Commuting - What would you do ?

I know there are miles of threads on helmets, this one is for the folks who wear them, the others obviously don’t have any brains to protect.
I drive in on Monday morning with all my stuff for the week including my bike and bike stuff and then drive home Friday night. Yesterday when I went to leave I changed into my bike cloths, went to the car to get my bike, shoes and helmet. Only problem was I had left my helmet at home.
I pondered the situation awhile and decided to not to ride home. I just couldn’t get the image of my helmeted head hitting the pavement on the two occasions I have crashed (neither on a commute) and pictured what that would be like without one. Only problem is I arrived home depressed and in a bad temper after dealing with that drive (how do people do that every day?) . It bothered me most of the evening that I hadn’t ridden home, it was a beautiful night. I’m better today after deciding to take the long way home, but still am wondering if I am totally anal.
So, my question to you helmet wearers is: What would you do?

Join the club. I would have done the same. I don't even like to ride around the block to test a new installation/adjustment without a helmet. I have rung my bell even WITH a helmet on a couple of stupid slow-motion falls. I can't imagine what it would feel like to hit the ground on a hard fall. I am haunted by the image of Andrei Kivilev lying motionless in Paris-Nice. Besides that I have very mildly chastised a couple of my younger riding buddies when I have come upon them riding without helmets. I could never let them see me riding without one.

If I had forgotten my helmet I would have drove home.

You missed one beautiful night of riding and I know how you feel, but big deal, there are others.

Of course, I did lock my helmet inside the office building one Sunday - with my office key. Home and the spare key was accross town. Too cheap to pay for a taxi and too impatient for a bus - I rode home helmetless.

I was 10 years younger and a tad more stoopider. But when I did this I did not feelright and felt like an idiot cyclist, we've all seen them.

I won't do it again......you made the right choice.

Digger

You did the right thing. Think how stupid you would feel if you had an accident and it left you severly injuried.

If it wasn't illegal to do so here, I'd have ridden. It's amazing how often you don't crash - riding helmetless is a small risk.

Buy another helmet and leave it at work

I guess it would have depended when I realised I'd forgotten my helmet. If I was already riding when I realised it I probably would have kept going. Had it been before I got on the bike, I doubt I would have ridden it. Having said that, my helmet stays with my bike at all times as a rule - hence I never forget it.

I have done stupid things like made small adjustments to my bike and taken it around the block while neglecting to put my helmet on. If one were to take a poll of those particular events, one would find that I've crashed in over 50% of them and in about 10% of those crashes, I incurred a head injury. The last one occurred about four years ago and I was just a tad further than the end of my driveway and testing out my new MTB. I came around the corner doing about 20MPH and fingered my brakes just as I hit a small patch of wet/icy pavement (it was winter). The back end broke loose and the bike just came out from under me. I managed to get halfway into a tuck as I went down but banged the side of my head on the asphalt anyways. I now make it a habit to always ride with a helmet. In your situation, I would have also driven home and considered it punishment for having forgotten my helmet.

Thanks for the input!
I like the idea of a spare helmet at work. I have an old one I think I’ll do that.

Having multiple bikes is why I left it. It was hanging on my commuter and I often ride my road bike home on Mondays. Since I only ride one way I usually take the long way home.

Speaking of the long way home: Last night I made up for not riding Monday night and took the real loooong way. Instead of riding through town, I rode around it. A forty two mile.

Keep spinning !

I would have done the same as you.
I won't even ride around the block without a helmet.

I'd have ridden (carefully)

I'd have done the same thing. The risk may have been small, but the potential for damage was large.

Paul

Originally posted by OhiOH
So, my question to you helmet wearers is: What would you do?

My commute home is short (approximately 7 miles) so I would have ridden home without my helmet. I know I would have felt naked the entire time but I would have ridden without it.

Zack

I would've stayed off the bike too. Like many others here I won't even test adjustments without helmeting up!

There's plenty more evenings left to ride... missing one won't be the end of the world.

You did the right thing, no helmet no ride, I won't ride with others if they don't wear a helmet. Good going.

I had a similiar thing happen to me the other day. About half way to work, about 7 miles out, I realized I was lidless. I continued to ride and even rode home without it.

My concern was my kids. We have rules about riding and one of them is you must wear your helmet. And I broke the rule. I was more concerned about setting a good example then getting hurt. I guess next time they forget something I might be a little more understanding.

