For the same reason that I wear a seatbelt, yes: because I don't believe in fate or any other form of predetermined destiny, and if bad shit happens to me, there's always something I could've done to lessen the severity.
Poll: Is Wearing a Bike Helmet Worth it?
- Thread starter RootbeerJello
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I hate it, but I wear it. My 8 year old neice told me I had to, and as I didn't want to set a bad example, I wore it for her. A week later I was in a bike accident and would have died if I hadn't been wearing it. (Thanks Gracie! out of the mouths of babes...) It's hot and ugly, but it saved me!
As someone who's had a fun, brain-affecting head injury myself, I'm right there with you (and still have the seizures to show for it). People tend to underestimate how fragile the brain is a lot of the time...until something happens to theirs. Several people have said that a helmet's not going to help you much when you're already dead from being hit by a car, but a much more minor accident can still cause a serious head injury that will affect you for the rest of your life. If you hit a patch of sand or gravel or something like that unexpectedly, for example, you can easily slide your bike out from under you or flip over the handlebars and land on your face, which is just no good for you even at low speeds.Baby Tea said:
As an added bonus, no one's going to steal a pink My Little Pony helmet.
No need to be sorry, you just don't get to complain if you get a preventable but serious injury.The_ModeRazor said:
Haven't you ever done something really stupid? Something that got you in a lot of trouble and cost you a lot of money and made you spend the next few hours/days/weeks/months just bemoaning how much of an idiot you were? Not wearing a helmet is one of those things and if you seriously hurt yourself there is nothing you can do to fix it. Just food for thought.
Oh well, that guy gets his head cracked open because he's too cool for a helmet, more life for the rest of us.
I haven't ridden in a while, but when I did I always wore a helmet.
I haven't ridden in a while, but when I did I always wore a helmet.
While i dont have a bike helmet (long story short.. a dog ate it), if i still had a bicycle i would get one to wear... even if you look like an idiot. Not wearing one when you do have an accident proves you are an idiot.
I dont think there is any way of making a helmet look "cool" or fun to wear. But its really a choice between, do you like eating on your own, or would you prefer to need help when you've had brain damage from severe head trauma after a bad fall? (edit: no offence to you Nalgas, only just saw your post)
Not had a bicycle related accident, but have had head injuries from a fall (from a horse, not a bike) even while wearing a helmet. Without the helmet it would have killed me, with the helmet i only had one week of wishing i was (concussions are NO fun).
Besides, for those of you with kids - its a simple way of teaching them that you care more about their and your safety, rather than what some random stranger thinks.
I dont think there is any way of making a helmet look "cool" or fun to wear. But its really a choice between, do you like eating on your own, or would you prefer to need help when you've had brain damage from severe head trauma after a bad fall? (edit: no offence to you Nalgas, only just saw your post)
Not had a bicycle related accident, but have had head injuries from a fall (from a horse, not a bike) even while wearing a helmet. Without the helmet it would have killed me, with the helmet i only had one week of wishing i was (concussions are NO fun).
Besides, for those of you with kids - its a simple way of teaching them that you care more about their and your safety, rather than what some random stranger thinks.
I've been riding bikes since I was 5, I haven't hurt myself riding bikes since I was 6, I've never worn a helmet and I never will unless it becomes illegal not to wear them.
the biggest problem with helmets is that it will only save you if you fall square on the head, and even increases the injury if you fall on the side of your head (breaking your neck to be exact).
meh
the biggest problem with helmets is that it will only save you if you fall square on the head, and even increases the injury if you fall on the side of your head (breaking your neck to be exact).
meh
Hmm, I remember seeing a friend who wasn't wearing a helmet crash and bust his head. It wasn't real bad, just a cut down to the bone but he wasn't going fast at all. With that, I thought about how it could have been much worse at higher speeds. So, yes, they are worth it. So are seat belts and putting babies in car seats! Especially the car seats for babies!!! They don't go in your lap! If you drive with your baby in your lap and you crash, they will very likely die! I've talked with cops and EMTs who have told me some quite tragic stories like finding a baby's skull mashed into a tree (while the father after the father crashed while driving drunk) or sending a woman to surgery because her baby's skull had become intertwined with her ribs.
OT: how would you respond if you saw one of the above true stories?
Was that too graphic? If that's too graphic for this site, let me know and I'll edit.
OT: how would you respond if you saw one of the above true stories?
Was that too graphic? If that's too graphic for this site, let me know and I'll edit.
My friend's friend recently got into a bike accident while not wearing a helmet, and now they're in a coma. Afterwards my friend started wearing her helmet all the time, which is a Very Good Idea.
I too always wear a helmet when biking, and don't care that it looks a bit silly.
I too always wear a helmet when biking, and don't care that it looks a bit silly.
