Why Don’t People Wear Bike Helmets? – (8 Reasons in 2022)
In our guide, we are going to discuss some reasons why don’t people wear bike helmets and why it is important to wear the right helmet while riding a bike.
Well, do you know the national highway transportation said that helmet is one of the most important gear that riders should wear? Subsequently, there will be some benefits to wearing a helmet.
Moreover, the helmets will decrease the death chances by up to 35 percent. Besides, 26 percent of the chances are decreased for having any severe injury. Other than that, 10 percent of the people will not have any kind of injury at all.
In fact, there is a certain amount of fine in every country if you are not wearing a helmet. You need to wear a helmet to save your life and decrease the chances of injuries.
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Why Don’t People Wear Bike Helmets An Why Is It Important To Wear?
There are eight major reasons due to why people do not prefer to wear a helmet, especially while riding on the roadside. Read on to know why people do not wear helmets.
1. Helmet Laws
The helmet laws are not strict in most countries, and you will not have a high fine because of not wearing a helmet. Therefore, people do not wear a helmet because of the low amount of fines.
2. Improved Hearing And Eyesight
People do not wear a helmet because it interrupts their vision. You will have trouble hearing while wearing any kind of helmet. Besides, you will not have proper vision after vision a helmet with a full-face or half-face helmet.
There are several accidents caused due to improper vision while riding faster on the highway. You have to choose the right equipment for having the perfect vision and hearing level. It is very crucial to buy the right helmet to have protection in accidents. Due to improper vision, many people think that bike helmets are useless.
3. Comfort
Most of the helmets are heavy, and you cannot wear them for a long time. Even the interior of the helmet is not comfortable enough. You will not have the washable interior lining with all the helmets.
So you need to choose a helmet that has comfortable padding and washable material. Besides, the helmets with non-washable material create a false smell in the helmet; that’s why bike riders don’t wear a helmet. Also, the uncomfortable helmet will distract the wearer, and it will make the rider prone to accidents.
4. No Proof That It Will Protect The Head
There is no proof that a helmet will protect the head no matter in which style you are riding, and it is one of the major reasons that people do not wear a helmet. You will have protection for the top part of the head only while wearing a helmet. Other than that, if you wear half face helmet, then you will not have protection for the head.
5. It Doesn’t Provide Enough Ventilation
People like to feel the wind on their faces while going on any bike adventure, but when they are wearing a helmet they don’t have to interact with nature completely. If the helmet doesn’t have enough vent holes in it then you will have suffocation while wearing the helmet. The helmet without vent holes will make the wearer sweaty, and you will take it off after some time.
6. Blocks Vision And Sound
You will not have perfect vision after wearing a helmet, no matter how wide the eye ports of the helmet are. You will have trouble seeing on the sides and back. In fact, the helmet will not provide accurate sounds, and you will not hear all the external noises clearly.
7. Doesn’t Protect At High Speed
There are high chances that you will not have protection from the helmet while riding at a higher speed. You will have protection from the helmet while going at a speed of 10 to 20 mph. However, riding above 20 mph will be riskier for riding with a helmet. Also, if the helmet has poor quality then you will have a more severe injury if an accident if it broke down accidentally.
8. You Will Have Flat Helmet Hair
It is one of the most common reasons that people do not like to wear helmets because they ruin their hairstyle. Moreover, you will have flattened hair. Especially if you wear a helmet in the humid season then you will have stickier hair after the long bike rides.
Why do You Need To Wear Helmet While Riding Motorcycle?
So why you should wear a bike helmet? You need to wear a helmet to have some protection for your head. You can wear a helmet for protected the core of your head. There are instances when you might get into a crash unintentionally. However, it is crucial to wear a helmet that provides perfect fitting. You can protect your health with the helmet easily.
Though we encourage you to buy a helmet for protecting the head. Also, you should follow the rules of the country. In almost all countries, helmets are not compulsory to wear. More than that, you will have several companies of the helmet, and they are making helmets in several designs.
Besides, you need to choose a helmet that fits properly on your head. Moreover, you should consider the comfort and material of the helmet before buying it. For having the most protective headgear, you need to choose a helmet that meets the safety standards.
Additionally, the helmet should never obscure the vision, and you need to choose a helmet that has a wide viewing area yet lightweight material.
