Occasional or regular non-bike helmet cyclist?

[JennK13]

So far, on our trips to Belize, we have rented bikes and have not worn helmets. We only took carry-on luggage and didn't even have space for them, and bike rental places don't offer them. But what about when we live there?

I honestly have not made up my mind about this. What would you do?

If you would wear a helmet under the same riding conditions back home, why wouldn't you wear it there? I don't think the country you're in dictates whether or not you wear a helmet.

Gary Busey! Advocated no helmet motorcycle laws...had a wreck, hit his head.

Was strange before...is even stranger now

I rest my case!

So if Charlie Sheen got in an accident.....wait....I really don't think it matters - not really a strong case either way!

I balance the risk against the burden, is all. That's the reason that even after my concussion on a bici, I was (for a while) willing to ride a moto without a helmet.

Because of the weight distribution between rider and vehicle (and possibly other factors like wheel/tire size), even "minor" bicycle crashes tend to throw you violently onto your head.

I really think the second part has a lot to do with another piece of equipment that most of use but don't talk about when it comes to injury. Clipless pedals. The mechanics of being clipped in forces you to "catapult" over the handlebars in a 180 and brings you right down on top of your head. Without being clipped in, you would go over the bars, but not in an arch that forces you onto your head - you'd go face first, and land on your outstretched arms/hands (probably resulting in more broken arms/wrists as you try to stop yourself) but not as often on your head.
We also have many posts about the number of falls from our clipless pedals, and many people here cite slow moving accidents where they fall (and because you're clipped in and can't move your leg out to help break the fall, your pedals force you down on the side of your head).
I've been riding seriously for about 2 1/2 years. I've gone down about a dozen times, twice were "accidents". The first I was on platform pedals when I hit a mud slick and slid about 30 feet. The second time was Saturday when a rider went down in front of me and I hit his leg at 16 mph and went over my handlebars while clipped in (I have no idea how, but I happened to land on my elbow). Every other time I've fallen it has been because I couldn't unclip, failed to unclip, or fell the opposite direction of my unclipped foot.
Think about how many times you've fallen and what the cause was. The more you fall, the more chance there is to hit your head. Clipless pedals are dangerous things.

I wish people could simply choose what is best for themselves and their families, and allow others to do the same.

Pax, I'm with you.....