Wow, is your wife not an experienced cyclist, or was it just a freak coincidence?

Clooney was on a motorcycle, for whatever difference that makes. I don't think I'll ever ride a motorcycle. I considered it for a while as an alternative to sitting in SoCal traffic every day, but I didn't have the energy to first take a comprehensive motorcycling safety course so I could do it right (similar to why I've never gotten a gun). So instead I got into cycling, and bought a house close enough to work to ride every day!

They've got their priorities straight. Their stem is more worthy of protection than what is between their ears.

Ben

Not really related, but once I was in a MTB race (more like a large event with numbers and timing), and I passed this guy up a hill (doesn't happen often!) who was wearing a backpack with a floor pump strapped to it! I told him as I (slowly) passed him, I hope he gets a flat, so carrying that thing is worth it!

I'll share my stupidity. I'm pretty sure a helmet saved my life in a motorcycle wipeout 30 years ago, so I always wear a helmet when biking, except for one time - was going to walk a mile to the gym to workout, but it was about to rain, so I hopped on my mountain bike to save 5 minutes and get there ahead of the rain. Just one mile so I didn't really need the helmet. A few drops started to fall, but the road was still dry, except this was the first rain in 6 months and those few drops combined with 6 months of accumulated oil slick on the road surface. Making a right onto the main street there was a nice open gap in traffic so I sped through the corner to take advantage of it. Next thing I remember there were several people standing around me, helping me up and asking if I was ok. I must have been unconscious for several minutes. Probably 99.9% of the time you can leave the helmet behind and be fine, but it's not possible to predict which ride you really need the helmet.

Well it is possible though to be aware that you're not wearing a helmet, and not do things like "speed through the corner"

I am 100% helmet on mtb trail rides though. My fall rate there is high enough that anything else would be stupid. When mountain biking, I don't just wear a helmet, I very often USE a helmet. Just a few weeks ago I slid out sideways and in the fall whacked my helmet pretty good. Gave it a dent, and it was like 4 years old and getting really gross anyways, so I bought a new helmet and tossed it. My new helmet (that I didn't wear on Monday) still feels fresh and clean every time I put it on.

Some riders (including I) take the helmet off when coming up on a long hard climb on a hot day, I'll put it back on on the downhill side, Tour de France rules allow no helmet at such occasions , no need for a helmet wehen working hard, getting hot and going slow,

To clarify, I slowed at the corner, and then started to accelerate when I saw the open gap in traffic. Was not going very fast, but trying to accelerate on an apparently dry but actually very slick surface, I went down very fast and hard, the point being that there can be unknown or unpredictable situations that get you in trouble.

I have no problem with people who don't wear helmets. It's up to them. I see some people carrying helmets on the bike path, and that makes sense to me, because the risks are lower without motor vehicles. I tell myself I could do that, but I can't bring myself to do it. On the other hand, I often take Citi Bike without a helmet, and I even ride in traffic. Sometimes it's deliberate, such as the times when I know I won't be riding back in the other direction and don't want to carry a helmet. And sometimes it's because I get on Citi Bike unexpectedly. But I generally wear a helmet whenever I ride. I don't take my helmet off on my regular commute because, well, you never know what might happen. I was in a very bad collision long ago, and my helmet saved my life, so I continue to bet that I'll have another, even though it's not likely. It definitely is nice to go helmetless on hot days, I will agree.

Bottom line, wearing a helmet is less pleasant than not wearing a helmet (otherwise everybody would wear them all the time and everywhere).

Even alan s's avatar understands that

And I can't believe it took this long for somebody to mention that basically nobody in Amsterdam wears a helmet. Sure it's a completely different context, but that's the point. Different situations have different degrees of usefulness for helmets.

Touche! Although 2 helmetless people on one stationary bike vs a helmetless cartoon on a speeding bike, I'd call it a toss-up

A couple of them mention specifically that Holland is an exception, and that Germans wear helmets.

I agree. Although I don't like riding with them.

