I don't ride my bike without a helmet in London. What do you think about that?

Question

I just think - if I'm going to die I'm going to die. I'll break my legs or my neck even if I'm wearing a helmet.

My girlfriend worries about me, but I don't take any stupid risks.

Answer 1

I think, that if you stay on the side walks and you can bike fairly well, you don't need to wear a helmet. Although isn't it breaking the law. If you ride on the street, i would wear a helmet. there are so crazed cabbies here.

Answer 2

Having been in London quite a few times, I'd say you're smart to wear a helmet when you ride.  All it takes is someone not paying attention to crash into you, and even at just a few mph, landing on your head could kill you.  I live in a suburban area and still wear a helmet when riding; some doofus almost hit me a few weeks ago as I was riding by  the front of his car as he was waiting to make a right from a side street.  He was too busy looking for cars and not bikes and started to pull out while I was  right in front of his car!

Answer 3

I'm not sure from your question whether you wear a hemet but don't want to, or don't wear one.

Re your comment that you'll break your leg or neck even wearing a helmet, many don't realize helmets can reduce the chance of neck injury since helmets are much more likely to slide when they hit the ground than a bare head is.  Many serious injuries or death are due to the head hitting and digging in, then neck injury or breaking due to momentum of the body.

As to being careful to avoid accidents. I used to believe that. I'm a careful rider, and for years didn't think I needed a helmet. But I finally decided to get one when they started to get a bit lighter (this is 20 years ago). The next month I was riding home on a busy city street and next thing I know I'm waking up being put on a stretcher with vague memories of a car suddenly being in front of me.

I had a broken collar bone, was knocked out for at least 10 minutes, and had a concussion, and my helmet was broken in two pieces -- suggesting how hard I'd hit -- and my bike frame was bent.  The doctor who saw me said if I hadn't been wearing the helmet I'd probably have been killed or a vegetable. As it was I walked away from the hospital that night ... albeit with a very sore shoulder and a headache.

The point of my story is that I got cut off by a car driver coming the other way who though she had time to make a turn in front of me onto a side road. I never saw the car until I was a couple of feet from it ... doing 35 kph!  The accident wasn't my fault (she was charged and I sued was awarded money for injury and to cover a new bike) but I would have been the big loser except for my helmet.

You can't assume being careful will always stop you from have an accident. I've avoided several by being aware, but I've had two (including one that hospitalized me for 5 days) where wearing a helmet saved me from serious head injury(or worse). So, when you consider helmets can actually be cooler (temperature wise) than a bare head (due to the combined shade and venturi cooling effect), cost relatively little, make good mounting points for a rear view mirror and bike light, and can improve your visibility in traffic there is no valid reason NOT to wear one.

No, helmets won't always help ... but why take the chance that your next accident (and there WILL BE ONE) will be one where a helmet would have helped and you were not using one?

Answer 4

lol that's funny. you're crazy man!

Answer 5

Please wear a helmet!

YOU might not take risks, but car drivers, especially London cabbies definitely DO.

I've read (can't remember where) that most people have an accident (major or minor) every 2000 miles - Your day will come. A fortnight ago I had my first accident, a car did not indicate at a roundabout to turn left, therefore cutting me off, running over my front wheel and sending me flying. I had a helmet and gloves on (and lights!) at the time and I'm thankful.

Answer 6

Suit yourself.   But no whining allowed when we visit your drooling spastic self in the convalescent center.

A little story:  Last Saturday,  my front tire went flat just as I was making a turn.  I went down, banging my head on the curb in the process.   I got up, fixed the flat, and rode home,   none the worse for wear except for a broken helmet and a little road rash.   Fortunately, I had a spare helmet for yesterday's ride.  

Stuff happens, even if you don't do anything wrong or stupid.

----

Edit:  Re-reading, its not clear whether you wear or not.   In any case, my vote is to keep riding, keep wearing.

Answer 7

good thinking

Answer 8

GOOD MAN  WHEN ITS YOUR TIME TO DIE YOU DIE

Answer 9

Think about it

your riding along and suddenly your wheel jams or something.

you fall off not fast enough to break anything and hit your head.

when you wake up you could have been concoused of have brain damage and you just would of had a bump on your head if you wore a helmet

Answer 10

i never ride without it, but then my brain is pretty valuable.

Answer 11

I hate wearing a helmet and like you tend to stay off road, but helmet did save my husbands and many friends lives even off road as well. I'm surprised they aren't compulsory before now like seat belts. I worry about Paul with or without helmet think it is nature of the game

Answer 12

"If I'm going to die I'm going to die"...

My friend didn't die. He just left a lot of his face on the Euston Road -- cheekbone broken; bone at top of eyesocket chipped, plus three teeth lost. The paramedics who treated him reckoned that none of those injuries would have been as severe if he'd had a cycle helmet on -- even if you fall face-down as he did, the helmet buffers your face from the full impact on the tarmac.

So my friend's had three or four ops (I lose track) and 18 months later he still looks like some bouncer's stepped on his head.  :-/

Oh, and he was in a cycle lane at the time.

But it's your call.

Answer 13

wear a helmet ever time. i live in a small town and came in to a life treating experience. all these people i saw made going of this jump , made it look so easy.  it was about 5 feet down and all cement. so i rushed my speed and...i gees i crashed. the problem was i didn't pop my front wheel high enough.  from the shock i only remember going down and waking up with blood drowning my face.  it felt like i fell asleep.  i wasn't Daisy when i got home but i saw small stars.  i went to the emergency room with i found out i was all right.  then i woke up at 2:00 in the morning falling terrible my neck felt cracked, my shoulder felt broken and a had pain inside my head.  i took an Advil and those 30 minutes felt like months of pain.

lesson leaned* WHERE A HELMET