I think you did the right thing.

Dave

I'm a helmet user, and because of long-established habit I feel uncomfortable without one, just as I do in a car with no seat belt.

Nevertheless, I'm under no illusions about helmets being some sort of magic shield. I can ride without getting all bent out of shape because I'm not helmeted. And the absence of a helmet won't change the way I ride, because I always ride so as to keep myself safe.

In OhiOH's position, I would have ridden anyway.

RichC

Originally posted by Rich Clark
I'm under no illusions about helmets being some sort of magic shield. I can ride without getting all bent out of shape because I'm not helmeted. And the absence of a helmet won't change the way I ride, because I always ride so as to keep myself safe.

I agree that the physical aspects of a helmet don't necessarily impart me with invincibility. However, other than the fact that it's illegal to ride here without a helmet, I also have discovered that I tend to do dumb things when I don't have a helmet on so when I say that I'd be dumb not to wear a helmet I guess what I really mean is that I'd be dumb if I didn't wear a helmet. Perhaps it's psychological.

I probably would have ridden home. Very carefully, of course.

Originally posted by chewa
I'd have ridden (carefully)
Me too, even though its illegal here , I feel a bit safer with a helmet . You could decide to drive (without a helmet) & be involved in an auto-accident :eek: I feel safer riding a bike without a helmet than driving a car in peak traffic :crash:

No helmet, no ride. No question.

No helmet, no ride for me also. I won't ride without my helmet mounted mirror either. It's remarkable how many times the mirror has aided me in not having to put the helmet into action. I see a lot of Chuck Harris's hand-made mirrors all over Ohio.

I'm with OhiOH, and would have driven home instead of riding without the helmet.

Originally posted by RoadDog
I won't ride without my helmet mounted mirror either.

I use a glasses-mount but yes, I would be more likely to not ride because my mirror was missing than because I forgot my helmet.

There are days when I feel like I don't want to walk down the sidewalk without my mirror!

RichC

I would feel a lot safer riding my bike without a helmet than driving or being driven in a car with no seat-belts
ps. I wear my helmet all the time but if I've gone too far by the time I realise I've forgot it I just carry on ;) Does'nt happen very often though , in fact I can only remember two occasions !

Originally posted by Rich Clark
I use a glasses-mount but yes, I would be more likely to not ride because my mirror was missing than because I forgot my helmet.

RichC
I tried using a mirror but found that it was distracting. I didn't try it for long and it has been quite some time since I last tried. I think, based on your comments, that I'll give it another go.

Without the mirror I still have what I believe is an excellent "backward" view based on a well-executed peek-over-the-shoulder-while-maintaining-a-perfectly-straight-line technique as well as by listening.

Maybe the mirror can enhance my safety, so it's definitely worth another shot.

Europeans would think that y'all are crazy. They ride with helmets all the time. I did for 30 years and never had a serious accident or a head injury. The risks of riding without a helmet are probably equal to or lower than falling of a ladder, slipping in the shower, or crossing the street on foot, yet probably none of you would consider wearing a helmet in any of these other circumstances. Perpetuating the myth of the need for a helmet just makes cycling appear to be a more dangerous activity than it really is, and discourages more people from participating.

http://www.magma.ca/~ocbc/hfaq.html#A1

Pardon my typo. I meant to say that Europeans ride WITHOUT helmets all the time...

Originally posted by Andy Dreisch

Without the mirror I still have what I believe is an excellent "backward" view based on a well-executed peek-over-the-shoulder-while-maintaining-a-perfectly-straight-line technique as well as by listening.


I find the mirror invaluable at intersections (as right-hook prevention) and particularly when merging left across multiple lanes before making a left turn.

There are too many other cyclists in Philadelphia to rely on audible cues. You can be overtaken by a cyclist -- especially one blowing a red light that you're stopping for -- who's inaudible over the roar of motorized traffic.

RichC

Originally posted by randya
The risks of riding without a helmet are probably equal to or lower than falling of a ladder, slipping in the shower, or crossing the street on foot, yet probably none of you would consider wearing a helmet in any of these other circumstances. Perpetuating the myth of the need for a helmet just makes cycling appear to be a more dangerous activity than it really is, and discourages more people from participating.

You ride by your statistics and I'll ride by mine. My personal statistics lead me to believe I should be riding with a helmet.