Meh, Do What You Want, It's Only Your Brain

I’m surprised this is still a topic of discussion but with alarming regularity the debate whether to wear a bike helmet or not raises it’s ugly head. The nature of the debate hasn’t changed because both sides are both deeply entrenched in their positions. On one side you have the libertarian naysayers espousing the virtues of self-determination and on the other side are the nanny state busy bodies.

Truly the Balkanization of debate has become tiresome.

While I won’t end the bickering by myself I want to go on record as saying I will stop wearing my helmet as soon as you start engaging in unprotected sex.

I will concede that wearing a helmet will not save your life in every conceivable accident scenario and they are probably not necessary in every riding situation (read; lightly trafficked flat areas at low speeds) two out of the three cyclists I know who have been killed while riding a bike did so while not wearing a helmet. One rider was killed by a hit and run driver who drove over the cyclist and dragged him for about a half a block, the other was crushed to death by a semi rig, and the third, even though he was wearing a helmet, was killed when he struck his head against a fire hydrant.

Meh, do what you want, it's only your brain.