I’m hoping folks will tell the truth about this, and I would expect near 100% consensus, but there are nearly always naysayers in every group.
I’ve worn a helmet as long as I can remember. In fact I’ve got a bunch for other sports too.
Not wearing a helmet = suicide.
yep
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Every time! Well, not on the trainer…
We always wear helmets and I use a small mirror when riding on cogested areas near our home. In our tri-club their are several “hard-core” idiots who refuse to wear helmets and claim it saves them precious seconds in their TT efforts. These dudes (always men in this case) all have kids, wives, etc. but seem inclined to push the envelope. When asked to leave group rides where helmets are mandatory they say “f*** you” and ride alone.
Same for skiiing. Have friends who laugh at me for wearing a ski helmet. Though I grew up skiing in CO at can ski black diamonds pretty well out west as well as here in the east, I prefer to stay alive since I was once hit from behind by a kid (16yo) who was going very fast (out of control) and caused a lenghty ER visit for me and my head. I am not worried about my ability or common sense but more about others.
Everyone I know wears one all the time on a bike, with the exception of one super extreme hardcore mountain biker. I tried to take a collection at the shop to get a helmet for him but he found out and told me that he has a helmet just doesn’t like wearing it. I guess there must not be anything worth protecting up there. He’s a super nice guy but just wont wear one.
My 4 year old nephew saw me on my rollers and made me stop and get my helmet. Uncle David taught him well.
My wife and I wear our helmets biking, skiing, snowboarding. I have a neighbor who only wear’s his helmet “sometimes”. Everytime I see him on his bike I say something to him…“Scott no helmet or Scott good you’re wearing your helmet”.
PS: My wife crashed in a race this Spring and split her helmet. Better than her head!
We always wear helmets and I use a small mirror when riding on cogested areas near our home. In our tri-club their are several “hard-core” idiots who refuse to wear helmets and claim it saves them precious seconds in their TT efforts. These dudes (always men in this case) all have kids, wives, etc. but seem inclined to push the envelope. When asked to leave group rides where helmets are mandatory they say “f*** you” and ride alone.
Life support would be an ironic thing for those “hard core” guys in the hospital… When I was a kid my dad and another experienced friend were out riding their sweet Italian road bikes when the friend got launched straight off his bike onto his helmet wearing head. This guy John was hospitalized and had temporary amnesia but recovered fully. That was scary enough for me to never question helmets again.
Same for skiiing. Have friends who laugh at me for wearing a ski helmet. Though I grew up skiing in CO at can ski black diamonds pretty well out west as well as here in the east, I prefer to stay alive since I was once hit from behind by a kid (16yo) who was going very fast (out of control) and caused a lenghty ER visit for me and my head. I am not worried about my ability or common sense but more about others.
Good point. Back in the day (well only quit five years ago) I was a competitive ski racer and traveled the US and Europe doing all speed events. I’ve crashed close to 80 mph but never got a big knock. One day at a small hill in PA. I was waiting for my friends near the bottom of a run, standing perpendicular to the fall line when I suddenly lost balance and fell right on my head!! It was a warm sunny day and I had cursed about my hot head, but thank G-d I kept it on because I still got a concussion!
I often dont, I didnt yesterday (40+ miles) and didnt before the USCF mandated them. Yes a helmet has saved my life (in a race) but I think that the helmet Nazi’s are WAY off base. Is it that odd that when we see Pro teams training they dont have them on? They all idiots or what?
One “oops” onto the pavement from a height of five or six feet is enough to wreck anyone’s brain, especially if you add in 18 or 20 mph to the impact. I used to argue with motorcycle riding friends too. I gave up and just call them “organ donors” now.
“Is it that odd that when we see Pro teams training they dont have them on? They all idiots or what?” Yes.
Are you serious, serisouly, dude. Helmet Nazi’s? Is it odd when we see pro’s not wearing them? Yes, for me it seems odd. Like seat belts. Yes, you can aruge until your blue in the face that “it’s your God given right” to do as you please and any government intervetion involves your Bill of Rights violations, etc. There seems to me, to be some validity, to wearing a helmet, epsecially if you have kids, wife, etc. who depend (even if partially financially or just emotionally) on you being there.
You even said it saved your life in a race so how on earth can you claim in another breath that it doesn’t make sense. Simply said, they save lives. I suspect that of all bike deaths (of any kind) yearly that 99% invovle open/closed head injuries. And of those, over 75% would have been prevented if the rider wore a helmet.
We are, to some degree, invovled in an unussualy dangerous sport (riding) outdoors, and if we can take small precautions that almost gurantee life over death in the event of an accident then why not? To save a few hundreths of a second? for comfort?
What I think is odd (and I wear a helmet 99% of the time) is that people will turn into jerks if a person is at a group ride with out a helmet. I rode THOUSANDS of mile before the Mirage helmet came out…and crashed MANY times. Yes a helmet has saved my life with out doubt, but I wont wear one for short rides and want to choke the helmet Nazi’s who want to cry foul.
Seat belts were unheard of in the past…oddly we somehow made it to 2006.
I think you need to send a letter to the entire Discovery team…tell them what you think. 
I already did here. I think it (they) are stupid and senseless for not wearing helmets, given the popularity of the sport (gaining) and the examples all leaders in any sport shoudl set for our youth.
Hey Chip,
Did I miss your argument here? Ranting aside about “helmet Nazi’s”, where is your argument, other than “they suck”. How does someone who asks you at a group ride to wear a helmet become a jerk? Could it be they simply care about as a friend? Do you think their intent is to control your conduct so they feel better about themselves?
Seatbelt laws have been around prior to 2006. In any event, if you can act safe then why not do it?
I wear one when racing, and during the spring, summer, and fall. Don’t always wear one November-Feb as I sometimes put a wolly hat on. I do have a balaclava that goes under the helmet, and really should wear it more, but it’s slightly uncomfy.
Like I said, 99% of the time I do…but when I ride to the icecream shop and hear shit from folks I think it is silly. Then again, Illinois has no motorcycle helmet law…maybe we are all idiots?
Always. I am sure that my helmet either saved my life or at least helped me escape catastrophic head trauma last Oct. 13th when a minivan turned in front of me while I was going 20 mph. My helmet shattered the side window on the minivan. Although my helmet cracked in 5 places, my head was fine; not even a concussion.
I took my cracked helmet to my kids’ school and spoke at one of their assemblies about the importance of wearing a helmet every time they get on a bike, scooter, roller blades, etc.
No Chip, that’s the easy way out of an argument. Just those who don’t wear a helmet. I too am from Illinois and have ridden alot inthe suburbs (northern, Deerfield area and north). How funny would it be riding to the bike shop to get hit by a car without a helmet and end up brain damaged or killed. I guess your family could say at the funeral “oh well, Chip stood by his principles in not wearing a helmet. He looked good but is dead, oh well”. Get serious, Chip, put on your helmet and put aside your ego. There are many things we do/should do which are not governed by law, but by common sense.