frantik

i like to mention to car owners they are 30x more likely to die in their car than I am on my bike.

RobbieTunes

Always intersting. Each to his own. I'm more of a freedom/accountbility guy.

Wear a seatbelt, be eligible for various medical benefits if you're hurt in an auto accident.
Don't wear a seatbelt, forfeit same. If you don't protect yourself, fine, but hands off my wallet.

Motorcycles/helmets, apply somewhat the same logic, but maybe only to injuries the helmet would have statistically prevented? Organ donor programs do benefit from lack of helmet laws, though, and maybe it's part of natural selection, eh?

Bicycles/helmets, narrow it further? I don't know. I think a well-maintained bike and resposible riding are valuable, except for other pedestrians, cars, bikes. I don't feel like I'm in danger while climbing; I kind of like a skid lid while descending.

People get hurt doing all kinds of things. You'd think they'd want to minimize that.

icemonkey

I am a terrible cyclist. My most serious injuries have always been from the two wheeled variety of transport, and this is after almost 30years of climbing, alpinism and about 4 years of climbing chalk sea cliffs with Ice climbing gear. This was followed by 10 years as a photojournalist... Having had 3 concussions I would just like to advise everyone to just wear a helmet. A helmet is a small price to pay to keep your memory and possibly your life, we learn more every day about Traumatic Brain Injury. The truth is you dont need a big spill to cause damage to your little grey cells, it can be cumulative or sudden. I know my modern helmet clashes with my old bike - but a fashion clash is better than my brain splashing on the road.

The only question that remains is Where do I find a period correct one that works?

Velognome 

+1

cehowardGS

Don't think I am the oldest, just one of the oldest at 72, going on 73.

Only speaking for myself too.

Through the years, I get a little wiser. Tis the truth..

One of things I found out, and this is not up for debate, choice or discussion, and that is when each and everytime we ride, OUR FAMILY RIDES WITH US!!

When we take a fall, they fall with us.

With that said, and again, I strongly believe in freedom of choice, there is not enough money in the world that would allow me to get on two wheels without a helmet.

I have had several super crashes on the motorcycle (100mph+),I survived them all, almost without a scratch. I have one hard crash on the bicycle 30mph, after going down (from wet metal plate)sliding head first into the curb, and my cheapo Walmart helmet saved the day. I hit the curb so hard, it sounded like a gunshot. I would hate to think of my head hitting the curb at that speed, or any speed for that matter without a helmet.

Again, only speaking for myself..

pastorbobnlnh 

That is funny! I've corrected my original! Glad you called me out on my typo!

Essthreetee

Yeah...I started riding motorcycles before the age of mandatory helmets. It was always so much fun to feel the wind in my hair. Then the law told me I had to, so I wore a beanie helmet (what a rebel)

As I got older (maybe wiser...or more experienced) I ended up wearing a full face helmet...not because of fear of my own riding capabilities...but the lack of attention by other drivers.

On bikes, I never wore a helmet (Even though my wife and coworkers told me I should). UNTIL I crashed on the way home and luckily only hurt other parts.

Needless to say, I went out and bought one that night.

bici_mania

I have been in four road bike wrecks. The first one was in 1979, I was hit head on by a jeep at 25 mph as it was coming around the corner, driving over the sidewalk. The only part of my body not injured was my head. The second as in 2006, I was riding on the sidewalk at about 10 mph. I was trying to check my pager and didn't notice a shallow hole filled with sand, I hit and was thrown into the lane with oncoming traffic but by grace was not hit. I was wearing a helmet but there was apparently no brains to protect so I don't know that it mattered. Later in 2006 while on a large charity ride, riding in a large group at about 20 mph, another rider bumped my rear wheel and sent us and 5-6 others into a guard rail. The only part of my body not injured was my head. Miraculously, my helmet was untouched. In 2010 I was in a bike lane, not paying attention to speed but was cranking it out, enjoying the ride and thinking about what a magnificent day it was when all of the sudden a car turned into me. Again my body was banged up but I don't think my head ever touched the ground. My bike was destroyed.

I have read a fair amount on helmet design and statistics from opposing view points. I know helmets manufacturers want to sell helmets and cycling advocates want to promote cycling as a safe means of transport and sport.

