Poll: Is Wearing a Bike Helmet Worth it?

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I've seen many, many cases of people in my town getting f*cked up because they weren't wearing a helmet, some of which were never the same after the accident.

I wear one because I value my grey matter.

 

[Jaythulhu]

Having seen kids shatter their skulls falling off bikes in the 80s (when helmets were a kinda new thing), yes, I both wear and support the wearing of helmets.

The risk of eating baby food through a straw and shitting your pants for the rest of your life is too high without.

 

[MoonPenguin]

As a cycling enthusiast, helmets have saved my ass several times. I've cracked three in the past 2 years.

I deal with this bullshit at work every day.

"Is there a law where I have to wear a helmet?"
"No...only minors are required by law to wear a helmet in the state of North Carolina. However, it's strongly recommended."
"To hell with that. Helmets look retarded."
"Er....I see. Brain damage also makes you look retarded."

 

[DoomyMcDoom]

last time I had an accident it looked avoidable... but... my brakes locked, I fishtailed and hit a parked van at a fair clip flipped over the handlebars and went head first into the back of the thing... killed my helmet... saved my skull... just goes to show, that there are situations that may or may not be avoidable... I'd been riding a bike for years when that happened... i always advocate wearing a helmet... not only for that reason, but they tend to stick you with fines in excess of $150 if you're caught without a helmet...

 

[Regiment]

Well, let's look at this logically.

Wear helmet, don't crash: nothing happens
Don't wear helmet, don't crash: nothing happens
Wear helmet, crash: destroy helmet
Don't wear helmet, crash: brain damage or concussion or skull fracture

Nobody claimed bike helmets were a fashion statement; what they are is practical.

 

[RadiusXd]

Where I live, you get a coupon for a free ice cream at Dairy Queen if you wear your helmet and are seen by the police. But if you are seen by the police and you aren't wearing your helmet, you pay money. Hmmm...

just wear a helmet and walk into the police station!

 

[Daipire]

Motorcycle, "yeah I'd wear a helmet."

Normal bike, "pfft, no loser!"

 

[Mumonk]

I don't ride, but I work in a hospital, the traumas that come in where people are wearing pads, helmet and those "spine jacket" protector things usually have scraps and cuts, maybe broken leg.

The ones that wear nothing look like ground beef all over, and I have seen many with gray matter pouring out of their head. So yeah, people who don't wear helmets are like people that don't use seat belts. Dumb asses that need to die so our gene pool can get stronger =D

 

[ZacktheWolf]

9 pages, tl;dr, but in some places, wearing a bike helmet is the LAW, so yeah, I'd say it's a good idea. Granted you don't see police pulling over cyclists, but the moron in the metal deathtrap blazing down the road at 80mph poses more of a threat to everyone else than you without your helmet.
If you're riding anywhere where there's motorized traffic (or actually riding IN traffic), definitely. For just riding around the neighborhood, especially on sidewalks, no so much, but still a good idea.

 

[Engarde]

Always wear it. No exceptions. I like my safety.

 

[T-Bone24]

I quite like my brain. I would prefer it if it was protected. Therefore, I wear bike helmets when riding bikes.

 

[Del-Toro]

I do, partially because I've been socialized to be uncomfortable on a bike without a helmet, and because one time when I was riding at high speed physics turned off for a moment and the bike randomly lost traction, wobbling and then slamming my head down on the hard, concrete road. My vision was temporarily messed up, I only saw black and white, and white was much stronger, and my ears rang like hell, but I could get up and walk home. In other words, wearing a helmet saved my life. It was also the first accident I ever had with a bike, to anyone who is towing the "fag" line, you may think you're hot shit on a bike but it only takes one accident. One pebble on the ground,hit at the right angle, and bam, lights out. Of course, you could just walk. It looks less faggy than bikeriding anyway (less spandex). You can't do a cool guy explosion ignore on a bike.

 

[Oktanas]

Well if you put a helmet and go walking around town, mall, take a bus yes then you will look like a fag.

but if you put a helmet and sit down on a bike you look cool as these guys http://www.atlbikenight.com/images/moto%20gp%20atl.jpg

 

[Xyliss]

Yes it can make you look like a fag...but you gotta wear one if you wanna live should you fall off your bike.

 

[Impeh]

Yesterday, I got in a conversation with a guy from school about whether wearing a bike helmet is worth it. I thought it was worth it, since it's not a big deal and it can save your life, which mine has. He thought it wasn't worth it "Because it makes you look like a fag." So I thought I'd put up a poll and see what the Escapist thinks. Feel free to discuss bike helmets and the percieved fagginess thereof.

Ask him how cool he's going to look when he's in a wheelchair and is unable to control how much he drools on himself as a result of the permanent braindamage he's inevitably going to recieve.

 

[ANImaniac89]

Do you want to end up like Gary Busey?

 

[Ham_authority95]

Yes it can make you look like a fag...but you gotta wear one if you wanna live should you fall off your bike.

You do know that you don't always die once you fall off bike, right?

 

[Spykr]

Of course I wear a helmet. I'd prefer not to have my skull replaced by a tree-limb or side-mirror.

 

[Xyliss]

Yes it can make you look like a fag...but you gotta wear one if you wanna live should you fall off your bike.

You do know that you don't always die once you fall off bike, right?

Yes, I was over-exaggerating for emphasis