Helmet wearer ?

[swee'pea99]

I'm firmly in the 'don't wear one' camp. I have to say I'm surprised to see the 'always wear one' figure so high. I don't care one way or t'other - each to his own, say I - I'm just a bit surprised is all.

 

[Wigsie]

I expect my Daughter to wear one, no reason why I shouldn't do it myself. Also helps keep sun off my baldy head and draws more air around it to keep cooler.

I have the same expectations of my kids, if they see me leave the house without one on I get shouted at... Have a thick barnet of hair so no cooling affect just sweaty itchiness!

I never used to wear a helmet on/off road, just never did.... now if I go out without it on I feel really guilty and struggle to enjoy myself. I know if I get hit at 80mph on my commute a helmet wont help much but if i have a clipless moment at traffic lights and fall wrong then a helmet will help...

If I get really hurt will those that say that helmet wearing cyclists are wrong come round my house and look after my kids?

 

[GilesM]

Virtually never wear one on the road, but always do off road if there is a chance of hitting rocks and trees and other things that don't move and stick up/out at all kinds of angles. I had a big off at Ae Forest a couple of years ago, I smashed the side of my helmet, it did worry me a bit.

 

[yello]

I tend to wear a helmet for all road rides and go helmetless for off road.

Oddly, I'd be more inclined to be the other way around. I sometimes wear one on road but always off road.

 

[tyred]

I voted no although I do occasionally wear one if I'm cycling in heavy traffic. Most of my rides are on quiet country roads so I'm never that confident if I do ride in a busy town so may put my helmet on for the occasion. Maybe it's just my particular helmet but I find if I wear it on the open road, the wind noise is deafening as I approach 20MPH. As I like to listen to what's coming up behind me, I do find this a problem.

I agree that it's probably safer to wear one all the time (just incase!) but it's my choice.

 

[ACS]

I wear a helmet, all the time and always will do. A long time ago I was involved in a traffic accident which resulted in being knocked off my bike and my helmeted head came into heavy contact with a raised kerb stone. The helmet was a right off, my neck was very, very sore for weeks afterwards as was my broken hand and dislocated shoulder but to this day I firmly believe that the Giro helmet may have saved my life.

 

[HeartAttack]

Never leave the house on my bike without one, life is too precious to me and my family not to give myself at least a slightly better chance of walking away from a spill. Not needed to find out yet if it'll save me but there again I wouldn't ride a motorbike without one either, and I can easily do over 30mph on both, not that I need to do speed to hit my head.

Personally I'd like to see helmets being made compulsory, like they are in some other European countries.

 

[MacB]

gone from never, in my youth, to always when I started back, and back to never again. Discussed this with my wife first and she was happy for me to go helmetless. Though I'm probably worth more to her dead than alive so haven't looked into her motivation to deeply

 

[colly]

I am one of those 'i sometimes wear, sometimes not'

Ditto.

I have had my nut 'saved' by my helmet on one occasion so logically, I suppose, I should wear one every time I ride, but I don't. I definitely wear one if I will be in amongst traffic.
If I don't put a lid on I get grumbled at as well.

I have come off the bike a good few times and the only time I have hit my head was when I was pulled out in front of and somersaulted over the car and landed on the back of my head. There is no doubt that on that particular occasion the helmet prevented worse injuries.
Even so, early morning, in the summer, little or no traffic, can't see the point.

 

[MacB]

Personally I'd like to see helmets being made compulsory, like they are in some other European countries.

That's a very strong statement, are you deeply involved in research on the subject, or is this based on personal prejudices?

 

[swee'pea99]

Take a wild guess...

Heartattack - do some homework before you start laying down the law to other people. Start here: http://cyclehelmets.org/

 

[scook94]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Take a wild guess...

Heartattack - do some homework before you start laying down the law to other people. Start here: http://cyclehelmets.org/[/quote]

What does that prove? Attitudes to cyclists in the US are not going to be the same as in the Netherlands. You're comparing apples and oranges surely?

Under what circumstances will NOT wearing a helmet save you from injury that you would have incurred wearing one? Enlighten a newb, please.

 

[User169]

Never wear one and I don't expect my children to wear one either. Here in NL, it is vanishingly rare to see a utility cyclist wearing a helmet, although a reasonable amount of sport cyclists do.

 

[adscrim]

What does that prove? Attitudes to cycling in the US are not going to be the same as in the Netherlands. You're comparing apples and oranges surely?

Under what circumstances will NOT wearing a helmet save you from injury that you would have incurred wearing one? Enlighten a newb, please.

I'm pro helmet and agree that the website is pretty useless. However, wearing my devils advocate hat, I believe that there was evidence of helmets causing rotational injuries which would have been avoided had the crash victim not been weearing a helmet. Using this as justification ignore the question of what injuries would the victim have avoided by wearing the helmet.

I should point out that it is possible that the rotational thing may have come from that very website - it's been a while since I trawled through it.

 

[ianrauk]

Light blue touch paper and away you go....

Personally I'd like to see helmets being made compulsory, like they are in some other European countries.