What NOT to Do When Bungee Jumping
Bungee jumping is definitely one of the ultimate must do bucket items. As soon as you complete a jump, you instantly gain bragging rights which would last you a lifetime. It’s a story that would instantly make you cool all the way to your future kids/grandkids! Whether you’re a daredevil, an adrenaline junkie, or someone who just wants to conquer a fear, here are the basics of what NOT to do when bungee jumping.
Don’t Hesitate
This is it. Think of it as a no backing down situation where you either jump or you jump. Don’t go in there with the mindset that you can back out anytime you want. Trust the jump master and go with his countdown. Don’t stand there and psych yourself out. Instead, block out everything else apart from the jump master’s voice. 3-2-1..JUMP! (You got this!)
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Don’t Just Sign Up With the First Company That You See
Bungee jumping is dangerous business– it is an extreme sport after all so don’t just jump with the first company that you see. Take the time to research the company to check out their track record. Are they complying with safety checks? Do they update their equipment on a regular basis? As fun as a spontaneous jump would be, just take 5 minutes to check the company’s history! Reputable companies like AJ Hackett are definitely highly recommended and reputable (after all, he started the sport!)
Don’t Look Down
The number one rule when jumping is to never look down (okay, I may have made that up) but really, just don’t. You will end up freaking yourself out with all the ‘what if’ questions. Instead, look around you and enjoy the scenery. Look out the horizon and mentally give yourself a high five for even having the guts to decide to do it in the first place.
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Don’t Just Jump Anywhere
Similar to skydiving, you can literally choose to do it anywhere, but part of the experience is deciding where you want to do it. Don’t jump off a crane surrounded by concrete slabs. Instead, choose memorable places like the top of the Macau Tower or over a ridiculously breathtaking canyon in New Zealand.
Don’t Show Up Dressed For a Fashion Show
I know you want to look awesome in your photo but do yourself a favor and dress appropriately. Wear comfortable clothes that’s weather appropriate! Ladies, no skirts please (according to our sources, it happens all the time!). As for footwear, refrain wearing boots which might interfere with the ankle harness. You can jump barefoot but secure and enclosed footwear is the best. Hard contact lenses and glasses aren’t allowed during jumps either.
Don’t Go Alone
Unless you’re a daredevil who gets their kicks doing random things by yourself, bring a friend or two! Heck, while you’re at it, you can even bring your family (P.S. have you seen the video of the guy skyjumping while skyping his parents?) Adventures are more fun when you share the experience with people, regardless if they’re only there to spectate and cheer you on! Plus, the less likely you are to chicken out if you have people there watching you. Accountability 101.
Don’t Overthink it
Even if I qualify bungee jumping as a “you’re excused to sh*t your pants moment”, don’t overthink it. Like seriously, just don’t. I’ve heard of some bungee companies who even go the extra mile by barraging you with a bunch of meaningless chatter right before your jump giving you absolutely no time to think about it. Distract yourself until the point you have to jump and embrace every moment of it.
Don’t Forget to Scream
Scream at the top of your lungs! Let it out! Celebrate this awesome WTF moment in your life where you conquered your fears. The way down is awesome and in that few seconds of free falling, you will feel like superman (or woman) on steroids. So our advice? Don’t keep it in. Scream and jump for joy-preferably out the platform as you enjoy an unforgettable moment.
Hopefully, this list of what NOT to do will help you grow the balls to do your first jump. We promise it is unlike anything you have ever experienced and the feeling of achievement afterwards is unparalleled.
The Stats Behind the Bicycle Helmet
We all know that wearing a bicycle helmet is critically important for safety when cycling, but how many people actually wear them?
Are you one of the statistics and could that mean that someday you will be one of the fatal or critically injured statistics?
Read on to learn more about the habits of cyclists and the number one safety gear: the bicycle helmet.
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The Bad Stuff
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2015, about 2% of motor vehicle crash deaths are cyclists, which may not sound like much, but 2% is still a scary number and it’s fairly easy to prevent if people were just more aware of the dangers.
The most serious injury is to the head which can be prevented through the use of a properly designed and properly fitted helmet. In fact, properly used, the use of a helmet reduces the odds of a head injury by a whopping 50%, while the odds of damage to the face or neck are dropped by 33%, so there’s that.
