Advocacy & Safety - What Made You Start Wearing A Helmet?

Hi All,

Just curious to know, what made you start wearing a helmet? Peer pressure often makes people not want to wear helmets but it was kind of the opposite in my case as I was actually forced to start wearing one by a friend. Most of the people I rode with around 12 years ago (when I was 16) wore helmets and a few of them said I really neded to start wearing one. I didn't though, thinking it would be uncomfortable. Eventually one of my friends brought his spare helmet along on a ride for me and said "You ARE going to wear that". I kinda protested but he stood in front of my bike and physically prevented me from riding any further until I put the helmet on (he was bigger and stronger than me so I didn't really have much of a choice). Then finding out that wearing a helmet really wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be, I bought my own. A couple of years later I came off in some woods, smacked my head against a nice big rock and cracked my helmet, so had my friend not forced me wear a helmet originally I might have actually ended up in a pretty bad way. I owe him a thankyou!

How about you?

28 stitches on the back of my head and an overnight stay at the hospital. I used to wear a helmet only if I thought I was going to go fast. That would have worked in that case too, but on an easy ride, my riding partner challenged me to a sprint to a yellow sign. We both went down, but I landed on my head.

It matches my club kit.. The real answer... crack your helmet on a curb, you'll never go without..

When I started back riding about three years ago, I wore the helmet most of the time. On short rides, I sometimes wouldn't. I went for a ride on a MUP for the first time about two years ago, and I remember debating whether to wear the helmet. I did, and ended up in the worst crash I've had when an inattentive mother pushing her idiot child in a Big Wheel pushed it right in front of me. I didn't hit my head, but it was close enough. Now, I don't leave the driveway without it.

When I had kids. Hard to tell them they have to wear helmet and then I don't. :P

It became law back in the mid to late 80s. It was kinda mushrom shaped; styrofoam with a lycra cover, blue and white in colour.

It was quite a new thing in my area and I never wore it for the longest time, but then I started to grow up a bit more and put it on, got use to it and now I never leave home without it.

Back when I started mountain biking crashes were pretty common so I wore a helmet. Now I ride on the road mainly I do it out of habit and fear of public scorn.

You're assuming that we DO all wear helmets. I wear mine only rarely... organized rides and rides into the mountains where 50 mph descents are likely.

Because Bill is not SMRT!

You're assuming that we DO all wear helmets.

I know that's how it comes across. I forgot to put if you do wear one in the thread title!

I always wear a helmet when riding my motorcycle so it's only common sense when peddling.

Adhesive tape for the mirror doesn't stick well on my skin.

To be honest almost always have since I was a wee lad, use to go around the neighborhood without one here and there, and considering some close calls, shouldn't have.

title is perfectly fine the way it is. If someone doesn't wear a helmet, there isn't any reason for them to tell us why not. Actually, that's probably a little too strong, but I'd say if someone wants to debate this again, I'd suggest they start a thread. This thread has a specific question as its basis.

I'm glad I started wearing helmets. I've hit my head on at least one thing that probably would have at least gotten close to fracturing my skull since I started. Glad I wasted a $20 helmet instead of finding out how bad head injuries can get.

My father has been wearing one from some time in the mid-1970s, but it wasn't till a cycling friend of mine told me that all "serious" cyclists wore helmets that I went out and got one. I've been wearing a helmet since 1991.

I was going down nice little hill one of the first days I got my bike. I was going faster than I would have felt comfortable going in my little sports car on the narrow road. It was my first time on a road bike, and I was like "damn these things are fast". I bought a helmet shortly after

the 4 concussions I had playing football in High School and College made the decision a little easier

When I started riding 20 miles a day. Just based on the probability of getting in a crash due to all the road time I figure it's best to wear one. I still don't on short trips out and about, but for my commute I do.

Several years ago a local guy in the neighborhood went to take his kids for a bike ride around the neighborhood. He slid in some loose gravel at the bottom of his driveway and broke his skull. His son had to call 911 while his young teen daughter was trying to keep his brain inside his head.

The City of Dallas has a helmet law.

Several years ago a local guy in the neighborhood went to take his kids for a bike ride around the neighborhood. He slid in some loose gravel at the bottom of his driveway and broke his skull. His son had to call 911 while his young teen daughter was trying to keep his brain inside his head.

Ooh. What happened to him and his family?

My dad is a neuropsychologist and works with people who have had pretty serious brain injuries. I've always worn a helmet, he wouldn't let me ride without one.

