I don't get people's resistance to helmets!

[lph]

I agree, this is a bit bizarre. I happen to think I look kind of cool with helmet hair - a bit sleek athlete-like

But then, I don't have a very elaborate hairdo, I have curly hair and it goes all over the place anyway. Nothing a little water won't fix. Maybe if I spent ages fixing it every morning I'd be more unhappy slapping a helmet on top.

I go all wobbly at the knees just thinking about biking without a helmet...

[limewave]

There's a kid in our neighborhood who bikes around wearing his helmet, but it's not strapped What's the point?

[madscot13]

This spring, I was biking and talking with a classmate who had to borrow a friend's helmet because she had lost hers. She said that she will definitely have to get a new helmet for the summer- it makes me a legitimite bicyclist. I thought about it and truer words have never been spoken.


I think there is some relief in site. My roommates never let me leave the house without a helmet. Also, one of my roommates just bought a new helmet at the REI sale. cool!

[bike4ever]

Our store policy is every customer has to have a helmet on to take a bike for a test ride. I worked with an older lady last summer. She was very interested in one of our Fisher hybrids, and she was with her granddaughter. I offered to set the bike up for her for a test ride explaining that I needed her drivers license. I also said I would get her one of our helmets. She immediately said she would not go on a test ride if we made her wear a helmet (she said this in front of her granddaughter). I quickly asked if she wore a seat belt - her reply - only because it's the law. I wished her luck in finding a bike.

A couple of weeks ago, my son and another boy were joking around with a kids bike at school. They dropped the bike and tore his saddle. Both boys paid for the saddle. My son lost his bike privilege for 1 week since he rode the other childs bike without a helmet!!

[Veronica]

- it makes me a legitimite bicyclist.

No, you're putting your judgements on to other people. I rode with some outstanding cyclists this last weekend, who did not wear their helmets.

V.

[michelem]

This sounds like my husband (except, it's not a hair thing - he's hair deprived!). He REFUSES to wear a helmet - sounds like a little kid - "I don't wanna wear a helmet!" We are going on a bike tour this summer, and the rules say he must wear a helmet. I've bought him one to bring with us, but he says that he is going to try to see if he can sign a waiver when we get there so he doesn't have to wear it. Sigh . . . It's frustrating because I thought this would be a fun thing for us to do together, but, no, all of his training is going to have to happen at the gym on the stationary bike because a) he won't train outdoors without me (his philosophy is why ride outside when he can ride inside in the air conditioning with cable tv at the gym?) and b) I refuse to ride with him unless he has on his helmet. Grrrrr . . .

Maybe someday he'll change. He finally started wearing a seatbelt when we were dating and I said I wouldn't ride in a vehicle with him unless he wore his seatbelt (our first few dates were those where we drove separately - how romantic - ha ha). Sometimes he really drives me crazy, but I love him!

P.S. This is despite the fact that when he was in 6th grade he was hit by a car when riding his bike. The vehicle ran a red light and almost killed him - he was in ICU for a while and had to have surgery to repair the broken bones in his leg - still has some nasty scars to prove it.

[missymaya]

"Legitimate" or not, helmets are the smart way to go. You could have the best bike handling skills and be at the utmost caution and still not be able to predict what's comin your way. A lot of people just think it doesn't look cool to wear a helmet, but if it weren't for mine, I probably wouldn't be here . When I bought my first road bike, my parents helped me out a little by giving some outdoor jobs to make extra $ and they said they would buy the helmet (purdy grey Giro Atmos at that ). But, when they ride bikes, they don't wear helmets because "they go slow", according to them. All it takes is just one car or one fall.

[indysteel]

No, you're putting your judgements on to other people. I rode with some outstanding cyclists this last weekend, who did not wear their helmets.

V.

Well, perhaps wearing a helmet doesn't necessarily make you a "legitimate" cyclist, but it sure makes you a smarter one. I'm kind of surprised that there are "outstanding" cyclists out there not wearing helmets. I realize that the pros weren't required to wear them until relatively recently, but I assumed that the vast majority of us who are serious about the sport--either competively or recreationally--collectively agree that helmets are essentially a necessity. I can't think of any event or club ride or race in my area where helmets aren't required. It almost goes without saying.

I didn't make the comment you took issue with, but all the same I feel pretty comfortable on this count imposing my judgment on others. At the end of the day, I and every other taxpayer out there ends up footing the bill, one way or another, for injuries sustained by people who refuse to take basic, low cost, and commonly accepted safety precautions. While there is no helmet law for cyclists or motorcyclists in Indiana, I would fully support one; personal freedom be damned. And I'm willing to lecture any cyclist--competitive, recreational, outstanding, legitimate, etc.--who refuses to wear one.

[KSH]

Well, they really aren't using their heads on this one... bad pun... sorry, had to do it.

Anyhoo, trails are NOT safe. My boyfriend had a horrible wreck on a trail, demolished his bike, and almost his head, if it hadn't been for his helmet.

I also know of other trail wrecks. One where someone broke a hip and another person broke their collar bone.

And I know how annoying it is... to see people riding without helmets. The other day, at the lake I ride, there was this Dad riding in the street with his son. The son, about 8 years old, was BEHIND him, on a road with cars. Neither had helmets on. WTH? How do you let your kid ride in the street, not watch them and not put a helmet on his head? GGGGRRRRR

[Veronica]

I and every other taxpayer out there ends up footing the bill, one way or another, for injuries sustained by people who refuse to take basic, low cost, and commonly accepted safety precautions.

