Why helmets are good

I second the motion.  A few years back I had a bike accident where I hit a curb and went down towards the sidewalk... I tried to land on my hands and knees but one of my hands didn't make it up in time and folded under my body.  Consequently, I came down on the side of my head pretty hard.  I ended up with a broken wrist and a cracked bike helmet, but my head was is good shape, thankfully.

Keep em on.  They're a lifesaver.

good to hear!

I always shake my head when I see people riding - esp. in MV traffic! - w/ out a bike helmet.  The bike messengers in the city never wear helmets

I dont know what its like in the US&A but in Australia its the law and it is enforced. In the UK it wasnt the law (at least when I lived there) so if you had a helmet then you looked like a dufus. Over here in australia you look like a dufus if you dont have one on and all the kids wear them without question - In UK its the opposite - beg kids to wear them and see plenty without.

On my 2nd day of riding my new regime of 70k round trip to the office 2 days ago I reached for my water bottle in what I can only describe as some sugar-depraved addled-brain state doing 55k's downhill and hit a bump in the road with one hand on the handlebars - what followed certainly helped with the constipation. 

Helmets are brilliant indeed, and making them the law is also brilliant. Australia is good on such laws - like enforcing that all pools must be fenced with 2mtr high fences and locking gates etc.

I am going to print this out for my kids to make them understand that this IS why they need to wear their helmets even when they are zipping around on their "Razors"/scooters in the driveway.  I think it'll drive the point across.

Thanks for sharing, and thank goodness the person was fine!

I am convinced that helmets are a must. Mine has saved me some grief, that's for sure!

Just to be the devil's advocate there are strong cycling advocates for not having helmet laws. I have been involved in bike lane and bike network planning that involved public workshops and expert panels so it's been interesting working with the gamut of folks in cycling community.

Studies have shown that motorists will give a rider more room and slow down if they are not wearing a helmet. Drivers see the cyclist as being more exposed so will alter their driving to allow for the safety of the cyclist. It's like being on an bike path and passing a cyclist towing a baby trailer - you'd probably slow down a bit. With a helmet, cyclists are seen as being more confident and protected. Cyclists wearing a helmet may also be more aggressive. The problem is that it's tough to determine the number of near misses or difference in cyclist/motorist conflicts that would prove the benefit of not wearing the lid.

I thought that I'd just throw out this counter-argument that I've encountered and that has actually been a factor in some cities choosing not to have helmet laws.

Actually, I should probably clarify my remark.  I'm all for wearing helmets, I think you are an idiot if you don't.  But I am against mandatory helmet laws, as well as mandatory seatbelt laws, and helmets laws for motorcyclists, etc....  I say, let evolution take it's course! 

The only flaw to my argument, is that we, as taxpayers (at least here in the US, and in any other place with some form of socialized health care), end up paying part or all of the increased medical bills for those who don't wear helmets.  not sure what the solution there is (other than denying any form of public health care for anyone not wearing a helmet, which just won't fly in todays world.)

Oh, well, thats slightly off topic.  Either way, wear your helmet!

Here we have helmet laws for those under 18 and I fully support them.  (I'm that cranky old guy on the street that calls out to the kids I see not wearing them)

Hey Hey Hey!!!!! I don't try to cut into YOUR Job security do I????

J/K. Helmets are a good thing.