Occasional or regular non-bike helmet cyclist?

[Crankin]

Emily, I understand how you feel, completely, but I would still wear my helmet. I rode a cruiser on the beach in Hilton Head sans helmet a few years ago, and I complained and felt uncomfortable the whole time. Since I am not so great at making transitions to a new style of bike, I felt there was a higher probability that I might fall. I did not want to fall even on hard sand without a helmet.
I think the point that you already are different by virtue of your skin color is well taken.
A few years ago, I arranged for the local police dept. to give out free helmets at the middle school I taught at. The population included a lot of children of immigrants and other groups who do not use helmets. At the end of the day, the free helmets were thrown all over the parking lot, left by the kids who didn't take them. I was pissed, but I knew I couldn't change the thinking of a whole group of people. I continued to leave my helmet dangling from the handlebars of my bike, when I rode to school, and left my bike in the classroom.