Do you wear a helmet?

[TonyR]

Why are we allowing one set of people such freedom to chose but seemingly not another which is often accompanied by bile, strongly phrased words & blame to impart their 'choice' onto you.

Because, like any faith based religion, the aim is to save the unbelievers by converting them all to the one true way.

[bovlomov]

Why are we allowing one set of people such freedom to chose but seemingly not another which is often accompanied by bile, strongly phrased words & blame to impart their 'choice' onto you.

Because our freedom mocks their enslavement. While they are toiling away miserably beneath their sweaty polystyrene hats, they see the carefree helmetless experiencing the joy of true freedom. Understandably they are angry about it, and more than a little jealous. For a number of reasons (to do with complicated psychology: unhappy birth experiences, weak fathers etc), rather than casting off their own shackles, they seek to drag us all into their behelmeted servitude. I think.

[reohn2]

Why are we allowing one set of people such freedom to chose but seemingly not another which is often accompanied by bile, strongly phrased words & blame to impart their 'choice' onto you.

Because our freedom mocks their enslavement. While they are toiling away miserably beneath their sweaty polystyrene hats, they see the carefree helmetless experiencing the joy of true freedom. Understandably they are angry about it, and more than a little jealous. For a number of reasons (to do with complicated psychology: unhappy birth experiences, weak fathers etc), rather than casting off their own shackles, they seek to drag us all into their behelmeted servitude. I think.

You only THINK,you should KNOW!

[bovlomov]

You only THINK,you should KNOW!

Yeah, but there'll always be a few who think they're exceptions, so I'm giving them a loophole.

[reohn2]

You only THINK,you should KNOW!

Yeah, but there'll always be a few who think they're exceptions, so I'm giving them a loophole.

In that case I'll let you off

[Tonyf33]

Yeah, but there'll always be a few who think they're exceptions, so I'm giving them a loophole.

[robing]

I can't understand the maybes. If you're going to wear a helmet then surely it's either all the time or not at all.

[pjclinch]

I can't understand the maybes. If you're going to wear a helmet then surely it's either all the time or not at all.

Think about what the answer would be if the question was "do you wear a raincoat?" It would typically be a "maybe", according to whether it looked like rain.

I'll wear a helmet doing technical MTB where I expect to fall off and where the council don't cut overhanging branches, or if I'm doing Go-Ride coaching because the rules say I must. I put one on when I was learning to ride a unicycle (that's me doing just that in my avatar pic, I don't use a lid for that any more). I don't use one for general road riding where the risk context is totally different.

It could be comfort context too. Just too hot on a properly hot day, for example.

Pete.

[robing]

I can't understand the maybes. If you're going to wear a helmet then surely it's either all the time or not at all.

Think about what the answer would be if the question was "do you wear a raincoat?" It would typically be a "maybe", according to whether it looked like rain.

I'll wear a helmet doing technical MTB where I expect to fall off and where the council don't cut overhanging branches, or if I'm doing Go-Ride coaching because the rules say I must. I put one on when I was learning to ride a unicycle (that's me doing just that in my avatar pic, I don't use a lid for that any more). I don't use one for general road riding where the risk context is totally different.

It could be comfort context too. Just too hot on a properly hot day, for example.

Pete.

I don't think you can compare it to wearing a raincoat. If it rains and you don't have one the worst that will happen is you will get wet. If you don't wear your helmet and that happens to be the time you get knocked off your bike, then you could get a serious head injury.

[broadway]

I don't think you can compare it to wearing a raincoat. If it rains and you don't have one the worst that will happen is you will get wet. If you get knocked off your bike, then you could get a serious head injury.

FTFY

[TonyR]

I don't think you can compare it to wearing a raincoat. If it rains and you don't have one the worst that will happen is you will get wet. If you're wearing a helmet and get knocked off your bike, then you could get a serious head injury.

FTFY

FTFY properly in line with the best available research evidence out there.

[Steady rider]

http://www.cycle-helmets.com/robinson-head-injuries.pdf

The report details the number of head injuries and the equivalent number relating to cycling levels, Table 2 and Table 5. It shows a negative result from helmet laws in terms of both safety and cycling levels.

[Vorpal]

I don't think you can compare it to wearing a raincoat. If it rains and you don't have one the worst that will happen is you will get wet. If you don't wear your helmet and that happens to be the time you get knocked off your bike, then you could get a serious head injury.

I have been miserably cold and near hypothermia for being without my raincoat. I know one cyclist who was hospitalised with hypothermia in the same situation I was in, and he wasn't the only one.

I have never, on the other hand, had a serious head injury.

[mjr]

I have been miserably cold and near hypothermia for being without my raincoat. I know one cyclist who was hospitalised with hypothermia in the same situation I was in, and he wasn't the only one.

I have never, on the other hand, had a serious head injury.

Aye. That's why a small packable walking waterproof and my sealskinz gloves are almost always in my rack pack unless it's a short ride and I'm sure conditions will remain good enough (including not minding if I get soaked on the way home). The waterproof works as a very insulating layer if needed (if it's raining but not cold, I usually remove my jumper before putting it on).

It still surprises me that some people are willing to lug a helmet around but not smaller/lighter/cheaper/more-durable kit that prevents far more likely problems, such as a waterproof, gloves, goggles, sunblock, mini-toolkit...

[robing]

I don't want to get in to an argument about pros and cons of helmets. All I am saying is that if you choose to wear a helmet, then it makes no sense to wear it some of the time. It's like saying I'll wear a seatbelt when I drive on the motorway but not around town. When I have come off my bike ( thankfully not often) I didn't expect to come off.