For most of my friends I’m the only cyclist they know and so when there is a question regarding anything on bikes I’m generally the one that fields it. Some of these questions range in topics from racing to general idiots on wal-mart bikes clogging up city streets. It’s not uncommon for people to ask me how I feel about wearing a helmet but the answer varies a bit depending on the circumstances.
When I’m racing I wear a helmet because the rules say I have to. Not that I wouldn’t anyway in a race filled with fools who can take you out, but since it’s a rule there’s no point in discussing why I do.
When I’m out training I still wear a helmet but not really because I feel like it keeps me any safer. A lot of my training rides are done solo so there’s not really anybody else who’s going to crash me. I’ve crashed a few times over the years on training rides and never once hit my head on the road. Even when I got hit by a car a few years ago my head didn’t make any contact with the pavement. Still, I wear one and I think the reason I do is because of the stigma of having other cyclists who are very pro-helmet constantly yell at you about not wearing one. There’s nothing that drives me more insane than hearing people I don’t know correct me for something like they’re my legal guardian. This happens all the time with my iPod and every time I ask these fools with camelbaks when they’re going to start giving me an allowance they generally get the point and leave me alone. But, with a helmet it’s different. The badgering doesn’t stop and so I wear one.
I really hate commuting by bike but in the odd chance that I’m doing it I never, EVER, wear a helmet. I just don’t see the point and it’s just one more thing that has to be carried or locked up once I get wherever it is I’m going. And that factor alone is more of a pain in the ass than I’m willing to deal with.
Recently on Velonews.com there was a picture of a pro team on a training ride where a lot of the riders weren’t wearing helmets. The picture I posted above isn’t the same photo but it’s an example of the same type of thing. Tons and tons of pros never wear helmets and in my opinion that’s their own prerogative as a decision making adult. If one of these pros crashes on this ride, cracks his head open and whatever else, nobody else can be blamed for it. He knew the inherent risks just like anybody else who decides not to wear a helmet. But apparently the rest of the world doesn’t see it that way. The amount of outcry that came by the way of fan mail from idiots into velonews.com threatening to cancel subscriptions if the publication showed helmetless riders ever again was absolutely ridiculous.
Ok, I get it, you wear a helmet and you think that the world will implode if you don’t. I’m sure you make your poor kid wear a helmet when they ride their bmx bike over to their friends house as well. And while I feel sorry for your kid because bicycle helmets, especially while riding a bmx bike, are really dorky, I guess since the kid is under your supervision you can enforce such precautions. But it drives me nuts that people feel the need to impose their own overly precautious hysteria and try and force it on everybody else. Is it a bit more risky to ride your bike with no helmet? Probably. Do you hurt anybody else by not doing so? Nope. As an adult should you be allowed to make your own decisions about how much risk you’re willing to take with your own life? Absolutely!
So dudes writing in about helmets, instead you should maybe take the time to fill up your camel back, lube up your triple crank and adjust your fred mirrors. For the rest of us that are sane and respect other people’s ability to make a decision about their own personal safety when it doesn’t affect anybody else, turn up your iPod so you can’t hear that old dude when he tells you it’s dangerous. And then point out that you can’t hear him and smile.
Also, substitute the word “seat belt” for every “helmet” and you’re essentially looking at the same issue where instead of annoying readers you have the gov’t making that decision for you.
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