BIKE HELMETS.....Do YOU wear one??

I'd posted here in September saying I didn't -- later that month, I did get one, and while I haven't had any close calls, I feel so much better and more confident biking now. With all the comments from friends about how I could die, I was starting to feel like I was on borrowed time

When I bought my Mt Bike the bike shop owner said I wasn't leaving the store w/o a helmet. The type of riding I was going to do I wasn't going to argue with him. I can think of two spills where the helmet saved my life. One of them was on a road, and I had to get a new helmet. I was probably slightly concussed after that one.

I don't even know why this is a discussion, wear a brain bucket.

I've seen far too many head injuries as a nurse to not wear a helmet. Every time. I almost feel weird without it when I roll around the driveway testing adjustments.

It's been said before but, road rash will heal, bones will mend, bruise and scars fade, equipment can be replaced but my brain, that pink mushy thing inside my skull that makes me, me, doesn't heal so well, so you better believe that I'll wear a helmet on the bike.

Some nurses have a name for those that don't wear helmets (especially motorcycle riders): organ donors.

Yep I do, also I can fit my camera (have taken to wearing a helmet cam just to highlight the stupid planks you get on the road every day to peeps) on it...and it is handy for fitting a light on if I choose, cannot be too safe at night (yes I cycle in the dark).

every single time i get on my bike i wear my helmet. Not only did I work with people with aquired brain injuries, i have a son that i would really like to have a round for a little longer...if he crashes pretending he's a super hero, lord knows what will happen. So I wear it to inforce him to wear it. And it's law for anyone under 18 to wear a helmet.

My 6 year old son crashed on his bike a few years ago and spent 3 days in a coma. He was wearing his helmet and the doctors said that if he had not been wearing it, we would probably have been planning his funeral. Then a year ago I crashed (who knows how) but I did and went sliding down a small ravine, all the way down I could hear my helmet hitting the rocks. If not for my helmet, that would have been my head. I am very glad that after my son's crash that I decided I would never ride a bike again without that protection.

Yes!! I always wear a helmet when riding my bike.

When i grew up, all the way up to about 2 years ago, i never ever wore a helmet.

Now, i feel naked without it! I ALWAYS wear it.

Having broken three helmets, all three at crashes below 10 mph (usually involving unsupervised pets or children), absolutely.

I never wore a helmet as a kid (I don't think they even existed back then). I got back into cycling about six years ago and have always worn one ever since (currently I put on about 3000 miles a year). Doesn't matter if I'm off road or on road they're comfortable and if I do have a crash (even mountain biking I don't often crash) then they could save me a serious injury.

I don't think it matters how fast you ride they're a good idea, I've had mates go over the bars due to a chain slip on starting off, I've had a rim blow out on me with no warning, I've hit black ice, each time I've been pleased I've been wearing one.

I have a couple of life stories that proved it to me:

A while back, my friend and I had been training hard for about 6 months to go on a 120km bike race from the city to the northern coast. We were both wearing our helmets on race day. About 30km into it we got caught up trying to move through a tight pack. The rider in front clipped another tyre and crashed. My friend didn't have time or space to avoid him. It was horrible. Her bike flipped as she crashed. She landed hard hitting the back of her helmet. Other (inexperienced?) riders from behind didn't even try to avoid her but rode over her, including her face(!), before I could untangle myself from my own bike and drag her to safety being careful in case of a back/neck injury. She kept telling me she was okay and not to fuss, but didn't know her own name, what day or time it was or why were there. Then she had a seizure. [Freaked right me out as I'd never seen one before]. I went with her in the ambulance, and listened as the ER doctor in the nearby town told her that the damage was severe and that she could not afford to have another brain injury. There is no doubt in my mind that the injury would have been far worse without the helmet, especially newer technology ones (of course, that one needed to be replaced after the impact). Ever since, I've always worn a good quality (never dropped) helmet while cycling, mountain biking, kiting and snowboarding etc. AND I avoid crowded race conditions like the plague.

Then, more recently, a freak accident at home. I hit my forehead on the corner of a door frame. I don't remember how I found my way to, face first, closely inspecting the linoleum. I was just pacing off to the laundry and must have tangled over something. Hubby came along and found me lying there totally confused. Blood everywhere. Off to the ER, stitches, and concussion. "Beautiful" shiner. :blushing: I was trippy for some weeks after that. Not good for my best performance at work. Everyone wanted to know what the other guy looked like. Imagine the mess if I was travelling at 15-35mph? Again, proved to me that a helmet is so worth it...

Noh! I don't wear a helmet around the house!! :laugh: but have stopped nipping outside to the recycling bin in socks & jandals.

Protect your Melon! Wear a Helmet. Oh yeah, and (be fashionable,) fasten your helmet straps!

I always wear a helmet, even on bike paths. I always want to roll down the window and yell at cyclists who aren't wearing helmets whey they're riding on busy roads. Especially when they're riding against traffic. Stupid stupid stupid.

Funny you should mention "paths". A friend of mine was in a horrible head on collision with another bike on a bike path. Lots of broken bones (including around his eye), BUT! his head was fine.
Lot's of folks think if there aren't cars, they don't need a helmet. Not true.

I grew up before helmets and survived fine, but I do wear them now. A guy tried to make a move to pass me once 30 miles into a race, on a hill, and blacked out trying. He toppled over the front of his bike and landed on his head. It split the helmet clean in two pieces. It was one of those styro-fabric things. Aside from major road rash he was OK.

Never. I managed to get through my less than safety conscious youth without one. I have what you'd call a high sensitivity for dangerous situations which has kept me pretty much safe and incident free my whole life. I drive a powerful sports car yet have never been involved in a collision during my 21 years of driving, at fault or otherwise. I would make my child wear one until they were mature enough to make their own decision

EVERY time I ride. I've been commuting on a bike for a year and a half and wearing one has saved me twice.

I live in Boston, some of the trains are above ground and the tracks go right down the middle of the driving lanes. The first time it saved me I was going to make a left hand turn and my front wheel slipped into the track (didn't have enough of an angle) - head first over the bars in the middle of traffic. Out cold. Happened to be lucky enough to have a surgeon on his way home from Beth Israel in the car behind me - he stopped, pulled me out of the road and took my vitals. Told me if I hadn't been wearing a helmet with the way I hit the ground I would have sustained some pretty serious damage. The helmet was cracked.

2nd time I was hit by a car making a right hand turn - no turn signal (seriously people - learn how to use these things!!!). She didn't even look.

Helmets are important. Being too cool to wear them is stupid.