Originally Posted by Trevor98
I am happy you chose to wear a helmet if it makes you feel safe. I am trying to gather logical arguments from either side of the debate so that I can make a good decision myself. The burden of proof has to be on the side that encourages helmet use- they are arguing that people should go out and buy helmets and wear them and replace them after crashes. So far I have only seen fallacious arguments. (False Burden of Proof, Appeal to Fear, Appeal to Common Practice, Anecdotal Evidence)
Helmets are a huge industry, think about it- potentially ~85,000,000 consumers, all the benefits of fashion changes, built in obsolescence (every crash) and an easy campaign of fear advertising. That industry has to convince me of a need that they can fill.
Trevor
Living is not safe- you will die from it.
I agree with you. I just don't understand the need for some folks to start preaching about this issue to intelligent adults. One must reasonably evaluate the risk of any activity, and make a rational decision about the protection needed. I wear my helmet for about 95% of my riding, but that's because 95% is at higher speeds, and in what I perceive to be reasonably dangerous situations. I don't usually wear a helmet for short trips down the street to the store, or coffee shop. Am I taking a chance here? Absolutely, positively, a SMALL chance.
Consider this: I am at MORE risk riding fast through the rough woods on my mountain bike WITH a helmet, than I am riding at a slow speed on an empty street WITHOUT a helmet. I am also at MORE risk riding in heavy traffic WITH a helmet, than I am on empty streets WITHOUT a helmet. On the empty streets I have evaluated the risks, and made a reasonable decision not to wear a helmet.
For you full-time helmet wearers out there...do you wear a helmet while jogging? do you wear a helmet while in your car?...do you wear a helmet in the shopping mall? Do you see an unreasonable risk here?, I hope not
, because if you're that uncoordinated, you shouldn't be riding a bike anyway.