Do you wear a helmet?

[Neil Fat Man On A Bike]

I never used to wear a helmet when I cycled as a teenager ( unless it was compulsary in a race ).
Since getting back into cycling I always wear one off road on the mountain bike( after having a nasty tumble without one ).
I normally wear one when road cycling too, until yesterday where I left the house and only noticed I didn't have it on after a mile or so. It was ace. It felt so free. Like cycling really should be. I liked it so much I didn't bother tonight either. It was fantastic. ( good weather the past two days may well have been the biggest influence).
I dont think I'll discard it alltogeather though. I use a MTB helmet that has a peak that's really good at keeping the rain off my glasses. It also has a mounting point for my AY-UP lights too.
So, I was just wondering what do all you guys do ?

[Mick F]

Yes.

I wear one every time I'm out. This is from pressure I get from all sides. Personally, if no-one got at me, I wouldn't wear one, but I actually don't mind wearing one.

[DavidT]

I wear one every time.

Started when my then girlfriend encouraged me to wear one lest I ever spoilt my good looks.

However I totally support the CTC line of personal choice on the matter.

I have had one bad fall that dented/broke the helmet, and my face had a pizza effect for a week or so. Guess it may have been worse without the helmet, but who knows for sure? Nevertheless I'll keep wearing a helmet.

[Neil Fat Man On A Bike]

Yes I get quite a bit of pressure from the wife to wear mine too

[PW]

Never have, and no intention of starting, regardless of anyone else's opinion.

[patricktaylor]

Always have, and no intention of stopping, regardless of anyone else's opinion.

Once it's on, I never notice it or do anything differently. As with the gloves and padded bib shorts and protective spectacles. Good looks are non-existent in my case.

[ian]

I have always worn one (and coming from NZ for the most part I was required to), and that means for decades.

Just this week I've decided I am no longer going to do so.

[kwackers]

I wear one for my commute or rides, but don't bother when nipping out to the shops etc - it's just one more thing to lug around and I just want to lock the bike off, take the clips off my trousers and walk around.

[FatBat]

In the past few years I've worn a helmet three times - once when going Coasteering, once when going HotDogging and a couple of weeks ago when going into a cave. Never worn one whilst on a bike, though.

[vandatubes1966]

Many years I never used a helmet and I had cycled through various European nations and felt very connected with freedom.

However, today being a parent and a ' role model ' I advocate the use of helmets for all cyclist.

My wife had a recent fall from her bike whilst a standstill (Yeah I know) but in defence she was carrying our 6 yr old on the kiddy seat at the back.

She went to sling her leg over to get off and caught the sole of her shoe on the t/tube and with front wheel moving away at a 90 degree angle with the extra weight of little 'un she took a tumble.

The helmet took the full force and saved her ' swede ' from a nasty bang.

I do believe in freedom of choice and resent the nanny state sticking in its nose in.

However,the choice between walking away from an accident or going to hospital with a cracked 'nut' and getting MSRA what would you prefer.

A bonce intact or a cracked one with a dollop of MRSA on top.

Oh yeah a that crappy hospital food thats enough to get your head in a tizz without the damge ' top knot '.

Nevertheless, safe cycling, be good to your bonce and your bonce will be good to you, keep it real

[EdinburghFixed]

I wear mine sometimes.

I've been trying to learn to mountainbike since xmas and usually take at least one tumble per session - I have elbow pads, knee/shin pads and the helmet to make this slightly less painful!

Otherwise, I like to go without a helmet whenever I can get away with it. My girlfriend is a rabid pro-helmetarian and as yet I haven't been able to work her around - I also need the helmet to mount my Ay-Up lights and helmet cam.

But it is *so* much more pleasant to ride without a helmet, that I can hardly put it in words. I'd rather cycle bare-headed in the rain than helmeted on a sunny day, and I do *not* like riding in the rain

[benm]

Never used to wear one... however to prevent ear pain from the other half I started wearing many years ago.... I then took a very nasty low speed tumble on ice and the helmet prevented what turned out to be two stitches in my eye socket and a chipped skull being a glass eye...

So now I am firmly in the "always wear one and am never going to change regardless of what other people say" camp however it is down to the individual to make their own risk assessment and take an appropriate course of action

B.

[EdinburghFixed]

Why don't you wear contacts instead? Since a helmet only prevents a small minority of facial wounds, there's still a good chance that your glasses could be pounded into your eye...

I never understand why my girlfriend is happy to ride with glasses on, but not bareheaded. Both or neither I can understand, but to mix and match is a suspicious stance on risk.

[NUKe]

I used to wear one all the time largely to convince the kids to wear theirs. I've slipped this year largely due to the fact I always doubted they make much difference, and the kids will wear theirs regardless of whether I am wearing mine or not. The exception being when I group ride, and low speed tumbles are possible because of wheel touches, I wear one for off roading for similar reasons, your more likely to take low speed tumbles and a helmet could help.

[meic]

With constant talk of compulsion, I want to make the most of my freedom to ride without while I still can.
When I have to wear one, I can use it to keep a small collection of toys in. Like MP3, radio and LED head and tail lights.
Then I can tell my grandchildren about the good old days when men were real men who did not wear helmets from birth to death and some even cycled without them.