When it comes to wearing a helmet, I think it’s a personal choice. Even in Australia, where the law states that it’s compulsory for cyclists to wear a helmet when riding on the road, I respect each adult individual’s right to choose whether to comply or not.
However, I do get mildly irritated by fence-sitters—or should I say, handlebar-danglers—those who ride with a helmet slung over their handlebars like the can’t quite make up their mind. Or in the mistaken belief that being in possession of a helmet will exempt them from a fine, should the proud upholders of the right choose to enforce the law.
You can’t half-wear a helmet. Make a choice and have the strength of character to stick by it. Oh, sure I can see reasons why someone might carry a helmet to wear at times of perceived danger, but to then doff the helmet when that particular danger has passed just seems silly. Regardless of pace or place, if your bike is in motion there is some level of risk (true, often vanishingly small) that your head will suffer the sort of impact injury that a helmet is intended to prevent. And it’s not like modern helmets are especially heavy, hot, or uncomfortable so if a rider is carrying one, they might as well be wearing it.
The best and easiest place to carry a helmet on a bike is, oddly enough, on top of your head not swinging wildly around on the handlebars.
End rant. As you were.
I’ve also noted, and wondered about, this behaviour. Perhaps it is a statement about the usefulness of a helmet, eg, a helmet makes a lousy fashion accessory for a human being but it looks damn sexy on my bike?
Posted by pedaller | 11 June 2008, 3:22 pmI always reckon they think that if they have a crash they’re going to whip the helmet on on the way down. Mind you, with reflexes like that they probably wouldn’t crash in the first place.
Posted by Surly Dave | 11 June 2008, 4:56 pmThere are of course several who wear a helmet but are too cool to do it up. Perhaps they’re also going to use their lightning fast reflexes to fasten the buckle in a crash.
Posted by Adrian Fitch | 11 June 2008, 10:56 pmI’d forgotten about that variation. I think those folks lack an understanding of the basic physics of falling over: sudden deceleration makes loose things fly off, and falling over makes for a sudden change of angle during which loose things slide off.
In safety terms it’s kind of like driving a car with the seat belt wrapped around you but not plugged in to the buckle. Equally as useless is my example, which is equivalent to not pulling the seatbelt across at all.
I’ve often thought about the comically stupid case that Surly Dave outlines—and the tragically stupid case where someone suffered head trauma that could have been avoided by wearing the gear they were carrying.
As for helmet as fashion accessory, I for one reckon it looks better on your head than on your bike. But then, there’s no room on my handlebars for another accessory!
Posted by Treadly and Me | 12 June 2008, 6:18 amActually, most of the helmet danglers think they’ll suddenly put it on their head if they see a police car — not that the police in Australia ever bother to enforce the law anyway, but that’s the “logic” behind it. Personally, I’m not bothered. If someone wants to spend $60 on a helmet and not use it, it’s their money and their head.
Posted by Chris L | 12 June 2008, 9:40 pmMaybe I have watched far too many episodes of CSI, but the helmet in the photo looks as if a big chunk fell off it just that morning. The cut is fresh and bright white, whereas the rest of the styrofoam looks like it is from mid 80s to early 90s. I would say the guy (m/f) is just hanging it off his handlebars because it is now useless, but should the cops pull him over he needs to admit this half-helmet as evidence to back up his story.
What I find worse than fence sitters though, is people with the absolute tinniest of tiny and weakest-ass “lights”. Which makes me wonder, after reading this blog entry, what would be the profile of the most irritating rider? A young male rider, on a trackbike with no brakes, with a pissweak pinhead sized single LED light attached somewhere low on the rear stay, and his helmet casually swinging of the handlebar?
Posted by Hielke | 12 June 2008, 11:28 pmTrade you the pissweak light for the halogen-bright led on the helmet coming the other way? I swear I’m going punch the next one into the lake at Darling.
Posted by eccles | 13 June 2008, 9:38 amInteresting hypothesis D.I. Hielke, but I actually saw this guy and his two mates riding: this was the only helmet between the three of them and it wasn’t being worn. Personally, I think it’s being kept because it makes its owner look like a cool risk-taker.
I’ll admit that having this mildly amusing photo prompted me to write on a topic to which I otherwise rarely give further thought.
I really find the helmet on the handlebars look amusing more than irritating—but I’ll agree that ninja cyclists are more of a worry, especially where they leap out from the shadows and endanger me!
Posted by Treadly and Me | 13 June 2008, 12:12 pmI’m someone you may have seen with a helmet dangling from the handlebars. The sole job of my helmet is to save Mr Plod from the trouble of issueing me a fine. You will also see the helmet on my head when I’m riding in places where police are common and vigilant (in the CBD for instance). The clip is always done up but so loose that I can on and off the helmet easily.
So as soon as I leave the CBD and find myself travelling along the Yarra or Canning St etc, off comes the helmet.
It’s all about maximising my helmet-free riding while minimising the amount of fines I have to pay.
Posted by Nik Dow | 20 September 2010, 12:15 pmNik confirms Chris L’s hypothesis: it’s about minimal compliance. But gee, wouldn’t it be good if we didn’t have to worry about compliance at all?
While I still think the easiest place to carry a helmet is on the top of your head, I’m actually not nearly as dogmatic about it as I seem to sound in this post.
Posted by Treadly and Me | 20 September 2010, 3:48 pm