Australia & New Zealand Outdoor Adventure Forum

Just like bike riding can be fun so can it be dangerous if no proper precautions are taken.

Lots of bikers don't use helmet while riding thinking that helmets are either a nuisance, for showing off or unaffordable.

Many riders forget that the safety a helmet offers can only be appreciated after an accident that has caused a head injury.

Do you wear a helmet while riding a bike?

It's one question which always motivates me to answer in different ways. You know almost no one wears a helmet back in my country but when I come to this part of the world I see no one using a bike without a helmet. I wish it was not compulsory to wear a helmet while using a bike because it takes half the fun out. I always use a helmet while biking here but never used one back in my country. I seldom use a helmet while driving a motorbike in city area back in my country.

Ray1 wrote:It's one question which always motivates me to answer in different ways. You know almost no one wears a helmet back in my country but when I come to this part of the world I see no one using a bike without a helmet. I wish it was not compulsory to wear a helmet while using a bike because it takes half the fun out. I always use a helmet while biking here but never used one back in my country. I seldom use a helmet while driving a motorbike in city area back in my country.

Ha ha.. I can understand your feeling. Yes it almost takes fun of riding. Honestly I found it bit awkward too as I can't see side ways (left and right) properly if I am wearing the helmet. Though it is rule now, I am wearing it and getting used to if it too. I guess I can drive well without helmet only. But as it is about safety better we wear it as accident may happen because of others fault too.

Yes, but I only like wearing a helmet when I go into a long way. I know that I should always use it, but to go through simple / fast paths I usually don't remember to use it (can this be considered a bad habit? ).

It may seem a little bit strange (although I have already met a few people who also think the same way that I do ), but I can only associate helmets with long journeys because I think they always tend to be more dangerous.

@naruto100 actually I see no reason wearing a helmet while riding a bike (we call it cycle in our country) also I do not like wearing a helmet while driving a motorbike because I feel as if I am deaf and blind and lost half the control. Maybe I am not used to helmets but here I have to use a helmet when go out on safe cycling paths and feel very odd as far motorbikes are concerned very few use it and these are costlier than cars.

@Shine_Spirit I agree with you, while riding on highways use of helmets makes sense but riding a bike for a kilometer or so.... please spare me

For me wearing a helmet is a big requirement. I will never ever sit on a bike without wearing a helmet.

This reminds me of a story about this guy that was protesting to a mayor. The mayor's new law was that everyone had to wear a helmet while riding bikes. The guy protested against it by riding a bike outside the mayor's house without a helmet riding back and forth. After a while, he lost control of the bike, fell, and then later died from a head injury that was caused that day.

I do wear a helmet.

A few years ago when I first started cycling I never used to wear an helmet or any sort of safety equipment. I very rarely even bothered to use lights when cycling in the dark even, but that's all changed now. Maybe it's just because I have got older, but now I finally realise the importance of staying safe, and I never ride and especially mountain biking without the necessary protection.

Over the years I have ridden with people that have had serious injuries even when they HAVE been using safety equipment so it's a scary thought to think about what would have happened if they hadn't have had that helmet on, and it certainly makes you wiser and realise that staying safe is far more important than how you look!

Ray1 wrote:@naruto100 actually I see no reason wearing a helmet while riding a bike (we call it cycle in our country) also I do not like wearing a helmet while driving a motorbike because I feel as if I am deaf and blind and lost half the control. Maybe I am not used to helmets but here I have to use a helmet when go out on safe cycling paths and feel very odd as far motorbikes are concerned very few use it and these are costlier than cars.

@Shine_Spirit I agree with you, while riding on highways use of helmets makes sense but riding a bike for a kilometer or so.... please spare me

Actually I was talking about motorbike only. Because I have stop cycling many years ago. About wearing helmet yes may be it is because we are not used to of it. But now I am wearing it since long, but still I feel the same that I can drive well without it. So I wonder if it is because of habit or not. But yes it is for safety and our roads surely needs it.

I do, mainly because I need something to attach my rearview mirror to! Secondarily, I wear it to appease drivers, who for some reason seem to get really pissed off at cyclists who don't wear helmets. It's a small concession on my part to keep everyone nearby me on the road in a better mood, and to help drivers have more positive opinions about "cyclists" in general. Using it to directly protect my head is pretty far down on my list of reasons.