Why carry a helmet but not use it?

Rudd

A couple of times during my commute recently I've seen commuter cyclists with their helmet strapped to their bag or rucksack. I find this really confusing. For me its a matter of personal choice to wear a lid or not - personally I wear one but why would you buy one, carry it around on your commute and not put it on? One instance was going round elephant and castle so you could hardly argue its wasn't a risky bit of london. What am I missing surely there must be some explanation that I'm missing....confused!!!

rick_chasey

Don't like wearing them but the GF complains when you don't?

londonlivvy

I see this a lot too - or helmet dangling from the handlebars and it always makes me wonder. I suspect Rich Chasey is right. Though why you can't just tell your G/F that you're not going to wear one, I don't know.

clarkey cat

Rick Chasey has got it. Or on a really big climb.

Rudd

it might be boyfriends too because last week I saw a girl opposite king college hospital cylcing away with the lid strapped to her seat post - maybe she really likes her seat post?

clarkey cat

ginger hair? red specialised dolce elite?

you wait til I get home.

scattered pedals

i sometimes do this - done a fair distance & got sweaty, then stopped off at pub etc - strapping helmet to bag, then if off somewhere else close I leave it there to dry off a bit - is horrible putting a cold sweaty helmet on I reckon

_Brun_

Maybe they have something valuable in the rucksack that they want to protect?

Rudd

Maybe they genuinely sit on the fence on the whole helmet debate and change there mind halfway through a ride! I've not got a problem with it, its all freedom of choice to me just always makes me think when i see it.

veronese68

I must admit to wearing one on the EPO's insistence. I used to say no but after a week in hospital with a chest drain I thought I'd do as she wanted so as not to make her worry any more than I had to.
I know a helmet won't protect my ribs.
My point being that if she wants me to wear it and I have to leave the house with it on I'm not going to bother taking it off and strapping it to something. That's just a bit wierd, not to mention deceitful.
I often see people doing this riding through Bushy Park. To be honest I couldn't be arsed to kepp stopping and putting the thing on or taking it off according to perceived danger at any particular point.
Besides, sods law states that you are bound to come a cropper when the lid is not on your bonce. So they are tempting fate.

gtvlusso

Only taken my lid off when I am too hot......

EKE_38BPM

Because they are stupid?

Long_Time_Lurker

Vanity probably.
I'll admit that I used to do this on the way into work, because i didn't want to mess my hair up before client meetings. :oops:
Now my hair has been shorn off, it isn't a problem.

gbsahne001

see it a lot with kids going to school, obviously worn it out the house and then taken it off.

desweller

I do this, by taking it off during a big climb and then forgetting to put it back on.

CiB

First couple of times I did this long commute, wife virtually demanded that I wear the helmet so I did, but only for the first couple of miles then hid it in a hedge to collect on the way home. I told her over tea that I'd done it and it's not really been an issue since. Helmet lives in the garage though, not hanging off the bars where it might be a bit of a hassle.

Maybe people carry one because they're so indoctrinated with the idea that not having a helmet will cause their inevitable death, or that it's actually illegal not to have one, and then these people get out and realise that it really doesn't matter most of the time so don't bother putting it back on, as opposed to not wearing it in the first place.

bails87

Maybe people do a 'fast' commute from home wearing their helmet, get to the gym, get showered and dressed for work, do their hair and then potter round the corner to the office without messing up their hair/making themselves sweaty again?

Clever Pun

Rick Chasey wrote:

Don't like wearing them but the GF complains when you don't?

this or maybe attending a race/training session later in the day where a helmet is mandatory

shouldbeinbed

I've done this, usually when its hot on my ride home. Always have it on in the morning when its chilier

stanarchist

I hang mine from the bars between the sation and the office - less than half mile
Allother times it's always on my bonce

mouth

saw a guy doing this today. was on a full-sus MTB and he looked pretty muddy. my guess is he wore it on the trails and then thought it'd be safer to not bother wearing it whilst riding on the road. makes no sense to me.

wyadvd

Long Time Lurker wrote:

Vanity probably.
I'll admit that I used to do this on the way into work, because i didn't want to mess my hair up before client meetings. :oops:
Now my hair has been shorn off, it isn't a problem.

I only wear my helmet as a fashion statement anyway!