thanks to bikeradar

shouldbeinbed

I tried something new today, having read the arguments on here.

I rode into work with no helmet on, first time in years I've not ridden with one and I felt no different, perfectly safe and the wind in my hair was quite a nice feeling.

whether I'd be quite so happy in Fridays rush hour with cars all around me than 6am on Saturday when there no-one to make me wobble is another question.

tailwindhome

shouldbeinbed wrote:

and I felt no different, perfectly safe and the wind in my hair was quite a nice feeling.

not sure if how safe you feel with or without your helmet is all that relative.(EDIT obv I meant relevant)



For the record I wear a helmet but I don't hate you for not wearing one.

Buckled_Rims

Having been in an accident where my head touched the ground first and smashing the helmet in 2, but leaving me with only a few cuts and a couple of broken ribs you can guess where I voted.

But, I'd hate it to be compulsory to have to wear one. Darwinism rules OK.

whyamihere

I generally wear one for the commute. Heavy traffic and more low speed manoeuvring means I'm more likely to have the kind of accident they're designed to protect against. I also wear one if it's cold, and always when on a mountain bike.

On road rides when the weather's like this, I don't bother. Just too hot.

roger_merriman

I don't use the helmet bar the odd charity rides etc that require one.

years of MTB mean I tend roll well, head tends not to take a hit.

itsbruce

Occasional helmet wearer, but it feels much more pleasant to be helmetless. I usually either go bareheaded or wear a light cap.

Aguila

Can open........ worms everywhere.

CiB

Put those worms away.

I only wear one where the rules of entry for a sportiv demand one, so all sportivs then. Otherwise I don't bother, more through a dislike of all the arguments in favour than anything else. And riding in a mainly rural environment pretty much negates the need for one.

Next.

Jay dubbleU

I were a helmet for commuting and sportives - don't bother for long country rides - besides how else am I going to show off my stupidly expensive Rapha hat ?

pastryboy

I wear one because my wife said I have to.

Radioactiveman

+1 for Darwin

cyberknight

I always wear one these days as there have been court cases where judges have reduced the sentence on the driver because the cyclist did not have a helmet.

I know it will make not a lot of difference if i get hammered by a lorry at 60 mph but...........

prj45

cyberknight wrote:

as there have been court cases where judges have reduced the sentence on the driver because the cyclist did not have a helmet

We shouldn't be putting up with that.

Each time it happens that judge should get more letters than he knows what to do with.

crankycrank

cyberknight wrote:

I always wear one these days as there have been court cases where judges have reduced the sentence on the driver because the cyclist did not have a helmet.

I wonder if the judge would do the same for a truck driver who ran into and caused a head injury to the driver of a convertible car with it's top down. :evil:

mtb-idle

i always wear one myself but i dont believe it should be compulsory.

Go for it!

Mithras

I've occasionally forgotten to pack my helmet when I have taken the option of getting a lift home, then ridden in the following day without.....felt naked, but liked it (perv)! But not enough to do it as a matter of course!

shouldbeinbed

cheers folks.

I thought about it and went out yesterday morning in busier traffic fully hatted, seems I've not worked up the courage to go into busier traffic naked yet

The Rookie

Having once gone over the bars when the front wheel locked at circa 40mph (according to the car folllowing behind) when I was lucky to go right over and land on my (tshirt protected - LOL) shoulders I realise just how lucky I was, before my buucket of luck ran out I added to my bucket of experience and bought a helmet.

Not wearing a helmet is to me like not wearing shorts on a bike, something I just don't do.

Simon

ince

pastryboy wrote:

I wear one because my wife said I have to.

I'm in this boat too.

Now after an off on Saturday at 20mph I will be going to buy a new one due to a crack from impact.

I have also found now don't feel right not wearing one after two years of use. It's become just part of riding for me now.

rolf_f

Up here (frozen North etc etc) I think lids are usually common sense - simply down to maximum speeds reached. If you are hurtling down a 1 in 5 Dales road with dry stone walls on either side, a lid makes a lot of sense (after all, when you buy eggs you don't carefully remove them from the box and put them loose in your carrier bags....). On flat country roads it seems much less necessary - I'd like to go lidless on those rides and wear my nice retro cap but I never remember to bring it instead of the helmet......

Mickey Eye

I've passed a number of accidents on my dual direction cycle lane section of the ride, they all appear to have been of the head-on variety. I will always wear a helmet, even on my relatively traffic free commute. I won't comment on those that don't however. Because those fucking idiots don't deserve my time. :P

Headhuunter

I've had a couple of crashes which involved my head hitting the ground. It wasn't the primary point of contact in either crash, but the helmet was damaged in both. In the second a large chunk broke away. I'd prefer a large chunk of the helmet to come off than a large chunk of my head.

You're free to do as you please of course, however I will always wear a helmet. I have cycled without in the past and I don't think that the benefits (wind through yuor hair, feeling slightly cooler) compensate for the potential damage to your head. You may FEEL safe but feeling safe will not help when that idiot driver turns right across your path when you're doing 25mph along a main road (as happened to me), causing you to slam into him, go over the bonnet and take out the windscreen. Even moments before that crash I FELT completely safe....

cee

no vote from me...and no comment on what you should do.

You are a an adult. You know the risks. You now the rewards.

Make your own considered decision.

jonnyboy77

Its a choice, I choose to wear a helmet.

What I didn't agree with was the family out riding with young children who were not wearing helmets.

Jon

OldSkoolKona

Shocking, look at this video with all these people without helmets, terrible 8)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4tfh4_a5gs

We're all (mostly) sensible adults and able to make our own choices and our own judgements.

MonkeyMonster

cee wrote:

no vote from me...and no comment on what you should do.

You are a an adult. You know the risks. You now the rewards.

Make your own considered decision.

I was going to ask can we have a maybe for those who think above and know its your choice