Helmet - would you or wouldn't you?

[Venod]

I don't object to compulsion on an organised ride but I would prefer it not to be there, my club insists on helmets on club organised rides, I don't agree with this either but I comply.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Me not signing-on for the recent Windsor Sportive ....

 

[Seevio]

Sometimes I wear a helmet and sometimes I don't. I wouldn't avoid a ride based on the lack of a helmet nor would I boycott an event where they were compulsory.

 

[rugby bloke]

I've had a few occasions when I've been driven to the station and realized I've forgotten my helmet. Given the choice of driving back home to get it (40 mins round trip) or doing the 20 min ride in London without a helmet, the ride without a helmet has won each time.

 

[Milkfloat]

I cracked my head (with helmet) on Sunday when I fell off. Yesterday and today riding to work I rode without a helmet. I have no problem riding with or without a helmet, it depends on my mood.

However, if I ride tried to ban them, then perhaps I would turn up and insist that I wore one, or I would boycott the event. Afterall, I am pro-choice.

 

[Mrs M]

I usually always wear a helmet and gloves, habit carried over from horse riding days.
I've had a nasty head injury (not cycling related) and just think it makes me feel safer.
Plus my hair is growing and if not wearing a helmet it's all over the place, which could cause an accident itself!

 

[summerdays]

I can't see how the poll question, as it stands, is going to answer this for you (whatever 'taking cycling/helmets seriously' means).

GC

But it's an interesting poll to see how many would ride without a helmet, more than I suspected, I assumed it would be nearer half for some reason. (Probably my brain saying there are two options therefore 50:50 split without actually thinking about it).

 

[ianrauk]

It's the reason I don't enter the Ride London thingy... plastic hat's are compulsory. It does look jolly fun no doubt and friends who have ridden it have told me so. But I will stand by my principles and not buy a hat just to do a ride.

 

[mjr]

Plus my hair is growing and if not wearing a helmet it's all over the place, which could cause an accident itself!

Is it really so unruly that an ordinary hat can't contain it?

 

[mjr]

It's the reason I don't enter the Ride London thingy... plastic hat's are compulsory. It does look jolly fun no doubt and friends who have ridden it have told me so. But I will stand by my principles and not buy a hat just to do a ride.

Is the reason relatively empty closed roads? Surprisingly, I didn't have to buy a hat to ride on the Tour of Britain London circuit last year.

The Ride London Free Cycle also doesn't require hats but is far far busier for most of the day. No chance of throwing the bike into some corners or sprinting up the finish straight there!

 

[summerdays]

Come off it. It's a flawed poll, as it asks about riding 'without your helmet', which assumes that the responders will all be helmet owners and wearers. There is no option for 'What helmet?'.

It is a half interesting poll, coming as it does from a fixed perspective of that which is the norm

I guess I've just never considered how many people would not ride without a helmet at all, cancelling a ride because they didn't have one. Not sure what questions I would choose if I was creating the poll myself but then it's difficult to create polls without bringing in some of your bias/riding culture into the questions. The OP isn't in England so maybe that gives him a differing starting point?

 

[summerdays]

It happens. Last year I agreed to ride round a sportive with a friend, as in i would ride round the course but not register. Unbeknownst to me, he registered me and, as the helmet was compulsory, borrowed his wife's helmet for me to wear. While we were out, she was going to take their kids out on their bikes but, unable to find her helmet, abandoned the plan.

Please tell me his wife had a flowery pink helmet

 

[ianrauk]

Please tell me his wife had a flowery pink helmet

It suits Adrian

 

[MarkF]

No, I've never owned a helmet to forget, so it wouldn't bother me.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

But it's an interesting poll to see how many would ride without a helmet, more than I suspected, I assumed it would be nearer half for some reason. (Probably my brain saying there are two options therefore 50:50 split without actually thinking about it).

The way it is framed it is only asking those who are helmet wearers whether they'd cancel a ride through the lack of a helmet. It's a very narrow poll.

@2IT will the results be open for viewing by non-voters at some stage?

GC