Yes, if you smash your head without that helmet on, you are in serious pain. I always wear a helmet, and after a few minutes you don't notice it.
once when i was 4, i went on a bike trip with my dad and i cant remember what happened exactly, but i was wearing a helmet and i crashed head-first into a brick wall, though nowadays i dont wear a helmet, even though it saved my life. Odd, isnt it? 
Your friend's counter-argument, while eloquently stated, falls into several categories of argumentative fallacy. I'll just point out two. One, if the question is safety, your appearance is irrelevant. Two, whether or not something looks "faggy" is subjective.
Furthermore, any argument that references homosexuality, when the subject is not somehow legitimately connected to homosexuality, is an indication that the arguing party has no legitimate justification for their claim. One might also conclude that the individual is insecure, ignorant, and just an all-around unpleasant sort, though further data would be necessary to validate this supposition.
As for the question of safety, yes, helmets do increase safety.
Yes, a helmet doesn't stop you from breaking other appendages. Consider, however, that brain damage is much more difficult to recover from, if at all, than a broken arm or rib. Again, that isn't the point.
Yes, the odds of getting in an accident severe enough to actually damage your head are quite low, but if and when it does happen, the extra protection could be the difference between a relatively quick, normal, and complete recovery and being spoon-fed applesauce the rest of your life (if you still have that).
It is much like a seatbelt or airbags; yes, the odds of getting into an accident where you could fly through the windshield are fairly low, but if and when you do get into such an accident, you'll be glad to have worn your seatbelt and had airbags. A fallacy I have seen used against this is the "exception"; such as they couldn't duck or were stuck while the car was sinking or something. Those are exceptions, not the type of situation a seat belt was meant for, and quite frankly far less likely. Also, a helmet creates no such limitation when worn correctly.
If a cyclist chooses not to wear a helmet because the odds of needing it are low and it doesn't "look cool", go ahead. I'm the kind of person who wears one "just in case". I'm also the kind of person who sets his retirement investment portfolio to "as close to under my mattress as possible"; with enough interest to beat inflation. Other people like the "it has potential to make millions or lose everything", I wonder how well that worked out for many of them last year.
Furthermore, any argument that references homosexuality, when the subject is not somehow legitimately connected to homosexuality, is an indication that the arguing party has no legitimate justification for their claim. One might also conclude that the individual is insecure, ignorant, and just an all-around unpleasant sort, though further data would be necessary to validate this supposition.
As for the question of safety, yes, helmets do increase safety.
Yes, a helmet doesn't stop you from breaking other appendages. Consider, however, that brain damage is much more difficult to recover from, if at all, than a broken arm or rib. Again, that isn't the point.
Yes, the odds of getting in an accident severe enough to actually damage your head are quite low, but if and when it does happen, the extra protection could be the difference between a relatively quick, normal, and complete recovery and being spoon-fed applesauce the rest of your life (if you still have that).
It is much like a seatbelt or airbags; yes, the odds of getting into an accident where you could fly through the windshield are fairly low, but if and when you do get into such an accident, you'll be glad to have worn your seatbelt and had airbags. A fallacy I have seen used against this is the "exception"; such as they couldn't duck or were stuck while the car was sinking or something. Those are exceptions, not the type of situation a seat belt was meant for, and quite frankly far less likely. Also, a helmet creates no such limitation when worn correctly.
If a cyclist chooses not to wear a helmet because the odds of needing it are low and it doesn't "look cool", go ahead. I'm the kind of person who wears one "just in case". I'm also the kind of person who sets his retirement investment portfolio to "as close to under my mattress as possible"; with enough interest to beat inflation. Other people like the "it has potential to make millions or lose everything", I wonder how well that worked out for many of them last year.
Bike helmets are important and can/do save lives. The conversation you had reminds me of the HANS device's introduction to NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Sr and a number of other drivers refused to use it as they found it too restrictive. It took his death (which it may have been possible to prevent using the HANS device) to make its use compulsory in the sport.
My point is we don't use them to look good or to be comfortable, we use them to prevent serious injury or death.
My point is we don't use them to look good or to be comfortable, we use them to prevent serious injury or death.
When you're just riding for fun it's okay but yes you should definitely wear a helmet if your at like a skate park or someplace. As a matter of fact I think they make you wear a helmet at most of those places nowadays.
No one thinks you're a "fag" if you wear a bike helmet. People with head injuries because they were worried about perceived homosexuality are clearly on the losing end of the idea.
i ride with my helmet every time, even though i have never crashed and hit my head, they are important as your head is the easiest bit of your body to do permanent damage to. And as for helmets looking bad, i actually like the look of my helmet, it gives a flowing impression and think i look better with it on. Ultimately it's your choice to ride with or without a helmet, but i never ride with anyone who isn't adequately protected for the form of riding we will be doing. Also if you do crash on your helmet don't just re-use it, buy a new one, it may not look different but the foam is designed to absorb a huge impact, once if you use it again you might as well ride with a brick strapped to your head instead