To true I ended up on the back window of a saab hatchback one day when a woman crosing the street had a skirt that blew up. I of course looked then smack I was ok (helmet) This happend in front of my house.
The worst part was my gf saw it happen (she was riding right behind me), so I was on the couch that night.I guess she had a headache

My 15 minute ride on my old BMX cruiser, to and from school, or to the store, doesn't get a helmet.

Riding my mt. bike, where ever I ride it, I wear a helmet.

When my fixie is done, I'm not sure if I'll wear a helmet or not. I would imagine sometimes I will, and other times I won't.

I want to buy a lighter helmet though. The one I have is too heavy. Maybe if I get a new one, I'll wear it all the time.

35+ mph rds...helmet!
in town, or on campus...not always
but you all want to talk about brain damage, i'm the neuroscientist. brains can bounce around, and it's not all that good for brains.
i have a helmet, and if i left it at home and got a brain injury because i wasn't wearing it, i'd feel like a complete dumbas$

I love these helmet debates. On some other forums, people are zealously trying to push their views on others, from both sides. Here it's pretty tame. At least I don't feel the need to tell people "keep thy religion to thyself!". Me, if I feel like it, I wear it, if not, then no. For the most part, it's no.

i was going to footnote that... yes, the chances are of getting hit by a car is even (actually, those short trip involve smaller, less traffic'ed streets)... but its a matter of time vs inconvenience ... i dont want to have to wear a helmet if the 'at risk exposure time' is less... i am damn vain and i like my hair!


however, i will fully stand by the mountain biking vs road bike thing. if mountain biking was simply riding on Dirt, i wouldnt need a separate MTB i ride on the technical stuff, with drops and texas KT-limestone, babyhead sized with jaggies pointing upwards... sure is more difficult to navigate than evenly-paved asphalt. riding road, noone EXPECTS to fall. if i dont fall a quota of 3 times on the trail, i'd say i havent ridden long or hard enough.

lastly, ive taken a few spills on both road and mtb, but my head never made contact (knock on wood)... the times that ive made head-impact were from getting smacked by low-standing and hidden tree branches. trees really do move and they jump out at you--i swear!!!

I'm a firm believer in Murphy's Law. I know that the one brain-crushing accident I'm in will be the time I forget to wear a helmet. And furthermore, whenever I get on a bike without one, I start to panic anyways, so it's kind of a self-preservation thing: wear my helmet, don't panic, don't crash.

As far as fit, I've never had a helmet that cost more than $30. My previous one (a Specialized) was awful. I just got a Giro Transfer, and it is the bomb.

been wearing one since I've been rehabing the shoulder on the road bike. but then again, I'm pushing bigger gears I really don't see why people feel so passionate about it. Either you do, or you don't.
Your call.

i didn't own a bike helmet until i was 30 years old. now i always wear one, except on occasion when i have been tinkering with a bike and need to ride it around the block a few times. i think the risk of crashing is quite a bit lower at those times than when out in traffic. at least that's what i'm telling myself.

Typically the only trips I make sans helmet are like half a mile away. It's only got a few intersections in that space and traffic generally crawls along anyhow.

And definitely on the mountain biking versus road thing. Dirt riding was why I started wearing my helmet again in the first place. Then I decided if I could wear it out there, I could be a big boy and wear it around town too. The only time I've ever hit my head in a spill was on my mountain bike. Bombing a rocky trail full of babyheads and one of 'em slip. I went over the bars and did a face skid. Luckily my visor also ripped loose and came down, so rode that along and only got a little scuffing on my lip and chin.

This trail right here, in fact (the part I wiped out on is a few feet in the opposite direction and not quite so gnarly, ironically enough):

Always wear one. Guess it comes from years of having my brain saved snowboarding. That back edge can be a real F*cker.

Riding trails, always. In fact, it saved my ass this past weekend. Bunny-hopped some logs, ended up cock-eyed in mid air headed for a tree. Tucked the chin, impacted, everythings's fine except for the leg.. ouchie.

i also always wear one moutain biking or when riding my trials bike. there are some trails around here where i wear a full-face. i had a spill taking a nasty drop on my hardtail once. if i hadn't been wearing a full-face, i'm positive my dentist would've gotten that new m5 he'd been considering. my full-face gives me a lot more confidence. besides, what other helmet could also trap a bee inside it? now that is fun and a great reason to wreck.

when i go out on road rides that involve intense climbs and fast decents, i wear one. more mellow road rides, i do not. also, on the track i wear a helmet. you have to, but i don't think i would choose otherwise.

around town and commuting i don't wear one, but naz's poster always makes me reconsider that.

I've actually taken mine off for Thu night track races now and again even though I know that racers crash, it's just the game. But I guess last Thurs some dude with absolutely no history of it knocked his noodle and had a seizure. Yowza.

man alive i bet that was ugly. track crashes are never pleasant.

When I had my first accident in November when that car hit me, I still didn't wear a helmet. Since I had nothing but a deep cut on my chin, and didn't hit my head, it didn't faze me all too much. But it did put the idea in my head. It nagged me.

All the way until March when I went down on the bridge during the Tour Da Chicago. Unfortunate and a tough period.

I knew that when I got back on the bike, I was going to wear a helmet. And I did. I had a nice one, I should use it.

When I went down in May when this car cut me off forcing me to brake abruptly and thus endo resulting in a separated collarbone, my one week old Giro helmet cracked in two places. I also had road rash on my upper cheek by the eye. The helmet had some too where it cracked and where my face hit the ground. I was on my way to the girl's place, about 4 miles away.

Helmets? Good things.

a good poll now would be:
who is going to start wearing a helmet more frequently after this informative discussion?

Or who takes thier helmet off for long climbs? If so where do you put it?

Im sure this statement would work the same with bike as it does for cars

"you are more likely to get into a accident near your home then on a long distance"

sometimes those short trips (to the store, etc..) you can get a little more cocky when riding.

maybe its just me.

I got hit by a car when I was 9 -- I was racing the school bus home. I won, but my prize was a trip to the hospital.

I have no idea if I was wearing a helmet then, but I always wear one now.

Duh, you pitch it to the side of the road where your support team retrieves it for you.

I wear mine all of time (mtn or road). I have been hit twice and each I have needed a new helmet. it also sets an example for my daughter

I have a wife to go home to. She depends on me. I think that is a good enough reason for me to wear it. (It just took the passing of a friend to realize it)

although never been in an accident that was bad enough to crack my helmet,
i have to say that wearing one as frequently as i do has saved my a$$ once or twice.

now when i ride, my helmet feels natural. i don't really notice it anymore.
except for the sweat on the cushioning and the dripping in the face crap (that dc heat!), it's comfortable.

i do at times think i look "less cool" than if i were wearing a cap or something, but i have never really been able to pull off that "cool" look anyways. i would much rather avoid serious harm than make a statement.

i have a big plastic dragonfly attached to the top of mine, can't get much cooler than that, and it tends to get smiles from the ladies which is always a plus.

i wear mine all the time. my thought, if i get hit by a car and die ok,but brain damage the rest of my life. i dont want to be the guy who's freinds wheel to bike show,thinking there doing something nice,mean while im drooling on myself.