Do you [helmet wearers] ever NOT wear a helmet on a ride?
 

I'm normally a helmet wearer. I wear it on solo rides in the city and suburbs, I wear it on group rides, I wear it off-road...

But there are times -- on a well-kept road closed to automobile traffic and country roads that I know well -- that I hang my helmet from my handlebar and pull on a cap, or even just let the wind blow through my [very short and bristly] locks.

What about you?

I feel about the same way. When I know I will be out for a while I will wear it, but when I make a quick trip to the post office or the quickie mart I usually do not wear it.

I have found myself though wearing it more and more on those short trips. Never know what may happen.

That is so true. It's like driving and wearing/ot wearing your seatbelt.... you can be the best driver in the world, but the a-hole around the corner and hits you straight on. Then it's too late.

Feel Buck-Nekkid without it.

About twice a year I will roll out the driveway without it, feel the breeze and realize I need to go back and grab the brain bucket.

I have heard of too many people who have sustained serious head injuries just falling down. I don't take any chances with the noggin. Rarely, if I have just reassembled or adjusted something, I might jump on and ride around the block without putting on the helmet, but even then I usually grab it. Once I got dropped off at the bike shop to pick up my bike, got ready to head out and realized I had not brought my helmet. I was nervous all the way home, about 10 miles. I was also embarassed to be seen by knowledgable riders.

I am anxiously awaiting a Giro Pneumo my LBS ordered for me. I know it is extravagant, but I save enough money by riding my bike to work that I feel justified treating myself. Besides, my noggin is worth it.
Rainman

I don't think it is worth not to wear a helmet. Skull fracture are always bad. It happens easily.

Once every three month I leave my house lock everything and realize that I left my helmet inside. If I really go round the corner I don't go back to get it (unlock the house, undo the alarm, etc). Even then I feel it is stupid not to wear it. Any other times I wear it.

Have you noticed? Over here, you seldom see a motor cyclist with a helmet (even though it is a legal requirement) but most cyclists wear one.

Rainman, what happened to BF's top bargain hunter? ;)



I always wear my helmet!!!
I have two friends who say they never wear a helmet unless they are riding fast (over 10 mph).
I advised them to always wear one!! I told them that every time I have fallen or crashed, I was going less than 5 mph.

I am allowed by my wife to ride a lot and spend money on biking on the condition that I always wear the helmet, so I do. I have a beautiful 1yo daughter and I'd like to see the rest of her life; I'd rather not be dead or a vegetable.

Big Advocate for helmet use here!!!! If I didn't have one on, I'd probably be typing (If I could) like this, "uugh whooo kat uuuugh aaahhh" That'd probably be the way I spoke as well.

The only time I don't wear one is immediately after working on my bike and take a quick test ride up and down my block. I live on a dead end street so there is little to no traffic. (I live at the end of a one-way street, I go home, but can never leave. -Steven Wright)

There have been too many times when I've crashed and ended up with a hugh headache, with my helmet on! I always image how I'd feel if I didn't have it on, OUCH!!!!

Ron,
Some things just don't go on sale though I know my LBS will geve me a little discount. I am kind of an opportunistic bottom feeder species of bargain hunter. If I see something cheap and I need it or want to stock up (like socks, gloves, caps) I go for it. If it is something I need, I go the the LBS for bigger things or just order on line for little stuff. I always go to my LBS for things they stock like tires, tubes, bar tape, etc. I love a deal if it falls in my lap, but I don't spend time looking for the best price on something I need or want. A reasonable price is fine.
Regards,
Raymond

Not so long ago thee was a thread under advocacy and safty " helmet saved my life tonight" (started by Mike back on July 17) after reading some testamonies and horror stories I made a vow to ALWAYS wear My helmet while riding.

that was July 19, since then I have'nt rode without my brain bucket firmly planted on my head, and never will.

cheers :beer:
Snoopy D

I have a family friend that didn't wear his helmet. He's been lying in a hospital bed for seven years now. All he can muster is to stare at the ceiling, cry and moan. Totally gone. Meanwhile his girls have grown, married and are begining families.

My four year old son loves to ride his bike every chance he gets and the first thing he does is grab his helmet.

I always wear my helmet.

