Slodo

I just spent a week in what is probably the most bicycle-riding city in all of the western world- Amsterdam. I swear there must have been 50 bikes for every one car on the road in that town. Millions of them. So dense that we actually had a hard time finding a place to lock our rented bikes to downtown. Amsterdammers ride everywhere, all year round. Anyway, my second day I noticed something: no one, I mean absolutely NO ONE was wearing a helmet. Literally, I saw none, zero. The point: we are sissies in the US. Scared into buying all kinds of crap. And here ends my rant. Thank you for listening.

dudeman

i would knock on wood if i were you.

Tangsooyuk

My buddies told me there were a ton of bikes out there, more than cars like you say. They also said because of it you ride soooo damn slow and have to avoid people like its a never ending critical mass. That being said, no wonder they werent wearing helmets. Throw a few thousand taxis, busses running through lights on fresh reds, and cell phone talking suv driving soccer moms in the mix and see if they use more precautions.

HAMMER MAN

short story.
years back when I lived in S.Ca. I was coming up the Santa Susana pass road from the S. Fernando valley side from topango cyn side on my way home .
Half way up must of been about 5-6 cyclist really don't remeber how many but the road has a S-type turn with a sharp pin type turn that if you hit it just right it is like being blown out of a cannnon just a super amount of increase speed before the descent to topanga cyn, the middle rider mis-judged the turn slammed into the rock face type cliff, the side of his head and shoulder took the burnt of the impact.
split his head opeen like a watemelon.
Long story short he fractured his skull in so many places he was leaking out cerebrum fluid from his skull. I stayed there as did the other riders unitl emergeny crews got there. Don't know if he lived, but with the impact he had, I don't believe he would ever have been the same.

up to each individual I guess.

schloe mo

yeah, but did you happen to look at the drivers?

barba

In traffic here in the US I wear a helmet.

kyselad

KrisPistofferson

How come everything they do in Europe is an example of how highly evolved and refined their culture is, and everything we do here is an example of how depraved and ignorant? Seems to be a popular theme on Bikeforums.
By all means, let's hate on people who just try to be safe, and avoid skull trauma. I've worn one since the Nineties when a good friend of mine got a steel plate in his skull, and had to have his scalp and a portion of his face sewn back on. I'm fairly certain it's saved my butt a few times,too, but what really matters is that helmets don't accessorize well with Arcade Fire and Boards of Canada t-shirts, so I'll shut up now!

operator

Santa claus!??!

brunop

helmets are cool. chicks dig 'em. lance wears one.

kyselad

troll

kyselad

I'll use this one from now on...

garth_s

Risk is something that has to be judged by each rider for where and how they ride. Also, know thyself, I was urged by family and friends to wear a helmut after totalling 2 cars, fracturing two ribs and puncturing a lung, and fracturing my right elbow(four accidents in three years). I didn't want to be responsible for someone's death besides my own, so i stopped driving. which I feel great about and I did begin to wear a helmut even when on the road, not just mountainbiking. I don't kid myself that it will help if I get creamed by a car doing thirty, I did it to respect their feelings.

brunop

we don't give a ***** how they do it in europe!

iamtim

GOOD FOR YOU!

Now when you get hit by a car in the States, like I did, and your head gets split open instead of your helmet because you weren't wearing one, like I was, I'll be happy to read your post about it. Assuming, of course, that I'll be able to decipher "jfdkl fjdav dfskjalaf eiafds dfkjafds" or whatever other brain-damaged drivel you manage to pound out.

nocoins

I spent some time out in A'dam as well. I loved how everyone rides everywhere, but I didnt enjoy riding through the streets because even though there were no CARS, the people around there rode very recklessly. They would weave in and out, narrowly missing people who were walking or other riders. The bikes that people ride in A'dam are heavy, usually single speed, mostly coaster brake bikes. I saw a lot of bike accidents (usually involving a someone on a rental bike who didnt know what they were doing) but they are all low speed crashes that either result in an apology, or "F You!" (I dont know why the dutch love to use the F word). Anyway, I have no point other than saying that I feel safer riding through Philly traffic than I did riding through the streets of Amsterdam with hundreds of other cyclists.

Oh yeah, and even though people dont tend to wear helmets, they HAVE to wear lights on both front and back. My friend living out there has been ticketed for forgetting.

operator

no

kyselad

I mean the image is of a troll. Referring to the thread, not you. Sry - I wasn't clear.

teiaperigosa

Yes

kathrot

yeah, i know i'm a sissy. but when i landed on my head and my elbow a few months ago, breaking the elbow and being saved by the helmet, i'm sure glad my little sister didn't have to come scrape my head off mass ave and then call mom & dad across the country to tell them what happened.

Ceya

You have to realize that overseas they are used to riding with bikes and bikes dominate the scene. We have a CAR dominated society due to it being made here first.

We used to have it like that but cars rule here as society's transportation.

We are not sissies it is the way things are here. If you feel that strongly about it after you get hit, well then post that view.

I ride helmetless here and abroad. I do like the way bikes rule overseas but that about it. they do ride like crazy with cars and bikes, again it is their society.

I may finally ride with a helmet after my last accident. My head was hurting for days but I won't be riding anyway for awhile.

S/F,
CEYA!
STRENGTH AND HONOR!!

gorn

I wear a helmet because it matches my white belt.

the beef

It's a completely different in story in Amsterdam, I've been there as well. The style of riding they do is completely different, and motorists are much, much more aware of cyclists, many of them being bike riders themselves. Anyway, you can go on and not be a 'sissy', have fun while it lasts.

kf5nd

Europeans smoke cigarettes more than Americans do, but I'm not going to take up that habit

slvoid

Think of a bike helmet as a condom, a condom for your head.. er... this isn't going as well as I thought it would.. .it's protection damn it!!