Where I ride, I believe that if I am in a truly life threatening wreck, a helmet will be of little use to me. I wear a helmet ~90%~ of the time but mostly to comfort and reassure my wife and kids.

spacemanz

I grew up thinking you needed a helmet for a motorcycle, but noone ever wore a helmet for a bicycle, that I ever saw, until I was well into my 20s. I can see the common sense of using a helmet for bicycles, and I kinda wish I used one, to feel/be safer, but the fact is, it just wasn't "learned" early enough in life to stick. I don't have any death wish, but I do feel like taking calculated risks is part of what makes life interesting. Sure, there are idiots in cars & such out there, who might take me out, but that's true wether I'm wearing a helmet or not. When it's my turn to die, I'll know it, and I don't think it does any good to worry about it. Just stay right with God, & he'll look out for you, "if" he sees fit. If not, that helmet's NOT going to save you.

apollored

Keep forgetting mine and only notice when the winds in my hair, nice feeling tho but I know I should wear it always.. bad rider

Shp4man

I wear a helmet on the motorcycle, but not on the bicycle. Just a cycling cap there.

Lenton58 

The point you make is often made and for the most part makes sense until you include jurisdictions that provide universal health and accident insurance that is funded by the public purse.

eschlwc

and this is why helmet use be made mandatory, caloric intake regulated, beef banned, and eight hours sleep required?

Chombi

Sounds like you're still OK as you have a good six lives left!!....

Standalone 

And look what happened to HIM!!!!

pastorbobnlnh 

I'm not certain if you are for or against universal or a socialist style of healthcare. I think you are against, but not 100% certain.

RobbieTunes

Give Bloomburg time....

The_Joe

'Round these parts you'll actually get pulled over and ticketed for not wearing a helmet.

eschlwc

^ that was true here in seattle before the residents hired a bike riding mayor. i don't hear sarcasm from tubby cops anymore while they smoke cigarettes from their parked but running for an hour patrol car.

RobbieTunes

I detest my helmets, even the Ironman one, for all the various reasons.

Put me on a stool, blindfolded. This is what I can control.

Around me walks a man, also blindfolded, unaware of me, swinging a bat.
This is what I cannot control. I can't get up and tackle the guy with the bat.

Offer me the helmet, I'll take it. I'll still hate the helmet, but I'll wear it, I guess.

People don't always understand statistics. I sure don't.
People like to point to anecdotes, especially politicians and the media, as if they're universal.

I guess I look at it as "can I fall over doing X and be OK?" If I'm going to do X, I decide. The tendency is to wear my helmet the faster the speed of X.

Riding slow on a sidwalk may not need a helmet. Riding slow on an elevated sidewalk 12' off the ground might. It's all relative. It's all about risk. I'll have to ask my risky relatives.

Not a bad thread if we just discuss it right.

As far as laws, different topic altogether. My wife was ticketed for not wearing a helmet, riding behind me while I was on a 10-mile run around a nice subdivision. Since I was there, I politely identified myself and asked him to cite the ordinance. He couldn't (it was 16-under). I told him I'd give him a minute or two to correct the situation, get clarification, or we'd just sit tight and ask for supervision. He had two options: admit the error or escalate. He told us we "could go."

gaucho777 

This has to be the longest-running, helmet-related thread in the history of C&V. (Shhhh...don't wake the mods.)

Velognome 

I would like to do a Gvt. funded study in NYC. Are more Pedestrians struck by cars in Cross walks and on sidewalks or on bicycles. My bet would be on the sidewalks and crosswalks.

It would be near impossible to convince the public to wear pedestrian helmets though

jhess74

I hardly ever wear a helmet, know I should, etc.

My biggest issue with them is... they get pretty wet from sweat after a ride, and that doesn't always dry up in time for the next ride. Buying multiple bike helmets seems odd and frankly, like a stupid waste of money to someone who grew up in the pre-helmet era. So I go without.

I've even been in a somewhat significant accident, sans helmet (ran into an unexpectedly opened car door, landed in middle of street) and didn't suffer anything more than some scrapes on my hands and arms, and a large bruise on my chest. I think being lucky in that instance makes it easier to talk myself into not bothering with one now, as stupidly illogical as that may be.

Just my thoughts... now I'll have this on my mind and wear my helmet every day for the next week before lapsing back into reckless mode.

eschlwc

in my three wrecks, i wish i had been thinking more clearly and wearing forearm pads like i wore playing center in little league football.

Shp4man

About two years ago I started a similar thread here in C+V. Pretty soon, the whole forum was posting flames in it. The moderators PM'ed me to not start a helmet thread here anymore. Actually, some of the crap the people outside C+V posted was entertaining.

Like "I won't be told what is what by some holier than thou C+V guy!"