Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
...if an individual feels/argues that certain cycling activities/scenarios, or cycling in general, is too hazardous to ride without a bicycle helmet, it is also too hazardous to ride with a helmet.
That's well put and I am enjoying this conversation immensely!
The question of the effect of helmet use on brain damage rates is, of course, very important, but unanswerable. My qualitative SWAG, as an expert, is that protection is incremental for rotational deceleration, concussion-type, injuries, and likely pretty good for skull fractures, which are caused by point loading of the head. However, skull fractures, while particularly deadly because of the associated risk of epidural hemorrhage, are much less common.
There's also a very broad spectrum of severity from mild concussion, with full recovery in a couple of weeks, to the catastrophic injuries that leave people in chronic care for the rest of their lives. Another point to consider is that the elderly are at far higher risk of lasting problems after mild-moderate head injury than the young and folks with pre-existing cognitive or behavioral issues also do worse in general and may be more likely to bash their noggins.
I wear a helmet all the time, but mainly as a talisman. Unlike, say, vaping, it's not nearly a big enough deal to criticize anyone for not wearing one.