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that's a poor excuse to not wear a helmet. I guess if you are in a city and the only thing that you worry about are cars then it's reasonable. Where I am, ther

that's a poor excuse to not wear a helmet. I guess if you are in a city and the only thing that you worry about are cars then it's reasonable. Where I am, there are more things than cars that will take me out, and a helmet is one thing that protects me. Low hanging or falling branches, massive potholes that can kill your tires and bike wheel, people carrying large objects out of the trunk of their car - so even if they are driving safely, it only takes one snapped bungie cord to have a piece of furniture come at you... Always wear a helmet regardless of how safe you think cars are being!

Chronic30 12y ago
Most people live in cities, so your anecdote does not help.
- tmuir 12y ago
  Roughly 80% of americans live in urban areas. That still leaves 60 million people. According to http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/ride-smart http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/ride-smart almost half of car-bike accidents are due to cars turning left, and NOT seeing the cyclist.
  - kimburgess 12y ago
    Roughly 4.4% of the world's population lives in the USA. That still leaves 6.8 billion people. There are many, many places where the option to ride without a helmet does wonders for cycling culture.
    - tmuir 12y ago
      If we consider the entire world, the percentage of city dwellers drops to roughly 50% I'm genuinely interested in the benefits of forgoing safety equipment that is readily available, easy to use, and proven to save lives. Perhaps my experience is skewed because I almost exclusively do mountain biking. You couldn't pay me enough to ride on urban streets contending with cars.
      - Thlom 12y ago
        The same benefits as forgoing a helmet when walking down the street.
chingjun 12y ago
You should avoid the obstacles while cycling. You should also stay within the safe speed limit, especially in areas with obstacles. Same rule applies for driving, walking, and basically everything.

Chronic30 12y ago

Most people live in cities, so your anecdote does not help.

tmuir 12y ago
Roughly 80% of americans live in urban areas. That still leaves 60 million people. According to http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/ride-smart http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/ride-smart almost half of car-bike accidents are due to cars turning left, and NOT seeing the cyclist.
- kimburgess 12y ago
  Roughly 4.4% of the world's population lives in the USA. That still leaves 6.8 billion people. There are many, many places where the option to ride without a helmet does wonders for cycling culture.
  - tmuir 12y ago
    If we consider the entire world, the percentage of city dwellers drops to roughly 50% I'm genuinely interested in the benefits of forgoing safety equipment that is readily available, easy to use, and proven to save lives. Perhaps my experience is skewed because I almost exclusively do mountain biking. You couldn't pay me enough to ride on urban streets contending with cars.
    - Thlom 12y ago
      The same benefits as forgoing a helmet when walking down the street.

chingjun 12y ago

You should avoid the obstacles while cycling. You should also stay within the safe speed limit, especially in areas with obstacles. Same rule applies for driving, walking, and basically everything.