vjp

it was nice. That is all

zukahn1 

Around the city I ride without a helmet about half the time I know it's not cool or as safe but much more comfortable. Yet I'm a little older when I first started riding about half the racers didn't wear helmets and it wasn't unlikely to see guys doing tricks or jumps on BMX bikes no helmet.

Gary Fountain

Ahhhh, yesss......those were the days.

Occasionally I forget to slap it onto my head and head off. Most times I go home to get it and sometimes, very rarely, I don't.

I suppose I'm indoctrinated now into wearing a helmet and it has saved me from injury on the rare occasion.

oldbobcat

Reminds me of a joke. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartenders say, "Now don't you start anything!"

Chombi

First half of the 80's I never wore a helmet. I figured back then that if they did not need them in the TDF, I wouldn't need them in riding around Milwaukee....
Eventually, I bought myself an Avenir lycra covered expanded foam helmet (Giro imitation) when the pros started wearing such.....

Chombi

Velognome 

average day

eschlwc

when i owned a moped, i wore one or i'd get pulled over by the heat.

roccobike

So now you have something in common with Alec Baldwin. All you need to do is talk on a cell while riding your MTB without a helmet.

rhm

Baa, I rode without a helmet today, too. I don't do that often but just couldn't find it and didn't want to miss my train. My wife found it later on, where I had parked my bike for a while yesterday. Whew! I lived.

sailorbenjamin

I drove to work without my seatbelt.

Conan

good for you. why live in fear? If you are in an accident that will take your life, I believe in about 99% of the cases a helmet would make no difference. Also it gives the impression to drivers that if you hit me its ok because I have a helmet. It also give the impression to other bikers that biking is unsafe and you need special protective equipment.

lasauge 

That's nothing, sometimes I eat *raw* cookie dough.

bici_mania

As an adult coming back to cycling, I started out being fanatical about wearing a helmet. Then Yehuda Moon convinced me I didn't need one so now I just wear a cycling cap.

vjp

I drove without my pants belt on!

Lascauxcaveman 

I didn't even own a helmet until my new bride insisted we both get them in 1994, I think?

In the last five years I think I've perhaps doubled the mileage I did in the first 45 years of my life, and have fallen off my bike four times. Twice, my head has hit the ground; including one time where I hit hard enough to do some real damage, had I been helmetless.

So I'm a big booster for mandatory helmet use. But only for people over 50 years of age. Kids are fine without them.

Saguaro

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt!

Six jours

I participate in "vintage" rides here in SoCal, which are not uncommon - we have a significant collector's "presence" here. In my experience about a third of the participants, on average, will be helmetless or clad in hairnets. Most of these guys were riding/racing "back in the day" and so realize that bicycle riding is not particularly dangerous, or at least doesn't have to be.

I did have a bit of a laugh a few years back while on a ride including half-a-dozen former national road and track champions dating back to the 50s, none of whom were wearing helmets at the time. We were cruising around at "old fat man" pace when a weekend warrior passed us, all decked out and on a high-end bike, but obviously inexperienced. He managed to wobble his way past us without killing anybody, but when we caught back up to him at a stop light he read us the riot act about how stupid we were for not wearing helmets - especially considering our use of "suicide pedals", which apparently is the modern term for "clips and straps".

flash2070

I have never worn one, nor do I currently wear one, or intend to wear one in the future! I actually feel more aware of my suroundings, and people around me! I'm extremely careful, and have learned to anticipate danger situations with oher cyclists, motorists, pedestrians, kids, squirrels, etc! One of my rules is like in boxing...protect yourself at all times! This means eyes moving, alert, hands on or very close to the brakes, and a well tuned machine! I don't ride on the roads, so all of my riding is done on the trails! I love feeling the wind, the sun, and nature around me! Now, if you ask me, if I had a motorcycle, would I ride without a helmet, the answer would be a definite no! This is just my personal preference, and I would never advocate to anyone not to wear one! I know that they are made to help keep you safe in the event of an accident, but I really enjoy riding without one!

Flash

frantik

where i live the riders wearing helmets tend to stand out more than those without

eschlwc

hey, when you're the famous mexican wrestler, flash superfly jimenez, who needs a helmet when you have a mask like that.?.

fietsbob

the infrastructure and culture is different in AMS & CPH. safer.. they are post imperial.

Clarabelle

I feel naked without wearing one. 3 head banging crashes: two with helmet = no head injuries; one without = concussion. Seems like a no brainer.

poprad

I was a helmet nazi until I came to europe. I find as I get older I'm not nearly as sure of all my opinions as I once was. I did the entire L'Eroica sans helmet last year, and I'd say I was in the vast majority (unless you count the leather hairnet variety). At first it felt really weird, but after an hour it was just comfortable.

I still wear a helmet on almost every ride, but I'm not religeous about it.

Paramount1973 

I don't bother lecturing those who don't but I always wear a helmet. Always. Same with the seat/shoulder belt in my car.

gaucho777 

My helmet is a helmet in name only. It dates from around '89-'90, has a large chunk missing from the styrofoam above one ear and several cracks the length of it. Maybe it will help a little. The wife prefers I wear it, though she doesn't own one. During my commute, mostly through residential streets, I rarely wear it. I enjoy riding without a helmet. Wind in the hair is not under-rated. There are a lot of bad/drunk/inattentive drivers. Sometimes I take my helmet off and hang it from the back of my stem while riding, especially on long, hot climbs on quiet roads. On longer rides, I wear it most of the time. I like to go fast down hills. Drivers are ignorant about cyclists, particularly how fast they are approaching and their ability to stop of fit in tight places. I try to pay close attention while riding but stuff happens quick on a bike. This evening my wife wife commented about a cyclist she passed in her car, then proceeded to cut off said cyclist, veared in front of him, and came to a near stop. She then grew angry at me for chastising her, only to insist she did nothing wrong. When my daughter asks why she has to wear one and I don't, I tell her I am a better bike rider but I know it's a thin argument. I have a complicated relationship with my helmet.

Vintage helmet content:


****