The Chainlink

Helmets as an Accessory?

Please help me understand.  I know the arguments for riding with and without a helmet and believe its a riders choice - no judgements.  What I have a hard time tyring to undersatnd is why someone would ride without a helmet but carry one attached to their bike, pack or person (not on head).  I continue to see riders in traffic (where I would suppose a helmet may be most important) riding without one but carrying one.  What makes a helmet an accessory and under what circumstances would one want to don it after riding and carrying it around?  Just curious.

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on August 29, 2011 at 3:54pm

Stops bike.

Removes helmet.

Scratches head in bewilderment while considering this.

Replaces helmet.

Rides on.

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on August 29, 2011 at 4:40pm

I have wondered this same thing.  I have seen, in particular, a lot of women riding with a helmet on their handlebars. Why bother if you aren't going to wear it?  I also believe it is personal choice in whether to wear one or not, but why carry one if you don't plan on wearing it. I find it funny and odd.  My fiance suggested that maybe it is because the helmet matches their bicycle's color scheme.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 29, 2011 at 5:24pm

Not sure what's so confusing about this.

If you see you're about to crash, you put it on.

Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on August 29, 2011 at 5:45pm
I always keep one around my neck so I can toss it onto my head in case I'm suddenly airborne.
Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on August 29, 2011 at 6:06pm

I have the same feelings towards bicycle helmets as motorcycle helmets...if you wear one you get full coverage under the law and aid and assistance from the government for injuries incurred while properly wearing the helmet. If you don't wear a helmet...pay for all that shit yourself and don't look for the society to help you out, you made the decision, you deal with the consequences. Any brain dead injured party that expects the society/government to pay for their upkeep should only expect to be used as an organ donor. If public funds were used for their care therew should be no recourse for relatives to block harvesting.

Wearing a helmet displays an attitude and concern not just for ones self but the society and people around ones social existance. If you don't wear it, don't expect the society to care for you.

Again just my opinion...but I'm right I say so.

Jeff

The Chicagoan

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 29, 2011 at 6:17pm

Well, people choose to wear a helmet some times and not wear a helmet other times.  There might be many reasons why someone feels they are not in as much danger at one time/place and maybe more at another.

 

I see this most often at critical mass.  I think a lot of people feel much safer at mass than they do out on the road alone.  I've personally not worn a helmet at mass pretty much this whole year -or at least since this spring when it thawed and the ice and snow disappeared. 

 

But I still bring my helmet on my head on the way there often and always wear it on the way home when it is dark and I'm no longer riding in the  relative safety of numbers.

 

I guess someone else might think that mass was MORE dangerous than riding alone and wear a helmet at mass and not in transit.


Its a free world -or that's what I was told.  Lot's of people out there trying to make it less of one it seems. 

Permalink Reply by ChristopherMCA on August 29, 2011 at 7:24pm

I think people bring their helmets and decide to not wear them because they dont want to be the only person to be with or without one. They bring their helmet as a just in case "fashion" accessory... I say fashion because if you bring your helment and choose not to wear it the helmet loses its purpose as a functional accessory and becomes only an accessory to  style and/or fashion.

 

I'm also pretty sure riding with your helmet attached or in your bag will really destroy whatever body part (most likely your back or ribs) lands on the helmet when you fall.

 

 I also agree riding with a helmet is a personal choice. though their is not much of an argument why not to wear one, the only honest reason I have heard was related to style or fashion, "I feel stupid wearing this helmet." or something to that degree. Now that i think about it choosing to wear or not wear a helmet has the same stance of smoking cigarettes. What arguments are their to justify smoking and why do most people start smoking, because everyone you know is doing it, you feel cooler, etc.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 29, 2011 at 7:36pm

I know quite a few smokers who wouldn't ride without a helmet.

 

Puzzles me too.  Riding really isn't THAT dangerous. And in many situations the helmet is only going to do very minimal amount of good -maybe enough to make a difference (and maybe not.)

 

 

Humans are rationalizing creatures. 

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on August 30, 2011 at 6:25am

 This is my helmet, which I also see as my accessory when I ride:

Giro Surface Multi-Sport Helmet

I figure I might as well have a helmet that is somewhat unique. And what is great is that the blue flowers match my blue bicycle, while the brown background matches my other bike, so I always match. :) 

Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on August 30, 2011 at 7:52am

It doesnt take a lot of speed to hit your head hard on impact.  Other body parts can heal, but the head is not easy to fix. Subdural hematomas require drilling holes in your head and draining the blood out of your brain.  If you chose not to wear a helmet, you're risking your life.  A helmet possibly saved my life at ~16-18mph and cracked in pieces.  I wore helmets before my accident but afterwards I truly valued them a way I had not beforehand.

 

My opinion, but Im also still here to give it.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 30, 2011 at 8:30am

That is a very pretty helmet Melanie.  My own is ugly but it has reflective tape strips all over it that I put on myself   I wear it when riding at night and feel it does much more good as a visibility-enhancement than as a protective covering.  I very rarely ride at night without my helmet.  Being seen and not getting hit is high on my personal list of priorities. 

 

Having a helmet that does more for the rider than just impact-protection to the top of the skull -like be fashionable and make you feel good about yourself, aid in visibility to other road users, keep one more comfortable by keeping the elements off your head/face, or act as a platform for lights or other gear helps make them more useful to the rider and more likely to be purchased, taken along, and ultimately worn by the rider.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Carly on August 30, 2011 at 8:51am

I recently had a severe bicycle accident which I do not remember anything of; the head trauma was that severe. One minute I'm just cruising along like normal and the next I'm waking up in an MRI machine.  I have no memories between those two particular ones, and those two particular memories are 48 hours apart.  What's perplexing is that there is ZERO damage to my bike and besides my head I only had a bruise and a few scabs from road rash on my right arm.  NO broken bones and NO broken components. I landed squarely head first.  Up until the accident, my entire cycling career consisted of thousands of hours and many more thousands of miles for the past 2 years.  I did deliveries for Jimmy Johns and was very attentive and skilled at my job, never had any sort of accident at work except I slipped on ice once.  I rode in 40mph winds, negative 15 degree temperatures, and up to 4 inches of snow (on 23c tires!), not to mention monsoon rains and killer traffic.  I could handle anything, but I couldn't handle whatever caught me by surprise and caused me to land head first.  Even though my situation is extremely rare, it did happen.  Luckily, workers comp has me covered and all that shit is taken care of.

Why wasn't I wearing a helmet, you ask? Peer pressure mostly.  The other delivery guys don't wear helmets.  And I know it's silly, but I'm the only girl driver so why should I?  I always wear a helmet at all other times except while working.  I really thought cycling was safe enough, but now I know otherwise.  If I had worn a helmet, I would've just been able to walk away.  I regret that I didn't wear one, and now I always will.  Whenever I see a cyclist without a helmet, it makes my skin crawl. sorry guys.     

 

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