not wear helmets do not suddenly start riding more dangerously just because they think they have that much more protection from harm.\
PS: in before the move to helmet thread, where this belongs...