Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
Impressive that you fit The Netherlands into this discussion. Your ability to compare/contrast the US and The Netherlands is second to none.
He could have done better though and point out that there's much less brain injuries in the Netherlands and it's even considerably safer than Denmark which has about the same infrastructure and behaviour towards cycling but where there's a lot more helmets.
You dont mention another extremely legitimate benefit for helmets. Falls, while perhaps not creating severe brain injuries, can scrape your scalp, ear, and face if no helmet is being worn.
Sliding on your ear for 15' or helmet for 15'...which is better?
Not sliding but keep riding. And if you must fall, don't land on your head.
The problem with the pro helmet arguments is that they are not sensible arguments for the bicycle helmet. They are arguments for a full face covering helmet that will protect against much harder impacts, and is worn by pedestrians, motorists and anyone who visits bathrooms regularly or is into DIY home improvement.
Originally Posted by
Swampledge
I didn't wear a helmet on the MUP until that day a 3" limb fell from a tree as I rode underneath. It touched the leading edge of my front tire and I rode over it without incident. I figured the bike helmet would be more appropriate for protection from falling objects than the MAGA cap I was wearing or a hard hat, so I started wearing a helmet.
When I see someone without spandex wearing a helmet I also tend to look up for anything coming down from above. If it's someone in spandex I wonder what's he up to, is he going to endanger an innocent cyclist while protecting himself? I'm okay with people using the public roads to get to the place where they can do their sports, I'm even okay with people using the pubic road for their sports where it's safe, but a bike helmet in the city? That's a bit like entering a bar with boxing gloves on. They don't have to take it off when entering normal busy traffic, but as a gesture that he or she is not doing a dangerous sport there I appreciate it.