RubeRad

Amazing pic! Glad you're 'ok' despite what was surely a long, difficult recovery

I see the smoke on the right front wheel so he realized at some point and tried to stop. Was the collision him hitting you or you hitting him (his fault completely either way of course)?

boggy

It was her, not him. She hit my rear tire, that's why collision did not kill me. The car was going way too fast to survive hitting the wind shield. There was a long thread with detailed QAs a while back, I posted this back when it happened.

RubeRad

Ah, I guess it must have been this post. I'll go read there.

rastahogrider

I ride without a helmet, but I'm considering getting one. I'm not sure why because I don't believe it will save my life in a serious accident, but it may in something light. I also ride a motorcycle - been doing so for about 45 years. The helmet I wear when I ride it isn't really an approved helmet, just an outlaw type (plastic) to keep the law from messing with me. I tried the DOT helmets - too heavy for my comfort. So far, so good. I also find when I have a DOT helmet on, I find myself being a bit more relaxed with my thoughts of safety, taking chances I wouldn't normally do. I know there are those who won't agree with my reasoning, and that's their right. We will all make it to the end.

RubeRad

And for some of us the end will be sooner

52telecaster

William Muny said, "We all got it comin'"

cfultz

The increased risk of serious injury if hit without a helmet does make one pause, but there has been research showing that car drivers are more cautious when they see a bicycler without a helmet.

jfan

I'd be dead if it weren't for a helmet. I have no recollection of what happened on that day. Very little damage to the bike, and no one witnessed the incident (that's willing to talk about it, anyway). I lost about 16hrs of my life....from about 3hrs before I left on the ride until I was in the neuro unit of the hospital. There was a serious dent/crack on the L temple area of the helmet and I received 6 stitches there. I was awake, I talked to people, the squad came, they performed diagnostic tests and stitched my head up, and I can't remember any of it. I'm fairly cautious and I don't take stupid chances..... whatever happened to me could probably happen to anyone. Feeling the cool air running over your head isn't worth risking death.

ds3000

52telecaster

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/11/commentary-why-i-stopped-wearing-a-bike-helmet/

RubeRad

Thanks for the link, that article is fantastic!

52telecaster

yw, I thought so too. I found it because snob linked to it.

RubeRad

He needs to update his profile pic​​​​​​​

52telecaster

+1

Bike Gremlin

Love the disclaimer at the start.

Stadjer

Makes sense, Mein Kampf is published with simular editorial warning and academic annotations too. You can't just confront the unsuspecting reader with such highly controversial ideas.

Phamilton

A little over a year and 4,000 miles into commuting, I'm still not wearing a helmet. My hope is that if I die while riding my bike, I can provide some good narrative fodder for other internet cyclists, whether pro-helmet or otherwise, i.e. "helmet wouldn't have saved him" or "if only he had been wearing a helmet". It's my way of contributing to the internet cycling community. Like an organ donor, only instead of my liver you can have "there was this one guy ...".
Other kids wanted to be firemen and marine biologists but I said "I want to be a statistic when I grow up".

Phamilton

This comment is the best thing I've read in at least a week.

Chinghis

There, FTFY.

52telecaster

you and I are on the same path. I also dont wear a helmet in the car or while walking.

jon c. 

Commentary: Why I stopped wearing a bike helmet

....

Before I go any further, let me state emphatically that I am not out to dissuade anyone from wearing a bike helmet.

Except the author really goes on to attempt to do just that.

noglider 

I left my helmet at work on Friday, consciously. I've decided I don't want to plan any helmetless rides any more. I usually wear a helmet, but if I'm without one, I'll still ride. But if a helmet is within reach, from now on, I will take it. If anything, I should be the one to advocate for helmets, since mine so clearly saved my life many years ago, and that was before anyone else was wearing a helmet.

Some of the anti-helmet arguments have merit, and I oppose laws that require helmets, but a helmet is still a good idea for me.

mchb

I kinda promised my nephew I wouldn't bike without a helmet...

I think in BC you can be fined for not wearing one while on the road though I've never seen it enforced.

52telecaster

I certainly will never criticize anyone for wearing a helmet. Hope all of you live a good long time .

RubeRad

Neither will I. I get enough joy out of mocking posers for wearing spandex