Originally Posted by closetbiker

I also have to wonder at why it is that in this day, we worry about helmet use. Helmet use among U.S. cyclists was nearly non-existent before the 1990's. Does it make sense that all those parents for all those years encouraged their children to ride a bike around the neighbourhood or to school if they thought head injuries were likely to happen to them? Riding a bike was an All-American activity. Nobody wore helmets in the 80's and before. There was also the excellent product known as the Bell Biker. The Bell Biker helmet was introduced in '75 and it was not much less protective than today's helmets. Very few people wore Bell Bikers. Could it be because cyclists had yet to be marketed to? After Greg LeMond had such a high profile after his Tour wins, the sell (and snow job) was on.

As I've said before, I believe it's all about the perception of risk that's been manafactured to sell a product at the expense of teaching safe riding skills as a first safety measure.