Helmet or No Helmet?

No ride today. I wake up feeling every inch of yesterday's 41 miles taken out on my body, plus I managed to pull the left side of my neck.

When I first started riding my Townie in March 2008, I did not wear my helmet, even though I owned one. I reasoned that I wasn't going that fast on the Townie, so why bother? After one of my co-workers was horrified to hear that I rode helmetless, I started to rethink matters. Her concern made me wonder why I didn't wear a helmet. I always wear a seatbelt, I only cross at the light; what part of my ego thought I was above a bike helmet?

After reading up online on bicycle accidents (T also has a great story about another cyclist's chain breaking, flying off and embedding itself in his helmet), I promised my co-worker I would wear a helmet from then on. Why I was willing to promise that to someone else but not to myself may make an interesting question for a psychologist. Really, what it comes down to is that I have become very fond of my brain. It has served me for many years, and I would like it to continue to do so. And now that I live in Oak Park, I have to ride through four or more miles of city before I can reach any of the bike paths. That, combined with my propensity to fall down, is added reason to wear protective gear. (It has already been suggested that I might consider adding elbow & knee pads to my outfit.)

In return for protecting it from the very small chance of a head injury, I am willing to look silly and put up with helmet hair.