EVERYBODY MISSES the point about bike helmets. (Why, yes... I am looking at you!)
The overprotective nanny state assumes wearing a helmet will provide the rider with near invulnerability, citing reports they can "prevent up to 85 percent of head injuries." (What they fail to note is that none of the cyclists in this study collided with a motor vehicle.) On the other hand, anti-helmet folks will make any hilarious justification necessary to go helmet-less—like citing the above report and not admitting that a helmet could possibly protect your head a weeeee little bit in a collision with a car. They also refer to a study where drivers give less room to helmeted bicyclists as opposed to their helmet-free counterparts... inferring that all drivers are of one Borg-like mindset, genetically programmed to swerve at anything wearing head protection.
But there's another opinion in this debate: EVERYBODY CAN FUCKING RELAX. Do what you want—just drive and ride safe, realize that most cyclists pay for the road just as much as you, and remember that your mom would rather not see you in a coma just because your bike slips on a wet manhole cover.
Me, I like helmets. They are not a panacea, and they won't protect me if I get mowed over by a cement truck. But if I get doored, and my head hits the ground first? I will live to write another article that will make you unreasonably furious.
All that being said, DEAR GOD ARE MOST BIKE HELMETS UGLY. True, fashion is not their primary point, but since none of you can seem to agree on what is their primary point, fashion can at least be a consideration. So! If your personal prerogative is to wear a helmet, here are five examples that ensure you do so with a modicum of style...