Do you also lecture people who smoke, over eat, do drugs, drink to excess, engage in unsafe sex, drive over the speed limit, don't get their shots, refuse to go to the dentist, don't exercise, etc.?

I have a great deal of respect for the cyclists I was riding with. They are not stupid or irrespsonsible people. They have incredible bike handling skills. They have evaluated the risks and decided that they don't always need helmets. It has nothing to do with being "cool" either for these people.

Making a judgement about someone you don't know is not very respectful. It's like junior high school. They're not wearing the "uniform" so they're not real cyclists.

Whatever.

V.

[mimitabby]

I guess if people are going up and down a country lane at 8 mph without helmets and there are no cars allowed on the street, that's okay. I agree, there are some instances when not wearing helmets is probably okay, but I have a feeling that people who opt out of helmets aren't being selective about when they are opting out. It's just like the seatbelt story. It's a habit. you're not going to use the seatbelts on the interstate and NOT buckle up when you're just driving to the park.

I just saw the picture of the little boy's helmet broken in 3 places after a vehicle ran over his head. The boy is alive thanks to the helmet. One of the reasons we wear helmets when "we don't need them" is to model this safe behavior to children.

[smilingcat]

Do you also lecture people who smoke, over eat, do drugs, drink to excess, engage in unsafe sex, drive over the speed limit, don't get their shots, refuse to go to the dentist, don't exercise, etc.?

I have a great deal of respect for the cyclists I was riding with. They are not stupid or irrespsonsible people. They have incredible bike handling skills. They have evaluated the risks and decided that they don't always need helmets. It has nothing to do with being "cool" either for these people.

Making a judgement about someone you don't know is not very respectful. It's like junior high school. They're not wearing the "uniform" so they're not real cyclists.

Whatever.

V.

Hi Veronica,

I do fully respect those who wish to take chances. As I said before accidents are accidents no one plans on having one but they do happen. I consider myself an experienced rider yet I've been in two serious crashes..

Just reiterating what has been said, if they are willing to take the risk, then they need to face the consequences on their own pocket book. Don't expect me to pay for their foolishenss. Pay for the paramedics, the ambulance, the doctors, the scans, the surgery...

Sorry Veronica but I see it slightly different. And yes I do tell smokers, wreckless drivers... They all need to pay out of their pocket. Same for me too.

Shawn

[Eden]

go to the dentist, don't exercise, etc.?

I have a great deal of respect for the cyclists I was riding with. They are not stupid or irrespsonsible people. They have incredible bike handling skills. They have evaluated the risks and decided that they don't always need helmets. It has nothing to do with being "cool" either for these people.

Personally my reasons for wearing a helmet are not because I consider myself to be a poor bike handler or accident prone, nor do I wear a seat belt because I am a poor driver. I do both of these to protect myself from *other* people and from the completely unexpected that can happen no matter how good you think you are.
If you have decided that risking a greater chance of death or life long disability is better than wearing a helmet so be it. If you honestly think that you are accident proof because you are a good cyclist then I think you are deluding yourself. Yes, you can still be killed or injured when wearing a helmet, but I prefer to protect myself as best as is possible. Even if helmets aren't perfect they are better than nothing - and wearing one does not make me any less cautious, as I really like the rest of my body parts in their current configuration too...

[Zen]

I have a great deal of respect for the cyclists I was riding with. They are not stupid or irrespsonsible people. They have incredible bike handling skills. They have evaluated the risks and decided that they don't always need helmets. It has nothing to do with being "cool" either for these people.

Making a judgement about someone you don't know is not very respectful. It's like junior high school. They're not wearing the "uniform" so they're not real cyclists.

Whatever.

V.

If these cyclists have a family they are indeed stupid and irresponsible.
if they die, they leave a grieving spouse and children . When someone dies, the grief will always be there though it will fade with time. A wife whose husband dies can eventually find someone to share her life with.

If they don't die and suffer irreversible brain damage the grief continues.
I have a friend who was a triathlete. He was not wearing a helmet when the car hit him. He can barely communicate and needs to be supervised all day. His wife has to attend to his rehab and care arrangements and she no longer has the man she married who was her lover and life partner.
His son doesn't have a father who can give advice and act as a role model

He evaluated the risks and decided he didn't need a helmet either.
I call that stupid and irresponsible.

[plantluvver]

No, you're putting your judgements on to other people. I rode with some outstanding cyclists this last weekend, who did not wear their helmets.

V.

I agree with the original statement. First because if nothing else, my helmet makes me feel more confident somehow, and I feel this makes me ride better, because I feel less skittish. Second, I feel that my helmet projects the image that I am somehow "Serious and Responsible" to the vehicle traffic. Third, I feel it is important for me to wear a helmet to set a good example for my neighbors' children.

I guess other people may not feel the need to wear a helmet to feel 'legitimite.' But for me it does.

And while I don't personally notice if other adults do wear helmets, I do take offense when they are "wacky" when they cycle (Driving the wrong direction in the bike lane, driving fast on the sidewalk, cutting back and forth from sidewalk to street.) I feel justified in judging their behavior, because I know that many motorists are judging all cyclists by their behavior, and this endangers ME, when a motorist ignores my presence, or treats me as a pest, and not a legitimate vehicle.

Mary M.