To buy or not to buy...

[Twilkes]

I commute to work, an hour each way.

I've never worn a helmet, probably because I never wore one as a child; and while I have thought about using one I've never been swayed by the arguments - if I thought wearing a helmet was a good idea, I should also wear body armour and wrist guards. Both times I've come off my bike have been my own fault and I damaged the same wrist each time, so consistent is my judo roll technique. The only time I think about whether I should wear a helmet is going downhill at 35mph, when it probably wouldn't do me much good anyway.

The company I work for have offered to buy me a helmet, if I would use it. It would make them feel better about my cycling. They lost a cycling employee a while ago in a road incident, and this is probably behind their offer. If I said no, that would be fine.

If I could find a helmet that was comfortable and I thought offered some protection, i.e. not just a slab of poxystyrene, I could probably get used to it and forget I was wearing it, and I'm curious about seeing if helmet design has come on in the last 15 years. But previous times I've tried them the chin strap and spiky plastic and general head-in-a-bag feeling has made me say no.

What should I do? It's not the money, it's more that people are showing concern, even though I'm not particularly worried myself.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

It's nice of them to worry: smile, say thanks you will think about it.
If you decide you want one, get back to them.
If you decide you don't, stall them, ime they will soon forget about you
Is the loss recent?
Would a helmet have lessened your colleagues injuries?
This does not mean a helmet will save you if the worse happens, but if wearing one would not bother you, why not?
The cyclist was your colleague too, such incidents make us consider changes.

 

[Kies]

a difficult one to comment on , but i will anyway

you must of seen the helmet debate threads, so lets not do them all over again.

finding a decent helmet that you find comfortable (relatively) is going to be by trial & error. I have an £80 MET and a £16 muddyfox - guess what - they both feel like i have a helmet on my noggin!!!
I used to commute into London without one - never thought about it - until Mrs Kies noticed one day - then came the OMG you have to wear one .... so now i do - not because it gives me any reassurance - but it does to those that love me.

 

[Herzog]

not because it gives me any reassurance - but it does to those that love me.

This^^

I never used to (except for racing,) but when I became a father, my wife insisted!

 

[gavintc]

I suggest you have a look at the helmet threads on here - some good arguments from both camps. Make a decision based on your opinions and research - not because someone told you.

 

[Twilkes]

I suggest you have a look at the helmet threads on here - some good arguments from both camps. Make a decision based on your opinions and research - not because someone told you.

The arguments currently point me towards not wearing one, because the benefit isn't that great and the most important safety features are your eyes, but I guess my current thinking is 'if I could get used to it, what harm would it do?' But then at the moment it's not a blue sky sunny-sunny sweaty day.

The incident was before my time, although it's odd that I'd not heard about it before, it's a small company.

 

[markharry66]

Personally I choose not to simple reason I cant stand then no argument is gong to sway me towards them.
Point is its personal choice. Up to you at the end of the day, no one can tell you what to do.

 

[HLaB]

not because it gives me any reassurance - but it does to those that love me.

ditto

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

I never used to wear one when I was younger, but when it took up cycling again back in '08, I bought a helmet.
Never really thought much about it but when i hit the Tarmac face first caused by black ice one day, I ended up with a bleeding face, a sore head, and my first ever proper shiner.
I saw that the helmet had taken a lot if the brunt of the impact and I probably would have had something like a eye socket fracture if not for the helmet.

So, now it's a deterrant.

 

[DCLane]

i do - not because it gives me any reassurance - but it does to those that love me.

And me ...

 

[jdtate101]

Yep, like many others I'm not totally convinced by the safety arguments of helmets, but I wear one all the time to keep my wife happy.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Well I have fallen off 3 times in the last 3 and a half years.
Each time I hit my head on tarmac or concrete.
My wife made me wear the helmet when I started commuting.
I am glad I did cause each of those three hits were quite substantial and all were my fault, on a cycle path with no cars for miles!
One of them saved me a trip to the hospital I am quite sure of that

 

[sabian92]

Yep, like many others I'm not totally convinced by the safety arguments of helmets, but I wear one all the time to keep my wife happy.

I think the majority of people do. I certainly do, as well as it being a camera mount!

 

[cyberknight]

Yep, like many others I'm not totally convinced by the safety arguments of helmets, but I wear one all the time to keep my wife happy.

+1
And the 1st thing i was asked when i had a crash by the solicitor was "were you wearing a helmet" even though it was my thigh that took the fall, given todays litigation culture with someone always looking at ways to wriggle out of blame .
pasted from a webpage
"
So what is the state of the law in the UK?

Whilst the Highway Code recommends that cyclists should wear a cycle helmet which conforms to current regulations, Britain has not yet joined Australia, America, Canada and, earlier this year, Jersey, in making cycle helmets compulsory.

However, in March 2009 Mr Justice Williams made it clear that whilst a cyclist was free to chose whether or not to wear a helmet, by not doing so, any personal injury sustained may be the cyclists own fault, and he would have only himself to thank for the consequences. He thereby established the principle of contributory negligence for cyclists who ride without a helmet."

Not that i am agreeing with it, i rode for many years without a helmet but i just like to cover my head ass

 

[wintonbina]

I wear one through choice & I believe that is what it should be 'your choice'.
When I got hit by a car at @40mph last year (the cars speed not mine!) my head hit the windscreen & then the tarmac a couple of times so I was personally pleased I was wearing one but its YOUR decision...or your other half's.
Tony