Got Helmet?

Got Helmet?Portland is the friendliest bike city on Earth. Bike lanes weave in and around all parts of P-town. New bike stoplights are popping up here and there. Bridges close down for family peddling events. The lengths the city has gone for bike safety is pretty amazing. With all of the safety features that the city has provided, why are bicyclists being risky with their heads? I have noticed there are many bicyclists riding around without a noggin protector. I am not talking one or two, but a large percentage I see are riding helmetless.

Sure, helmet head might not be the most attractive hairstyle when you get to the office. A simple solution, bring a comb. Hair gel works wonders. I would risk helmet hair any day if it means protecting my noggin from meeting the ever so welcoming asphalt.

Is risk part of the enticement of not wearing a helmet? Does a helmet clash too much with the outfit of the day?  Is it too uncomfortable? Comfort for a major hospital bill seems like an easy choice. I really don’t understand why people put their safety at risk. Please explain this to me. Maybe I am just not that risky.  On the few occasions I ride my bike, my fashionless headpiece is always protecting my head. Really, I like bicyclists. I have quite a few bicyclists friends, most of who do wear a helmet. Perhaps our shared aversion to asphalt solidifies our friendship.

For those who do wear a helmet, why are some of you wearing headphones? It seems to defeat the purpose of safety if you cannot hear the commotion happening around you. It might not be as peaceful of a ride, but I would surely want to be aware of a car horn blaring behind me.

What’s your reason for going helmetless? Is riding helmetless a way of adding painful excitement to your life?  Could you secretly like vacations to the hospital?