I can’t remember the last time i fell off on my commute to work.
The only time I’ve hit my head while biking was on my way home from running an errand (so not exactly commuting, but still utility cycling). I was riding past a construction site and, being an engineer, was distracted looking at the structure when my wheels caught the edge of a metal plate covering a hole in the road. I keep my broken helmet as a sort of memento mori, because it definitely would’ve been bad if I hadn’t been wearing one.
On an individual basis, IMO it’s always safer to wear a helmet than not. On a societal basis, helmets for biking should not be required because it’s better to have more people biking than to choose to drive instead.
There’s a road on my regular ride that has a grate embedded in it at the wrong orientation so that a road bike’s tires would get caught in it. I saw it for the first time about ten feet in front of me going 30 mph (it’s at the bottom of a steep hill). That’s when I learned you can actually jump in a bike. I’ve been regularly complaining about this thing to the township for the 15 years since, to naturally no effect.
I once crashed into a missing section of sidewalk going downhill pretty fast… one of the many reasons i try not to bike on the sidewalk any more, or go that fast. Even if the street with cars is not much better. And before anyone asks, yes i was wearing a helmet.
The only time I’ve hit my head while biking was on my way home from running an errand (so not exactly commuting, but still utility cycling). I was riding past a construction site and, being an engineer, was distracted looking at the structure when my wheels caught the edge of a metal plate covering a hole in the road. I keep my broken helmet as a sort of memento mori, because it definitely would’ve been bad if I hadn’t been wearing one.
On an individual basis, IMO it’s always safer to wear a helmet than not. On a societal basis, helmets for biking should not be required because it’s better to have more people biking than to choose to drive instead.
There’s a road on my regular ride that has a grate embedded in it at the wrong orientation so that a road bike’s tires would get caught in it. I saw it for the first time about ten feet in front of me going 30 mph (it’s at the bottom of a steep hill). That’s when I learned you can actually jump in a bike. I’ve been regularly complaining about this thing to the township for the 15 years since, to naturally no effect.
I once crashed into a missing section of sidewalk going downhill pretty fast… one of the many reasons i try not to bike on the sidewalk any more, or go that fast. Even if the street with cars is not much better. And before anyone asks, yes i was wearing a helmet.
I completely agree. When people try to make the point that it is immoral not to wear a helmet, that’s what makes my blood boil.
Decent argument to be made that setting a good example for children is more important than absolute personal freedom.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. There are a lot of things that are not allowed for children and are allowed for adults, and this is one of them.