Ooh. What happened to him and his family?

He died on the spot. I think they moved some time shortly after. I'm sure the kids will need serious therapy.

I made my wife wear one. Then I had to wear one. Now I feel a bit naked without one.

I'm hesitant to post my reasons on the internet. The helmet issue is contentious for some and the defensive stance some take when explaining why they don't wear a helmet is something I don't want to deal with around this issue.

I began wearing a helmet occasionally after a close friend was killed riding her bike while not wearing one.

I began wearing a helmet every time I rode after a second friend was killed riding his bike while not wearing one.

If I may preemptively say, yes, in all honesty I have no idea if either of these lives would have been saved by their wearing a helmet. On the other hand, had they both died wearing helmets at least I would know now that even a helmet wouldn't have saved them and, oddly enough, that would have been some consolation. As it is I'm left always with the thought, "what if they'd worn a helmet?"

This may make no sense to anyone unless they've been in this situation but it was certainly enough to make me wear a helmet after years of riding thousands of miles without one. If nothing else it's as much for anyone I might leave behind as it is for myself- it communicates that I did everything I could to survive.

two weeks of headaches, after a car bike accident.

I'm hesitant to post my reasons on the internet. The helmet issue is contentious for some and the defensive stance some take when explaining why they don't wear a helmet is something I don't want to deal with around this issue.

I began wearing a helmet occasionally after a close friend was killed riding her bike while not wearing one.

I began wearing a helmet every time I rode after a second friend was killed riding his bike while not wearing one.

If I may preemptively say, yes, in all honesty I have no idea if either of these lives would have been saved by their wearing a helmet. On the other hand, had they both died wearing helmets at least I would know now that even a helmet wouldn't have saved them and, oddly enough, that would have been some consolation. As it is I'm left always with the thought, "what if they'd worn a helmet?"

This may make no sense to anyone unless they've been in this situation but it was certainly enough to make me wear a helmet after years of riding thousands of miles without one. If nothing else it's as much for anyone I might leave behind as it is for myself- it communicates that I did everything I could to survive.

Nah, makes lots of sense to me... I had a friend saved by a seat belt back in the early 70's... lots of details, but suffice it to say I always wore a seat belt after that, long before it was mandatory or common.

I started wearing a helmet when I bought my first bike (back in 1987). Never thought twice about it; it just made sense to me. :D

Traffic, frankly, scared the hell outta me when I started riding again after a layoff of almost 20 years. So before I started riding again, I got a helmet. Good thing, too, because I went over the handlebars six days later and did a faceplant. Ironically, I was riding on a sidewalk at the time because I was still afraid of cars. If I had been riding on the road probably wouldn't have crashed.

Riding in my youth in San Francisco, we never wore helmets. Riding down hills at dare-devil-break-neck speeds was incredibly stupid as I reflect back on it. But, hey, that's what we all did. Poor brakes were augmented by stucking our feet in between the tire and seat post. Duh....dumb inner city kids anyway. Heh...:eek:

When I got back into 'cycling' six years ago, the fellas at work said, "either you wear or helmet or you ride by yourself. We're not going to clean your brains off the roadway". Well, that got my attention. Now, I can't ride without one. As one of the other posters said, I feel naked without one. :thumb:

I insist that anyone who rides with me wear a helmet. I keep spares for just that reason. :lol:

I felt unfashionable without it.

I saw a demonstration on what happens to an unprotected head in a crash on a dummy dolls head more than 30 years ago.In a freefall from 5 feet its an ugly event.

When I started road cycling in the mid 80s I bought a helmet the same day I bought my bike.

post tbi (1977 vw vs telephone pole accident), i got hit bicycling by cadilac, 1979. i was with-out helmet. at that point i still was not allowed to drive again, so bicycled everywhere.
my dad, pro-safety supporter who worked for Dupont chemical, got me a new white Bell Biker.
wore it consistantly, and made several updates. i was hit by cars (and hit trees-mtb too) but had no real issue untill 1999.
i was left-hooked by age 85 female who "had her signal on". post E/R and 2 years rehab, on road again. police at accident stated that w/out helmet i would have been removed from there in a different manner.
my dad planted the seed to use helmets. gorky at first, won't ride with-out them now!

