Be honest, do you wear a helmet when biking?
I’ve never worn one. If I did a lot of riding on busy roads or rough trails I might wear one, as it is I never wore one as a kid and my riding now is 25mph streets or paved trails.
Cruising around town, never. Road riding or mountain biking, always.
Always.
Sometimes. Mostly it depends on a combination of what roads I’ll be riding on and the weather. The only time I wear a helmet in the summer is if I’ll be riding for a significant distance on a busy road with no shoulder.
Nearly always. I take it off if it’s super hot, especially if I am riding uphill for a long time. I might not put it on for a very short trip. Otherwise it’s on.
Never.
Rode dirt bikes on the street and around the neighborhood as a kid.
Rode a ten-speed to school and around town as a teen.
Rode a mountain bike on trails as an adult.
Plenty of scabed knees, palms, and elbows. Never once remember hitting my head(Not to say it can’t happen or never does, just never happened to me.)
Ever since I saw my friend in the hospital, before the several rounds of plastic surgery but after he went through someone’s rear windshield on his bike, ALWAYS. (His face looked like hamburger meat. He would have been dead if he hadn’t been wearing a helmet.)
Always. Mostly because I’m biking on the streets of Chicago.
Also, I never got on my motorcycle without a full face shield.
Never did as a kid. Never did in college.
BUT…
Once I had kids, I had to boy one for them (the LAW in California). I bought for myself and always wear it - I admit I wear it more for the example than for safety, but I wear it nonetheless.
Always, since we got our new bikes last spring and my husband insisted that I get one. He basically said, “I love you and I know you and some day you’re going to fall off.” So I’m a bit clumsy. Of course, he won’t wear a helmet. Somehow my head is more precious to him than his own.
Always on the road. Sometimes on dedicated bike paths with good visibility.
Always. I do triathlons and one of the mantras is “Train Like You Race” so I always wear my brain bucket. The only time I don’t is when I’m watching TV and riding the trainer - and that’s mainly because I sweat profusely. I have to say, though, I’m not too strict about my kids wearing theirs - but that’s just because I’m a shitty dad…
ALWAYS on the trail. I usually wear it on road except for toodling around my neighborhood.
My toodling is probably more in the 5-10 mph range. If I were doing 25 on pavement, I’d wear it.
Always. I’m no fool. Nosiree.
All it takes is one nasty swipe from a hefty vehicle and you’re history.
I wear mine most of the time. The only time I don’t is on dedicated bike trails, with no cars, and it is over 90 degrees F.
Always. There’s too many crazy drivers out there.
I started wearing them in the mid-90s. Never wore one as a kid, but since I mostly ride as a part of traffic, it makes sense.
It’s not just drivers that scare me. I had a compound fracture of the ulna and radius of my left arm (yes, that means a bone was sticking out) because of a bad peddle. Hardware failure does occur, even on nice bikes.
Always. Just to make sure you understand, I’ll say it again. Always. If you don’t, you either haven’t thought about it, or, how can I say this politely, you’re not too bright.
You only have one brain. You can break arms, legs, shoulders, collarbones, ankles, hands, etc, and still function very well. Injure your one brain and you can easily be severly handicapped for the rest of your life. Or, you can easily lose your life. Is it worth the gamble?
Some people say they are good riders and won’t fall. Hogwash. Professional riders fall all the time. Are you better than them? Things happen that are out of your control.
It’s too hot, I’ve heard. While I don’t do training rides in Tucson in the middle of the day in the summertime, I used to ride 17 miles home from work when it was 110 degrees outside. And wouldn’t think of not wearing a helmet.
Just get in the habit. It might save your life. There is no reason not to wear one (at least I haven’t heard a valid one yet). I’ll even go so far as to ask please. If you’re reading this post, you’re part of the straight dope community, and therefore, special, so, please wear a helmet.
Always. No reason not to. I feel naked without it.