# Poll: Bicycle helmet usage **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 8, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924 "2006-06-08T17:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/101 "2006-06-14T20:42:36Z")
I rode everyday for 16 months. To work, to the store, to the bank. Everywhere (no car). Didn’t wear a helmet but the one day I rode it highway to another city 50 miles off. I guess that puts me at 99.8% no. I realize it’s stupid not to. ---
**Author:** ![CairaJade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@CairaJade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairaJade)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/102 "2006-06-15T15:40:06Z")
Yes, 100% of the time. I ride on busy city streets, paved trails, and unpaved trails. It doesn’t inconvenience me in the least to wear one, and in fact helps keep my hair out of my face. Even if the odds are low that I’ll fall and even lower that if I do I’ll hit my head, I will take that extra bit of protection anyway since it doesn’t hurt me at all to wear it. Plus I want to set a positive example of biking culture (now doesn’t that sound geeky!). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/103 "2006-06-15T15:58:17Z")
Yes, and _all the time_. 2 bad accidents, one a skid-out on silty wet mud, the second when hit by a car. No head injuries either time, although _other_ parts _were_ hurt. I get a few foul remarks from the local Trailer Trash, especially since the film _40 Year Old Virgin_ came out, but I live with it. Helmets—_goooood!_ Brain damage—_baaaaad_. Smart remarks—_Braaaaiiin Damaaaged_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/104 "2006-06-15T16:20:26Z")
I was brain damaged in an automobile accident 11 years ago this month, spent most of the decade recovering. In February I got a job ten miles from home and a shiny new bike and helmet to commute with. They would probably kick me out of the Brain Injury Alliance if I rode a bike without one. There is no cure for a TBI but time. One should do what one can to prevent one from happening. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/105 "2006-06-15T17:47:10Z")
I just had a thought. Remember how, when you were young, there was always some kid whose mother made them wear not only a helmet, but gloves and elbow and knee pads as well? It just occurred to me that I have had three serious falls off a bike (while wearing a helmet) and while I never hit my head on anything I did shred my elbows, knees and palms of my hands pretty badly (twice, badly enough to be dripping blood on the road on the long walk home). Maybe the paranoid mothers were onto something. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/106 "2006-06-15T19:00:12Z")
> [@FlyingRamenMonster](#): > > I just had a thought. Remember how, when you were young, there was always some kid whose mother made them wear not only a helmet, but gloves and elbow and knee pads as well? It just occurred to me that I have had three serious falls off a bike (while wearing a helmet) and while I never hit my head on anything I did shred my elbows, knees and palms of my hands pretty badly (twice, badly enough to be dripping blood on the road on the long walk home). Maybe the paranoid mothers were onto something. I will wear gloves to ride a bike, even when I didn’t wear a helmet!!! ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/107 "2006-06-16T03:12:06Z")
Indeed. While this thread has changed my mind and put me _back_ in the helmet-wearing crowd, what I’d _really_ like to wear are gloves and kneepads. But I’d look stupid, and it’d take me 20 minutes to get ready for a ride. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/108 "2006-06-16T04:09:00Z")
Holy crap! Look at what I found over at the [IIHS website](http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality_facts/bicycles.html) ```auto Bicyclist deaths by helmet use, 1994-2004 No helmet use Helmet use Total* Year Num % Num % Num 1994 776 97 19 2 796 1995 783 95 34 4 828 1996 731 96 27 4 761 1997 785 97 23 3 811 1998 741 98 16 2 757 1999 698 93 42 6 750 2000 622 90 50 7 689 2001 616 84 60 8 729 2002 589 89 54 8 663 2003 535 85 58 9 626 2004 600 83 85 12 719 *Total includes other and/or unknowns ``` Depending on the year, between 83% and 98% of all bicycle riders that died did not have helmets on. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/109 "2006-06-16T10:38:17Z")
The small disadvantage of wearing one is far outweighed by the advantages it offers. I’ve only seen one bike rider come off and clobber their head, but I wouldn’t fancy it much 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/110 "2006-06-16T19:07:46Z")
1. yes. 2. yes. ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/111 "2006-06-17T00:03:13Z")
1. Yes 2. 95% of the time. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/112 "2006-06-17T09:01:15Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Holy crap! Look at what I found over at the [IIHS website](http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality_facts/bicycles.html) > > Depending on the year, between 83% and 98% of all bicycle riders that died did not have helmets on. :eek: I’m not denying the benefits of a helmet, but people who don’t wear helmets tend to engage in other risk-taking behaviour too. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/113 "2006-06-17T16:15:40Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Holy crap! Look at what I found over at the [IIHS website](http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality_facts/bicycles.html) Good info. I wonder if there is a site with info on bicyclists killed not on roads by motorized vehicles? This site pertains to car/bike interactions it seems. I’d be interested to see statistics for cyclists killed on trails or places cars aren’t allowed. Sometimes I feel that if you get into it with a car, a helmet isn’t going to necessarily do much good. It depends on where you ride, but a car doing 65 against a biker isn’t going to be a pretty picture, helmet or not. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/114 "2006-06-17T22:37:17Z")
> [@Boscibo](#): > > Sometimes I feel that if you get into it with a car, a helmet isn’t going to necessarily do much good. It depends on where you ride, but a car doing 65 against a biker isn’t going to be a pretty picture, helmet or not. Actually, once I was riding down a city street when someone opened a car door. :eek: It might have gone badly if I had not been wearing a helmet. Their door cost more to fix than it cost for me to replace my wheel, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/115 "2006-06-18T16:12:24Z")
> [@Boscibo](#): > > Sometimes I feel that if you get into it with a car, a helmet isn’t going to necessarily do much good. It depends on where you ride, but a car doing 65 against a biker isn’t going to be a pretty picture, helmet or not. Agreed, but I don’t ride my bike on the freeway. 😃 I think (Just MHO mind you based on what I have seen and read on the net) most car/bicycle accidents are either car passes a bike and then turns into a driveway cutting off a bike rider. or the famous open the door infront of a bike rider. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/116 "2006-06-18T21:00:37Z")
I always wear my helmet. But I had to laugh at this “man joke” I came across: Q: What do men and bicycle helmets have in common? A: They’re both handy in an emergency, but most of the time they just look stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/117 "2006-06-19T13:16:11Z")
I don’t ride anymore… but I didn’t wear a helmet when I did, and I wouldn’t wear one if I started again. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924/118 "2006-06-19T14:22:51Z")
IMHO, properly using a helmet and associated cycling gear makes you look like a pro. While not being _publicly_ derisive of those without helmets, the feeling in my mountain biking group is that those without helmets are being pretty dumb. Of course, YMMV depending on where you are. Due to it’s preserved river valley system (see [Google Maps](http://www.google.ca/maphp?hl=en&tab=wl&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official_s&q=Edmonton)), Edmonton is one of the best cities in the world for [cycling](http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_272_214_0_43/http%3B/CMSServer/COEWeb/roads+and+traffic/cycling+in+the+city/). We also have a bylaw requiring that those under 18 [must wear a helmet](http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_278_217_0_43/http%3B/CMSServer/COEWeb/roads+and+traffic/cycling+in+the+city/bicycle+laws/), so perhaps it’s a much more obvious accessory for adults. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-bicycle-helmet-usage/359924.md?page=5)