Wore one as a kid at parents urging and continued that for a while. Got my license drove everywhere went to college started commuting on a falling apart mtb and remembered how much I loved riding. I subsequently purchased a road bike and didn't think much about a helmet until a pickup truck clipped me on a country road maybe 2 weeks if not less from the time I got my bike. I swore from that point on that I would wear a helmet if I was doing anything other than riding to class on campus (2-3 minutes in campus with no cars)

It makes me look sexy. I still keep my old mushroom (Bell) helmet and use it from time to time.
Ernest

physics class

I never used to wear a helmet.Then I had a crash where I wrecked my shoulder (rotator cuff torn completely) and realized just how easy it is to get hurt and how little control you have over outside circumstances. I've worn a helmet ever since.

I wanted to participate in a local overnight club ride. Helmets were required. I was about 28 years old I think. 1987ish. Not too many helmet choices up to that point anyway. BELL made one model? I wear one to this day.

The many years spent protecting my noggin in low underground tunnels made me value skull protection.

I'm not sure what reason made me to start wearing a bicycle helmet, probably the fact that I had been wearing a helmet whenever I rode a motorcycle years before it was made mandatory, it could have been the memory of the one time I hit my head while bicycling without a helmet, that helmet styles reached the point that they were good looking enough for me to wear one, or a combination of the forementioned.

I started wearing a helmet sporadically in the 80s as a teenager because some serious cyclists that I looked up to generally wore helmets. It became compulsory in this country some later and then I almost always wore a helmet.

I moved to Britain (where helmets aren't compulsory) in the last decade and reexamined the benefit of wearing cycle helmets and started wearing helmets most of the time but not always. After moving back to Oz, I almost always wear a helmet, except when I am riding in Europe, where I never wear a helmet now.

My first ride on a mountain bike trail. Within the first mile, all those low hanging tree limbs talked me into it. Now I wear one when I commute on pavement.

When I first started riding I don't think there were any cycling helmets. Even when I finally bought one in the 90's I almost never wore it. When I decided to commute to work on busier and higher speed roads about three years ago, I thought it would be a good idea to use a rear view mirror. So I got one that attached to the helmet and started using both. For some rides I still prefer to not wear the helmet though.

It matches my club kit.. The real answer... crack your helmet on a curb, you'll never go without..

My uncle cracked his helmet on a curb at zero mph while getting off of his bike. He told me about it when I later got myself a new bike, and strongly recommended that I get a helmet and a mirror.

He's the main doctor in his town in the middle of farm country. I think he's worth listening to.

I wore helmets when they became available. Prior to their availability, I got nicely splattered a couple of times. Severe concussion, minor fracture, memory loss, blood loss. EZ decision. I'd wanted one before, but only hockey helmets were really available. Then MSR came out with one so I got it. Killed that helmet, but it protected my head!

I wore helmets when they became available. Prior to their availability, I got nicely splattered a couple of times. Severe concussion, minor fracture, memory loss, blood loss. EZ decision. I'd wanted one before, but only hockey helmets were really available. Then MSR came out with one so I got it. Killed that helmet, but it protected my head!

I always wanted a helmet, even before they became available , too. I could not afford the Bell helmet at the time, and I waited and bought a yellow "Skid-Lid" in 1977, for about $70.00.
The Skid-Lid was polycarbonate shell with polyureathane lining, it had a strange shape, never since repeated, where the "ventilation" was provided by an opening in the shape of an letter "X".

Before that, I had tried to get a high-school football helmet, but I wasn't big enough to make the team. They wanted me to join the football team before they would let me have a helmet.

I didn't use one on the bicycle until after I low-sided my motorcycle with a helmet on. I realized that I would regularly go faster than that on bicycle. The helmets at the time didn't offer much protection compared to a motor cycle helmet, but I too ended up with the white Bell mushroom. Now I've got the Bell Faction, better protection for sliding on the back of my head. Looking into the full face ones now, keep thinking that a face plant at 20 would not be good.

Brain surgery after falling down some stairs. I have to protect the aftermarket hole in my skull.

When I started riding a "real 10 speed" as a teenager in the mid-70's, my mom bought me a Bell helmet, one of this white egshell things. I wore it everytime I rode, and I still own the thing. I can't recall ever getting on a bike since then without putting on a helmet.

Fashion.

I guess I have to say after reading Bicycling Magazine, I was convinced (even without reading the report) I needed one (even though I, or anyone I had known, had never hurt my - their - head-s while riding a bicycle) by the description of the TRT report in the mag.

It took me a while before I actually read the report, and then when I did, I had some questions I had to discover the answers to.

I have a really ugly face so i wanted to cover it up some.