Originally Posted by
pguru
The way I see it is, besides (trying to) look cool, what do you gain from not wearing a helmet?
This is just a false cliche BHAs use to portray people who choose to ride bare-headed as shallow idiots who are only concerned with their image. Of course there's people who's coolness factor is the only consideration to not wear a helmet, but there are many other reasons to not wear and/or be critical of helmets.
-Helmets are uncomfortable.
-Helmet are a hassle and inconvenient.
-Helmets greatly reduce the sense of freedom associated with cycling
-There are much better ways to ensure safety than helmets
-Helmets are fairly ineffective
-Helmets distract from real safety issues, especially when they are promoted as the Holy Grail of bicycle safety, which they most definitely arent.
-Helmets often give wearers a false sense of safety, arguably resulting in too much) risk compensation.
-Helmets damage the image of cycling
-Helmets discourage cycling
-Helmets are unnecessary for the common cyclist.
A helmet helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Limiting your speed to 25km/helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Avoiding busy traffic helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Installing bicycle lights helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Mirrors help you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Avoiding mountain biking helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Staying off of unpaved roads and trails helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Only riding stationary bicycles helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Ditching your brake-less fixie helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Not riding under the influence of alcohol and drugs helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Not wearing headphones helps you better protect the MOST important part of your body; if that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.
Just my $0.02...
(Just to be clear, I'm not arguing people should stop mountainbiking etc. ,I'm not arrogant enough to tell other adults what risks they should and shouldn't take, but this is how BHAs sound to me. The difference is that most of the suggestions I make are much better to ensure safety than donning foam fruit baskets.)