[ImprovedSilence]

This really hits it. A helmet isn't some all protective force field. If a truck is going to run you over, a helmet isn't going to save you.

I think helmets are associated with bikes, because before we used bikes to commute, which involves simply riding about town, we used bikes to rip through the woods inches away from trees and sharp rocks, or jumped them off of mounds of dirt, or flung road bikes down mountain roads at 50per. (at least those three seem to sum up my first 23 years of existence) I live in DC, got old, but still NEVER commute with a helmet, and feel perfectly safe all the time. In fact, tons more safe than when I try to get a training ride in. (for which I wear a helmet)

[jmspring]

Generally, I've seen three types of injuries with regard to cycling -- the classic being the collar bone breaking, next up some road rash (ie, you know how to lay your bike down or slide out due to a rear flat tire at speed), and head trauma. The first two, the helmet is useless to help. The third? Usually pretty darn helpful.

Around here in Santa Cruz, a town known for biking -- many local builders, a couple of clubs, and a very forceful pro-bike lobby -- we still don't have the infrastructure that places like Portland or Amsterdam have. In fact, the roads are pretty much crap in most places. So you have to be careful. One recent solo accident involved a young adult who was biking at night on a dark road (dumb) but also not wearing a helmet. He crashed. Currently he is in critical condition. Pretty sure a helmet (and a light) would have helped him out.

The story -- http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_21655013/santa...

Personally, I've had some spills while mountain biking where a helmet has come in pretty darn handy.

[Spooky23]

Not really -- a helmet protects you from head injury. Is a car seatbelt useless because it doesn't do much for a side collision?

I don't ride much, but one time I was out is the rain and had to swerve on a intersection that happened to be made of cobblestone, and ended up going down hard on the slick stone. Had I not been wearing a helmet, I would have had a severe head trauma.

That type of accident is pretty common, and wearing the helmet avoids lots of needless suffering.

[BCM43]

This really hits it. A helmet isn't some all protective force field. If a truck is going to run you over, a helmet isn't going to save you.

Actually: http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Bike_helmet_crushed__...

But, in general your point is correct. There are some dramatic examples where a bike helmet saved someones life, but statically it is unlikely.

[JoeAltmaier]

Must be a luck-signularity around where I live. I know several people saved by bike helmets, from small crashes of 2 bikes or bike vs immovable object. One happened last Saturday on an asphalt bike trail with no obstruction - the young man just went down and landed on his head. Busted his helmet all to hell. Got up and got back on his bike.

Lots of statistics thrown around here, and my anecdotes are not statistics, but they are a heck of a lot closer to actionable information that hot air. As for me, I don't regard a helmet as making bicycling seem dangerous, any more than wearing a raincoat makes walking outside seem dangerous. Its just part of my equipment, like the water bottle.