Wulfheir

OP,
I agree that cycling helmets should be banned.

Signed,
That african country that discourages the use of condoms despite the majority of their population having AIDS.

TRaffic Jammer

Well if you listen to the safety wonks you'd wonder how we all managed to live.
I climbed tress and things with no harness or spotter. I hiked alone in the woods.
I skated on ice without a helmet. I skateboarded without a helmet. I rode my bike without a helmet. Hell, I even jumped stuff on a bike that wasn't custom built for such activities.... in fact me and buddies built it from old bike parts we'd find around. I didn't use anti-bacterial wipes or hand cleansers in case I touched something outside the house. Playgrounds with hard surfaces.....I should be dead..... oh yea my Dad smoked while driving with us lot in the back seat. (Which would get someone charged these days).

I shot pellet guns and sligshots and was shot at...lol Not once losing an eye, I even played with that thing that my mother swore would take my eye out. I whittled wood with a sharp knife and amazingly I have all my fingers (unscarred). AND most of the people I knew as kids are still alive too. I wouldn't go so far as to banning them but I would like to remove the lobbyists and the useless lawmakers that swear they are making our world safe. Rather I find kids aren't willing to take a chance anymore, not capable of risk as it's been removed from almost all the daily activities, and the slightest boo-boo sends them away from the activity forever. Kinda sad really, I wonder how that will translate as they age.

shokhead

So you are willing to take a chance that you'll never need a helmet? Thats what it is,insurance just in case. I pity the people that might have to care for you if you turn into a carrot because you didnt use your helmet. I know,you've done everything in the world and your fine. It only takes the first time. I havent been in a wreck but buckle up everytime. You dont have car/house insur? You dont use sunscreen? You dont use a seatbelt? Never safety glasses? No gloves?

royalflash

Yogurt Knitter= derisory term meaning "hippy"

TRaffic Jammer

You're missing the point of the post....I do wear a helmet, but should I be mandated to do so? Look at my avatar...that's my helmet.

closetbiker

Some people are just so dumb...

San Rensho 

Go ahead, don't wear a helmet. Darwinism is a wonderful thing. The gene pool will be so much the better for it.

closetbiker

even an old world thing in the new world thing,

closetbiker

or even less...

closetbiker

Yeah, like the gene pool being devastated by lack of helmets here.

closetbiker

not really...

N_C

The last time? How many times have you done this? Are you a stunt person or just unlucky?

oldguy52

Funny ain't it??? We did all that and then some. I'm still walking around reasonably healthy.......AMAZING

"OP, I agree that cycling helmets should be banned."

Uh .... nice sarcasm .... No, I don't think helmets should be banned. I think we should all mind our own business and let everyone else mind their's. We don't need a law about this, got too many laws now.

Honestly, I don't know how some people can force themselves out of bed in the morning to face all these terrible risks ..... let alone step out the door ......

People slip in fall in the shower all the time. Are we gonna' start advocating helmet use in the shower soon?? Or, do we think that could be a personal choice without anyone else sticking their nose in our business.

Seems to me it's the people who get to feeling too safe that usually end up getting hurt.

Rik

chipcom 

I don't wear a damn seat belt, have been riding motorcycles without a helmet for years and I survived a little shooting war with my helmet mostly used to sit on, more than on my head. Perhaps the reason some people feel the risk of cycling without a helmet is so great is because cycling is the riskiest activity they have engaged in?

Over 40+ years I have only rarely wore a helmet - I wear one when required to and sometimes wear one for my winter commutes. I've taken spills and had run-ins with stuff that was bigger than me, but I obviously am not a carrot in the care of the state. I pay my bills and my taxes, I have good insurance and I spilled my own blood supposedly defending this little thing called freedom and liberty. So if you want to wear your helmet, I am happy for you and would defend your right to do so, but for those of us who never give it much of a thought and don't consider cycling a risky endeavor, please just give us the same courtesy and quit yer preaching and snide-assed uppity remarks.

Edit: That felt good - NOW we got us a helmet debate furball goin!

chipcom 

You mean this guy would not be contributing?

TRaffic Jammer

naw he's a punk....lol kidding
Beside he already has a couple times

lxpatterson

a salute to il pirata!!

I guess everyone on the road is ready to assume some level of risk, and of course responsibility, through his own actions, his own equipment and clothing. Certainly that's a freedom everyone should be afforded. I mean i wear a helmet, but i will admit i do stupid things too sometimes like draft various big vehicles and bend road rules. When it comes to the helmet debate though, my thought on it is that you have so little to lose by wearing one and so much to lose (potentially) by not....it just seems like a no brainer. For Canadians, especially, the public has to foot the healthcare bill if some ahole driver deforms your head, so i would not say legislation is completely out of line. Just the same as how some private health policies charge more or will not cover smokers in the states.... I guess maybe some cyclists have like really sensitive scalps or something, or it's like this whole "easy rider/cool hand luke" vibe.

chipcom 

So to apply this logically, you also wear your helmet walking and driving, both of which statistically have a much higher fatality rate than cycling. After all, you have so little to lose by wearing one and so much to lose by not - so do you?

TRaffic Jammer

Chip... now you're just being a silly troop.

Bekologist

I knew a guy that always wore a football helmet around the house and parties, etc...

shokhead

And as an x motorcycler,why am i not suprised you dont wear one either. Hey,i dont give a rats a$$who does or dont. IMO,its fricken stupit not to but thats me. My dad was at some place out in the ocean,think it was Pearal Harbor around Dec 7th but he used a helmet when cycling. Dont know what that has anything to do with being as safe as possible.

chipcom 

What I think is fricken stupid is people claim not to give a rat's arse, but moralize about it anyway, but hey, that's just me. I'm not surprised that you don't know anything about risk assessment.

chipcom 

Is that like a cilly cailor?

TRaffic Jammer

I have no idea.... and OOORRRAAHH to sitting on the helmet....saved more lives doing that than weighin, down the head. lol

closetbiker

as a Canadian the public has to foot the bill every time some lard ass has a heart attack because he was too lazy to cycle