Motivation, Fear and f**king helmets (sorry)

veronese68

redbikejohn wrote:

motivation has dropped and I have a motorcycle to fall back on for commute into London.

I sold a perfectly good Ducati and bought a 40 year old Bonneville that needed rebuilding to take away that option. I now have a 46 year old Bonneville that needs rebuilding.

davmaggs

I have to say I find the OP's post a bit strange. I can't understand how helmets have had any impact at all on your motivation, it sounds more like depression of some sort. That's not meant as a dig, but intended to point out that your perception and rationalising seem out of sorts.

Cycling is optional and more importantly it doesn't have to be a binary choice. If you only want to ride part of the week or during the nice weather then do that. If you commute is really long, then perhaps drive part way and then do the last bit.

ugo.santalucia

iPete wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

French cars have terrible gearboxes...

But it gives my left leg a solid workout every time I change gear!

I don't like when French gear sticks have a life of their own and wobble in your hand... feels like holding someone else's penis...

pblakeney

ugo.santalucia wrote:

iPete wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

French cars have terrible gearboxes...

But it gives my left leg a solid workout every time I change gear!

I don't like when French gear sticks have a life of their own and wobble in your hand... feels like holding someone else's penis...

Tell me. How does that feel?

daniel_b

davmaggs wrote:

I have to say I find the OP's post a bit strange. I can't understand how helmets have had any impact at all on your motivation, it sounds more like depression of some sort. That's not meant as a dig, but intended to point out that your perception and rationalising seem out of sorts.

Cycling is optional and more importantly it doesn't have to be a binary choice. If you only want to ride part of the week or during the nice weather then do that. If you commute is really long, then perhaps drive part way and then do the last bit.

I could not agree more, but couldn't think how to phrase it.

Either that, or he simply doesn't want to cycle anymore (Which is a choice anyone can make, though granted unlikely many forum members wold be doing so) and has come up with certain reasons why that is.

At the end of the day, each individual weighs up the risks, actual and perceived, and balances it against their desire to do X, be it cycling, rock climbing, surfing, snowboarding etc etc
My totally inexpert opinon and based on no factual data, would be that cycling is probably the least risky of the above, but I could well be wrong.
BUT that is my perception, and while I would not give a second thought to getting out on the bike, I would most definitely consider the risks for the above three activities.
If the want over rides the risk for them, then they will continue to do said hobby, otherwise they quit - or simply quit when they stop enjoying it.

timothyw

Yeah, bit of a weird one, particularly as the OP's handle is 'airbag' - do people want to have airbags in their cars? Do they need them because cars are dangerous? Why don't airbags put people off driving?

I think the better equivalent example in cars is the seatbelt- Do people really want to wear seatbelts or do they wear them because they have to? Do they wear them because they are necessary?

Well, the reason cars have seatbelts and people are required to wear them is pretty much the same reason that I'd recommend anyone wear a helmet when cycling - they make it considerably more likely that you will survive a crash, while causing a minimal degree of discomfort that you soon become accustomed to (and lets be honest, in the UK it's rare that you don't need something on your head to keep it warm when riding anyway!)

At the end of the day, if you don't want to cycle to work, don't. If you don't like wearing a helmet, don't. We all struggle with our mojo from time to time, at least cycling to work has the benefit of keeping you fit and saving you money (and in my case a good degree of time). The health benefits statistically far outweigh the health danger of crashes. None of that really matters to me though, because I love riding my bike.

jedster

On the OP's real question:

I wear a helmet, doesn't really bother me. I think it is a bit safer than not wearing one. But if it did bother me I'd cycle without. I think the benefits of a helmet are modest. The benefits of cycling are huge.