I guess a helmet would be a good thing, especially when you read about those who's life they've saved, I don't wear one right now, sweat and aggravation are my rationalization for not wearing one at the moment, I'll need to look into these expensive ones that fit better and are cooler temperature wise as I'm not that vain that I don't wear it because of the ~Cool~ factor.
BUT, if you don't ride in heavy traffic and are very careful and don't take chances I don't see the immediate need for wearing one...in my riding career, not a racer, I've taken a couple of tumbles, turned a complete somersault in the air once trying to get back onto the highway, hit the ashpalt that had built up into a curb and the front tire sort of halted my motion forward...the feet strapped in the pedals made for me to ride that pony to the ground but my head came no where near getting a beating in that, shoulders and legs took the brunt. Now I ride with toe clips that are strapless that allow me to quickly dismount if need be, I know...I can't lift with it but I do some amount of pulling with that style.
I'll need to evaluate this more, I think the thing that also has me not running out and getting a helmet right away is the way our Safety department at work reigns down on the people all in the Safe Name of Safety, it truly leaves no room for discussion, you just adhere or you're in deep trouble, there are places for safety gear and places that are over kill...
One thing I noticed is that during the Tour De France you'll see a lot of the riders not wearing helmets all the time, now THERE would seem to me to be a HIGHLY LIKELY place of wrecks to occur and you know these guys have ridden a few miles in their lifetime...
Sorry for the long rant but I am getting more and more into the healthy aspect of riding, building stamina and endurance and things like the helmet battle does nag at me, I've read that other thread and glad to hear that lady Sandra took advantage of wearing the helmet and possibly saved her life, Hind sight is almost always 20/20 vision...
Off to ponder, thanks for the thoughts guys/gals,
G2