The Debate on Bicycle Helmets

Let me start by saying I am a huge proponent of cycling. I spent all 4 years of my undergraduate experience without a single car, and 2 bicycles as my mode of transportation instead.  Although trips to the grocery store required paneer bags and plenty of speed to conquer Austin hills, I reveled in the freedom my bike afforded me. I wont lie and say I never borrowed a roommates car to run errands or never rode the the bus down town. Of course a bike didn't meet all my traveling needs, but in a small enough city like Austin it was just what a broke undergrad needed.

Besides being an avid cyclist, I'm also a consummate neuro-nerd. This TED Talk piqued my interest by catering to both my passions:

Truthfully, this video isn't the first thing I've seen about the issue, but I think it does a good job of summing up a lot of the problems. I see the problem as both based in neurology and psychology.

In terms of psychology, I'm not surprised that drivers treat cyclists differently based on their appearances. Drivers ignoring safety margins because a cyclist is wearing a helmet? I see that happen all the time. In fact, I've heard stories from my dad of truck drivers purposely trying to run cyclists off the roads in the hill country surrounding Austin proper. This is a problem not with the cyclists, but with the perceptions of the drivers. When I bike in my lycra shorts and bike jersey, I am inevitably treated with indifference at best, contempt at worst when on the road. Drivers seem to think I have a 'holier-than-thou' attitude when I'm in my cycling gear and will be particularly rude. That, or they think I'm an experienced rider and thus are not as cautious around me. Now if I ride my bike around town in day-clothes like jeans or a sundress, I'm treated with much more caution by drivers. To them, I assume I appear more inexperienced and thus someone to be careful around.

And this issue I think extends into the relevance of bike helmets. Wear a helmet and you look safer to drivers or more experienced so they take more chances around you. That attitude increases with the more bike gear you use. So psychologically, I would say you're better off riding with out the spandex and helmet.

This was right after my Dad's crash due to an inattentive driver.

On the other hand, neurologically, I think you are responsible for protecting your brain. A fall from a bike can lead to serious concussions and even traumatic brain injury (especially if a vehicle is involved). This past fall, I had a personal epiphany when my Dad was hit by a car and thrown from his bike. I honestly believe the helmet saved his life. He had a fractured cheekbone and stitches along his left eye but his helmet took the brunt of the fall. Without it, he probably would have fractured his skull and wouldn't be alive to cycle today.

Recently I've seen people citing articles that claim helmets don't perfectly protect your noggin- and I agree. You're not wearing 360 degrees of protection and helmets really aren't meant for high speed impact. Still, I see it like not wearing a helmet during a taekwondo match: really a helmet wont protect from an axe kick to the face, but it's most definitely better than nothing.

So now you might be wondering how this is a debate. I see it as opposing forces of needing to protect my brain, while not giving drivers a false sense of security around me. I certainly don't want drivers running me off the road for looking too much like a cyclist but I don't think I can afford to ride on bustling streets without the protection of a helmet. My ultimate decision has been to save my fancy spandex for protected rides/events and just wear street clothes when commuting (I always wear my helmet, just to be safe).

Oh, and if a car ever does threaten me, I usually ride with my keys in my hand. You wouldn't want a large scratch down the side of your vehicle- right?