I simply always wear my helmet. That is all. Mind you, if I'm only just going "around the corner" or something, I just walk, so I don't need a helmet for that (unless there's magpies around :cry: )

Chris

Once after some heavy dentistry I actually WALKED into a metal rail jutting from a window. I was not, of course, wearing a helmet. And I was loopy for more than a week. The weird thing is, I kept bumping my head on other stuff and making matters worse. Later, I read about head injuries, and the odds of you getting a second head injury after a first is very high, because you are disoriented.
This was before I got back to riding my bike, but it was another reason I do not mind the helmet. Plus, since my last stint at biking, helmets seem
more comfortable, cooler... I guess they are always improving the tech.

Just one other question, why would someone bother paying the money to get a helmet just to put it on the handlebars. I see it happen quite often around here, and I've never understood it.

:confused:

Chris

I do on occasion not wear a helmet.

I started riding long before we had the things, so it feels "normal" for me to not wear one.

The thing is, when I don't wear a helmet, the rides are very short and I don't ride the way I would normally with a helmet on. I go slowly and stay way out of the way of traffic. I was out mountain biking with a friend and he was wearing a helmet and I wasn't, he'd go bombing down hills I had no intention of ever getting near with or without a helmet. The fact that I didn't wear one made the decision to not descend those hills pretty much of a no brainer. (Pun intended)

I'm not saying that it's OK to not ride without a helmet, I just think that assuming you are safe and can ride into the middle of traffic or take other unneeded chances just because you are wearing helmet is foolish.

Rule #1, never ever trust a motorist to do the "right" thing. I assume most drivers are psychotic and would love to run me down.

Rule #2 Wear the helmet even though you think your riding habits are safe.

I was hit 6 times by cars during an 11 month period once, all without wearing a helmet and never once did my head come close to hitting anything hard.

I also went through 3 helmets in the span of a year, two of them cracked in the temple region. If I wasn't wearing a helmet, I'd probably not be here at all.

Helmets are cheap. I usually wear one, but when I choose to not wear one, stay off my case please. I'm an adult and it's my choice, no amount of badgering, pleading or reasoning will change that. I might thank you for your concern and then procede to ignore you.

Wearing a helmet has become such a habit, I feel naked without it. I can hardly go for a quick after tweak testing ride down the street and back without it.

I guess it's a good thing!!

Why didn't you get the Briko Twinner you wanted?

The only time I am without a helmet is when I am checking out der alignment and stuff. Any other time...I swack on the old coconut shield.

A friend of mine makes the argument (stated by another here) that he thinks he would take more risks with a helmet on, so
he doesn't wear one. There is something to the argument that it has a psychological effect (people in giant metal cages known as cars take even bigger risks). However, I don't want a broken arm or leg, either, so I am careful regardless of the thing on my head,
which frankly feels like bare minimum safety not a guarantee of anything. Now, if I was wearing body armor, I might feel invincible, although it would be hard to get above 2 mph. Nobody wore helmets when I was a kid, and I must admit to resisting the idea at first, but I did a lot of stupid things when I was a kid, and just because I survived does not mean those things were smart,
however delightful the memories.

This is true.

I have a friend who was commuting to work and was wearing his helmet but made the third grader mistake of tying a sweater to his handle bars. He was decending a hill doing about 30 mph and the arm of the sweater got tangled in his front spokes and brakes.

His face ended up looking like sushi, but his brain wasn't damaged.

A helmet is no replacement for common sense.

I'll tell ya, Fubar, my man, and it may sound silly. The Twinner is a very distinctive helmet. Many serious riders, the racing type, would recognize it in a second. The Pneumo is more "normal" looking and does not stand out as much. I am still self-conscious about being marked as a poser. For the same reason, it will be a while before I feel comfortable wearing the beautiful Panaria team jersey I just bought. I will stick with my Coolmax T-shirts and solid color jerseys. When I get my weight down to 180 or so I will feel better about such things. Having said all that, I may be getting the Twinner anyway. My LBS buddy told me the Pneumo is on backorder until late September. I told him to get me a Twinner if he could, otherwise I would wait for the Pneumo. We will see what fate brings.
Regards,
Raymond

I understand. :D

I always wear my helmet.

Several years ago I was on a test ride around the block after tweaking something on the bike and a dog ran in front of me. I hit it and did an endo, fortunately landing on my shoulder, instead of my head.

That was the last time I went out, even for a short ride, without the helmet.

Dave,
After reading all these posts, and especially yours, I will not even ride around the block without the brain bucket!
Thanks,
Raymond

Yikes, i too am going to make that pledge right now, to never ride my bike without my helmet again. I have in the past, taken my bike for a quick spin around the block, or to a buddys house without my helmet, never again!