| Some bits in here make me seriously question the author's judegment. "Many more motorists and pedestrians die in traffic collisions per year than do bicyclists. We don’t see them wearing helmets." Doesn't this support the opposite argument of what the author is claiming? Further, I would expect as much anyway simply because so many fewer people bike than motorcycle or drive a car. "If not wanting to wear a helmet deters someone from riding a bike, that sucks, because biking is healthy and awesome." This is a silly argument. It could just as easily be said, "If wearing a helmet deters someone from riding a bike, that sucks, because wearing a helmet protects your head." "I don’t want to hide my head behind a helmet, I want drivers to pass me on the street and see that I am a person, a human, just like them." Nobody said that wearing a helmet was supposed to make a person more attractive. Would the author universally agree to "I don't wear protective gear $x because I want people to see that I'm a human being?" Probably not. Ultimately, I don't think anybody can argue that having a protective shell around your head is somehow less safe or equally safe to having nothing there at all. |
Anectdata: I work on a large business campus which has bike sharing bikes scattered around. Helmets are mandatory (whether that's due to law or local policy, I am uncertain). My light whispy hair will irrecoverably look like shit after being subjected to a helmet, especially during the hot/humid months. As such, I opt to walk or drive more often than I would if I could simply hop on a bike for many on-campus jaunts for various duties.