Originally Posted by
sudo bike
Conversely, one could argue that one who goes to the trouble to wear a helmet is concerned about safety.
But I think you are right, there really is no way to really prove either case. At best, it's conjecture based on a degree of logic; at worst, it's a wild-ass guess based on our biases
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I would note though, that what you forward is the idea of risk compensation: That the more one perceives safety, the less cautiously one carries oneself.
Absolutely. And yes, there may be a psychological perception of thinking one is safe could actually become less cautious. But, I killed a drunk driver last summer who wasn't buckled up and he drove recklessly. I also think some people over estimate their abilities to ride a bike or drive a car etc and therefore have no need for safety devices because "they know what their doing". So I think there's a double sided sword here.