Image: simonvc

Okay, there are no more excuses to be like the guy in the photo. Wear your helmet! I have worn my helmet ever since I was a kid, and even though I made it 10 years without crashing or getting hit, it only took one afternoon’s ride to leave me sprawled out on the pavement, bleeding, cursing, and with a serious concussion. Good thing I was still wearing my helmet though, or I would have died.

If you think this is an isolated incident, check out this post from Treehugger. A recent study in Canada has shown that helmet laws (and therefore increased use of helmets) among children reduces bicycle related fatalities by 50%. Over the same period, the adult death rate due to bicycle crashes rose 5%. There is no similar law requiring that adults wear helmets.

And really, why should this surpise anyone? Lots of people have lame excuses like “helmets make me ride less safely” or “helmets aren’t going to save me anyway,” but let’s be serious, that’s just stupid. I have no problem with people risking their own life over keeping their hair nice and poofy, but we need to stop pretending that helmets don’t save lives every day.

Happy riding!

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