How many of you always wear a helmet?

[dewi1]

I never wear one. Feel a bit guilty especially as it gives a bad example to my kids. But too old to change now!

[Les Reay]

I also never wear a helmet. I've been knocked off the bike by cars twice in recent years – one of them was hit-and-run. In both cases my head grazed the road without serious injury – if I'd been wearing a helmet, it would probably have split in half and I'd now be castigating non-wearers for their stupidity, following my 'lifesaving' experience.

Government statistics in Germany showed that the breakdown for serious head injuries resulting from road accidents was roughly: drivers (70%), pedestrians (20%) and cyclists (10%).
So let's make everybody wear helmets – make it an offence to walk across a road without one – it would save lives.

[thirdcrank]

As the evidence emerges, especially the possibility that helmets may make their wearers (or those they encounter) more careless of safety:

How long before some tricky insurance company suggests that wearing a helmet amounts to contributory negligence?

[atoz]

I have just acquired a helmet, but only for the purposes of a tour abroad, in a country where the law requires it. Up to now, I have never worn one.

When I brought mine home from the shop, my ageing Mum said "is that what all the fuss is about? Not impressive are they?" My feelings exactly.

I would be more impressed if some of the people you see wearing helmets cycling to work invested in decent lights, as opposed to the glowworms you sometimes see people using.

Frankly, I detest the damn things, but these days it seems you can't avoid them.

[Asdace]

I have 2 helmets and seldom used for work and shopping, only used for mountain biking or Sunday riding.

I've been hit by a car travelling at about 20 mph and the other about 10 mph. First car knocked me flying for 5 yards and naturally rolled over in a ball and second car hit me coming out of a drive-way onto a main road and hit me into the road (I was on pavement) and lucky for me, that no cars or buses were present. Another time, on a busy roundabout, this car came speeding towards me from nowhere from the Left. She had to slam the brakes hard on, with only 3 yards to spare. My heart was in my heart, never been so death than that, don't know who was more scared, me or her.

It's funny that when I was hit by the first car, that later on, I had delay shock and I had started smoking again after I packed 20 years ago. Luckly I got a grip with myself and stopped smoking after a week.

[Cadfael]

I never wear one. Feel a bit guilty especially as it gives a bad example to my kids. But too old to change now!

Don't accept that... I have been cycling for 37 years, and it was only 2 years ago I started to wear a helmet. I did have the odd flirt with them 20 or so years ago and found them very uncomfortable. But they have come on so much now regarding ease of fit and comfort. But two years ago I hit the tarmac pretty hard and my back-pack saved me from the curb splitting my very fine looking head. It was luck, so now I am loading the lucky dice in my favour by wearing a lid.

Will they save your life? Who knows... but they may just give you a slight edge. I also accept they maybe just what does for you.

But if the worst does come to the worst, they make a rather nice holder for the traffic police to carry your head in whilst they clear up the blood and gore.

[Cadfael]

I would be more impressed if some of the people you see wearing helmets cycling to work invested in decent lights, as opposed to the glowworms you sometimes see people using.

I agree 100%, and given that it is illegal to ride a bike at night without lights you would think SOMETHING would be done.