I've had two semi-recent emergency room visits because of bike crashes (no head injury though). Both times the doctors asked "Did your helmet take an impact?" I wondered if there was a reason they didn't ask "Were you wearing a helmet?". In one case my helmet did take a pretty big hit (it cracked) and they did a good head inspection. I didn't get the feeling that they were out to shame or give inferior care to me if I had said I didn't have a helmet on. ER doctors see the results of people doing lots stupider things than riding without a helmet... they need to be non-judgmental to do their job well.

?!?! Do you attach it to your bike, or just hold it in your hand?

Yes, there are lots of texting and drunk drivers on tour de France stages and on all bike trails.

This is also very interesting, but 5 years old:


I love it how at about 1:05 he's saying "it looks like these people are in a race", talking about people in jeans and button-down shirts riding what I think of as very casual (the way I ride)

she's been riding since she was a kid. even did a light tour with a group as a teen staying in hostels. but at 60 she is pretty casual now. she hit a bollard sitting in the middle of a quiet bike trail. we just passed a sunny beach which was a distraction. in the bright sun w/ dark sunglasses, when she turned her head back toward the trail, she didn't see the bollard which was in the shade until she got closer to it. I think because she was going so slowly she had some difficulty avoiding it. meaning if she had more momentum she could have steered better. she screamed well in advance of hitting it & I was able to turn & see her strike it & fall. the whole event seemed to take a long time to unfold. or maybe it's my memory. her wrist broke when she put her hand out on the way down. (classic mistake). so it was a combination of distraction, environmental conditions such as sun/shade/dark sun glasses & that darn bollard hiding in the shade. we found out at the scene from a town employee that that particular unit has been the site of many very serious crashes. it really should be removed

Ah that sux. My son had a similar crash once as well. Bollard where bike path crossed a road was I guess intended to remind cars not to drive on the path, but really probably does more harm than good.

He probably means German tourists, often senior citizens with fancy gear and poor skills. For some reason cycling in foreign countries is in a blind spot, the Dutch travel a lot but tend not to notice the lack of cycling elsewhere and not notice the exceptional amount of cycling here when returning home. It has been sinking in for a while now but we need regular reminders from foreigners that we are the exception.

The Dutch aren't just the exception in helmet wearing, but in general. The people of Amsterdam are reminded daily that foreign tourists aren't competent cyclists, not only in understanding traffic but also in bike control, tourists are the main danger and disruption of Amsterdam traffic these days. Maybe the tourists should wear life vests too, with all those canals without fence and warnig signs. The Dutch have been on a bike from a very young age and almost every day of their lifes, they all have a lot of experience in taking care of their own safety and a lot of skill, especially when it comes to not falling and when falling (snow, ice, intoxication) not hitting their head. Upright bikes probably help, but I guess it's mostly about reflexes from a very young age.

Besides that helmet wear would disrupt the way we use bikes here, there's also a problem with others wearing helmets. You've got to rely on your own skills, but you've got to rely on other people's skills too. If you are not skilled or careful enough to ride safely without any protection, how can I rely on your skills or care to share the road safely with you? Or have my kids share the road with you? It's not just about personal choice.

I grew up in the 1960's, and 70's, and we never wore helmets when we road bikes. Nobody did. When I got back into biking as an adult, I bought a Bell helmet, and have been wearing one ever since. I am not a safety obsessed person, but I like most others think it is a wise measure. I have seen people on club rides fall due to dogs, and other issues actually break their helmet when they went down, which saved their head.

Now, I don't bubble wrap myself either. :) In some ways our society has moved towards wanting a risk free lifestyle. Not going to happen.

OP, you are Lucky! I can't believe you lived! Hmmm......maybe A&S lied to me.

Indeed. Won't somebody please think of the children?

Hmm. I had a paper route in the early 80s and I can't even remember if I had a helmet. I'm thinking probably not.

Nowadays I will ride helmetless to the park with my kids, and make them wear helmets. I tell them it's just the law (which it is). When they're adults they can choose when to wear helmets.

LOL that was a low blow but funny :beer:

I have ZERO worry about crashing and hurting myself.

If it happens, oh well. But I have full confidence in myself that I can ride for mile after mile without crashing the bike.

The reason I wear a helmet anyway is because I do not have that same confidence about drivers, other bikers, pedestrians staring at their phone, etc etc etc.

My helmet isn't in case I crash.

It's in case someone else crashed into me.