Pedaleur

Curious. I usually wear mine on my head.

Pedaleur

Wait. I thought two of them were trick answers.

unionmade

When bike sharing came to Boston, the City subsidized helmet sales at local CVS and other stores to encourage bike share users to use helmets. $7.99 for entry level Bell helmets. I've bought one on occasion when I want to ride across town but don't have a helmet handy. I think I've got 3 or 4 at this point, which I loan more than I use. Quite handy.

BillyD

I forgot my helmet home once a couple years ago. I was meeting a friend for a ride and I said to myself "Meh, when's the last time you even fell forchristsakes, much less hit your head? You WUSS!!" So off we went.

Sure enough, we're riding a mup I'm unfamiliar with and my friend makes an unexpected turn, and as I rapidly turn to keep pace I touch his back wheel and down I went. Hit my head pretty good. Had dizzy spells for the next week, even thought I was Batman for a couple days, so obviously I had a mild concussion.

Murphy's law is always at work.

SirHustlerEsq

Is today the day that something freakish will happen and you'll end up with a brain injury? Hell, I grew up on a skateboard and bicycle without helmets and never was injured. I recently was hit by a car on a seemingly empty road and sustained pretty serious injuries. I still ride around the pits at the racetrack on a bicycle with no helmet though.

spectastic

going downhill 55 mph without a helmet seems a little risky to me.

and you get 1 hour lunch breaks?? man, wish we had that here.

peaches123

I know you already rode but I vote buy an extra to keep at work.

muzpuf

I have had the same helmet for over 30 years ..............it sits on my shelf collecting dust ................... I think the IQ of the non-helmeted rider paying attention to his surroundings outweigh a low IQ rider with a helmet on

Nagrom_

I'd be dead without a helmet.

mihlbach

What do helmets and IQ have to do with weight?

Whats your IQ? Mines pretty high. I also wear a helmet and pay attention to my surroundings.

VFerreira

And a magnum 41 between the eyes is less damaging than a magnum 44 between the eyes.

Just don't kid yourself into thinking that putting a bicycle helmet increases your survival odds in any meaningful way when doing 55 mph, or crashing into cars. Like the OP.

RIRview

Not to mention lead paint and peanut allergies.

Niloc

I think BikeSnobNYC said it best, I'm not going to dig up the quote, but basically: yes you should wear a helmet because they are readily available, not too much of a hassle and can prevent some head injuries, however should you find yourself without for some reason that should not prevent you from riding as the chances receiving and injury that the helmet could have prevented are infinitesimally small.

Like many here I survived my whole childhood, adolescence, and into my adult years cycling without a helmet. The odd time I'm without it does feel weird though, so I try to not be without. If I had a 50 mph descent on my route I might detour or reduce speed.

Billy, this is so true! The last time I rode without a helmet, was late summer last year, and the roads were slick with the first significant rainfall in a while, and I went down in an intersection. I slid along my side and scraped up my right leg pretty good. No head injury, but kinda ironic that the first spill I'd had in ages happened to occur on the rare occasion I wasn't helmeted.

rekmeyata

Lets save the ridiculas argument of whether or not a helmet works for the discussion over here in the helmet thread, see: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...5#post16451755 There you can go on for years and years and years and never get anywhere about that subject, let's leave this thread about forgetting to wear a helmet and hopefully this thread won't last for years and will actually come to an intelligent finale instead of an ever increasing huge pile of bull dung.

Leukybear 

Niloc

At the risk of angering you, I'm going to respond and therefore extend this thread. I don't think this thread is about whether a helmet works or not but what should you do if you find yourself without one. I'm pleased to see that the majority of my fellow cyclists on this thread are sensible and agree with my opinion ;-)

Which if I may presume, appears to be: yes a helmet is sensible safety precaution on a bicycle. (It also keeps the sun and/or rain off your head and insulates in the winter. It's also legally required in some jurisdictions and in any organized race or ride I've ever participated in). However, should you somehow find yourself away from home with a bicycle but without a helmet, should you cringe in mortal fear of mounting said bicycle and pedaling home? No, that would be silly, just do it, pay attention, and try not to forget the helmet tomorrow.

rekmeyata

Darn, you didn't anger me! I was really hoping you could and would, now you ruined my whole day. anywho, what you said though is not arguing about whether or not wearing a helmet does what it's suppose to, you simply said it's sensible to wear one and cited reasons, I can live with, but if someone starts going off on a helmet is or isn't safe then that debate needs to go over to the helmet thread where a person can get lost in all the dung about it either way.

Niloc

Good point. I'm going to stay out of that dung infested thread.

rekmeyata

LOL, I try but every once in awhile something so ridiculas is said I just have to go over there and burn them on it!!!

UmneyDurak

GTFO with your logic and data. This is BF!

But yeah I agree. Thinking that plastic lead will save you from anything then minor injury is delusional thinking.

muzpuf

Originally Posted by Leukybear A helmet has actually saved my ass before.


I vote that comment best of January

ricebowl

While ago forgot my helmet leaving a friend's house. During the ride home noticed something was different, ride just felt good. The breeze and sun felt good, I wasn't as sweaty, appreciated the scenery/surroundings more. Couldn't figure it out, was just really enjoying myself. Took a while before I realized I forgot my helmet. That's the only time I've ridden without a helmet as an adult. While I still wear my helmet out of habit and peer pressure . I don't think those going without are playing the russian roulette some make it out to be.

pgjackson

How many times have people wiped out in time trials, all by themselves on the open road? Not much. Pros crash frequently because they ride at top speed in huge packs literally inches from other riders all around them. One guy swerves a tiny bit and the whole peleton goes down.

pgjackson

What do you think that little helmet is going to do for you in a 55mph crash? Even if it was designed to protect your skull in a 55mph crash, your neck would probably be shattered anyway. Giant motorcycle helmets aren't designed to protect at that speed.

Niloc

Well said. I think it's somewhat situational. When I'm going a long, fast group ride I wear my helmet, I have no choice, those are the rules, but I would anyways. When I'm commuting I'm probably more reckless than I should be, I need to get places quickly, I wear my helmet. Not that I'm saying I can be reckless because I'm wearing a helmet, I'm stupid but not that stupid. Tooling around the neighborhood on my cruiser? Sometimes I forget my helmet. Too lazy and I like to feel the open air. However, I usually wear my helmet anyways. Two reasons: 1) habit - ride bike, don helmet. 2) my kids - I'm supposed to role model for them dammit. If they don't bust me, my wife will.