United States penchant for bike helmets

I am sure many of the other threads here touch on this topic to some degree but I would like to see this thread focus on the topic specifically.  Why do you feel that aside from what the rest of the world  sees as the norm, riding sans helmets, that all of the US feels inclined to always don a brain bucket and condone others when not doing the same?

Amsterdam

India

Denmark

China

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Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on September 8, 2015 at 10:31am

Nice photo and thanks for the foreign report.

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on September 8, 2015 at 12:59pm

Seeing that photo, to quote The Cure, is "just like heaven"!

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on September 21, 2015 at 9:25am

Yes, Trondheim was pretty much heaven. Bergen and Oslo not so much. Just about everyone has flat-bar mountain bikes since there are a lot of stone streets, and in the other cities there were far fewer bikers (much less than Chicago) and they were usually kitted up with helmets, clippy shoes and spandex. Trondheim had more riders (and all casually dressed), the best infrastructure, and the world's only bicycle lift (someone else's film; the signs and stuff have changed but it still works the same way):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j1PgmMbug8

Permalink Reply by Paul Harris on September 11, 2015 at 8:33am

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but when I began commuting years ago my wife made me promise to wear my helmet because of her and the kids at home. It became habit. One that I've grown to appreciate for numerous reasons. The first, when a friend's freewheel failed as he torqued up, face planting him into the sidewalk and detaching a retina. He was wearing a helmet. Second-the cab that hit me 10 years ago giving me my first ambulance ride, multiple surgeries, a year out of work, and a sweet new bike. Third-last fall I rode 3 blocks, took care of my business, didn't put my helmet on, and in the 2nd block back was t-boned by a car. It killed my bike, but since it was all slow speed, thank god it didn't kill me. I don't ride without it. Don't care if it's stylish, cool, euro, whatever. My kids like having me home for dinner time.

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on September 11, 2015 at 9:35am

Hi Paul,

I appreciate your story and know if I went through something like that I would be hard pressed to wear a helmet every time as well.

Going back to my original question about what drives our societal penchant to wear helmets over other cultures, do you feel it is due to so many people here in America having similar stories such as yourself yet people overseas not so?

Thanks

Permalink Reply by Shawn Evans on September 12, 2015 at 5:26am

It all comes down to ignorance and fear.

People don't know how safe bikes are (or how easily they can be ridden safely in situations that may 'seem' unsafe), so they believe all the fearmongering.

People don't know the facts about helmets, or actual risk, or riding a bike, so many things, really, that they believe, actually believe/take it as fact, that they need a helmet to 'stay safe'.

Permalink Reply by SkokieSurly on September 12, 2015 at 12:25pm

I am a daily, year 'round commuter to the Loop from the north suburbs.   I am fairly strong, experienced and confident.   I have had two crashes - one due to ice - one due to a mental mistake on my part - where my helmet made the difference between an embarrassing spill and serious injury.

My feeling is that your risk is your responsibility.  If you choose not to wear a helmet that is your choice.  There is no risk assigned to or assumed by anyone else.   Have fun and enjoy your ride.  My recommendation, however, is simply "shit happens" - wear a helmet.

Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on September 13, 2015 at 2:03pm

Why??? Because they are just so freakin cool! Case in point.

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on September 20, 2015 at 5:51am

For me, it's not about being cool, it's more about being geeky.

Go ahead, punk, make my day: 

Permalink Reply by Rich S on September 15, 2015 at 12:34pm

I'm currently typing this from Warsaw but I just spent the past several days in Copenhagen. My observations and ramblings, in no particular order and only some of which pertain to helmets:

  • More people wear helmets there than I expected. I was expecting to see very few but I'd guesstimate 10-15% of riders were wearing one. Also, only a few people I saw on road bikes were wearing clothes that were obviously cycling specific. Most people just wore their regular clothes. 
  • People are way more chill about how they get around whether it be bike, car, or walking. It's really cool to see when coupled with how narrow and "shared" the public spaces are. Seriously, cyclists and pedestrians are constantly rubbing shoulders and I didn't see a single instance of anyone getting even the slightest bit aggravated. Same with drivers. Almost are were really patient and gave cyclists plenty of space. 
    • Cyclists pass oftentimes within a foot or even a few inches of you. But it didn't bug me at all even though riders passing that close here in Chicago would've definitely bugged the crap out of me. 
    • On the flip side I saw very few cyclists running red lights or failing to yield to pedestrians. 
  • I didn't see a single cyclist take a lane to make a left turn. Everyone I saw boxed their left turns. 
  • There are a lot of cobble or brick paths and streets. You'd think that would encourage helmet use since they pose a higher fall risk especially when it's raining and slippery but I guess not. 
  • Bike lanes or cycle tracks are sometimes on the street and sometimes on the sidewalk. 
  • Almost no one locks their bikes to anything solid. Almost all bikes were locked to themselves allowing anyone to literally pick up and walk away with a bike. 
  • People don't ride as fast as they do here in Chicago. That may be a factor in the lower helmet usage. 
  • Riding in Copenhagen's Monday evening rush hour was a lot of fun! The mini critical masses are super cool! 
  • The elevated cycle track is really cool too. 

Now back to vacation! 

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on September 16, 2015 at 5:15am

Thanks for the report.  It's always interesting to hear about how cyclists operate in other countries.

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on September 16, 2015 at 6:50am

Nice synopsis!

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