However, not all states in America require the use of bicycle helmets; it tends to get left to local laws and it’s not always well enforced. This is fairly frightening considering how easy it is to drop the rate of injury or death, simply by swallowing one’s pride and wearing a helmet.
Furthermore, when there are laws in place regarding the use of helmets, the odds that somebody will wear a helmet are four times higher, just by having that law exist at all. People tend to be fairly law-abiding in the first place, and this rather proves that out.
Death by Numbers (and a Lack of Bicycle Helmets)
Let’s look at the overview of usage, shall we? Where do you fit in on the percentages?
- 88% of cyclist deaths are people who are age 20 and older (likely because parents are more likely to enforce helmet laws on their children, but are also more likely to ignore
them, particularly in their early twenties. - Only 17% of people fatally injured were wearing helmets. 54% were not wearing helmets and helmet use was unknown for 29%.
- 817 cyclists were killed by motor vehicles in 2015 which is a 13% increase from 2014 and the highest number of deaths since 1995
- Deaths among cyclists younger than 20 have declined 88% since 1975 (great!), but have tripled among people over the age of 20 (Not so great!).
- More males die than females with the sharpest incline among males older than 20. Deaths among males younger than 20 are declining. Females are remaining roughly the same across the board.
- It’s estimated that every year, 550,000 people are treated in the emergency room for injuries related to bicycle riding and head injuries account for 62% of death, 33% of
emergencies and 67% of hospital admissions.
Breakdown the Numbers.
In 2015, 80 males under the age of 20 died in bicycle crashes and 612 males over the age of 20 died. 11 females under the age of 20 died and 108 over the age of 20 died. In other words, males under the age of 20 were four times more likely to be killed in a bicycle crash and about six times more likely to die when over the age of 20.
In 2015, 440 people died in bicycle crashes and they weren’t wearing a helmet. 139 died in spite of wearing a helmet and 238 are unknown.
Graph courtesy of http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/pedestrians-and-bicyclists/fatalityfacts/bicycles
Trends in Bicycle Helmet Use
With such frightening numbers to look at, shouldn’t the numbers to do with bike helmet use be higher? Even though there are many injuries and deaths related to cycling, people still don’t take very good care of their bodies and wearing a helmet can go a long way towards preventing so much heartache.
So what are the trends for wearing (or not wearing) helmets?
- Only 18% of cyclists wear a helmet. 18% (I’ll say it louder, for the people in the back: EIGHTEEN PERCENT!)
- Only 15% of riders under the age of 15 wear a helmet.
- What’s worse? One study in Australia found that 15.7% of people would ride bikes more often if they didn’t have to wear a helmet. That’s 2.4 million people who won’t ride a bike if they have to wear a helmet while doing it. Yikes!
If helmets are so important, why don’t we wear them? Well, there are a number of reasons, but they include:
- Cost. Helmets aren’t cheap – unless you buy the super cheap ones. There are some out there that are very good value though like this one from Bell. (Check price at Amazon)
- Comfort. Many helmets aren’t terribly comfortable and aren’t well fitted. People also find them inconvenient to use over short distances.
- Ignorance. Many people don’t know how effective helmets are or even don’t believe they are effective. (It doesn’t take much of a google search to find people who are
derisive towards helmet use). - School-age children tend to believe that if they wear a helmet, they will be mocked, teased, and otherwise pressured into taking it off.
- Helmet use is also influenced by the same things which influence the use of seat belts: age, education, income, and marital status, which is kind of interesting: people use the same justifications such as it being a short trip, helmet hair, it’s uncomfortable or just plain cannot be bothered.
- For most people, the reasons tend to boil down to either cost or just not wanting to be bothered wearing something that is bulky, slightly uncomfortable and may just not look very cool (though that being said, there are plenty of pretty nice-looking helmets out there if you take a bit of time to look!) It’s often bolstered by the fact that for every study that is put out defending helmets, you can find another one that says it isn’t necessary.
Summary
Cycling can be really fun, great exercise, and depending on where you live, may be nearly as fast as driving since you don’t have to worry about congestion.
However, it can also be dangerous because if you are out on the road, you are biking amongst cars, trucks, pedestrians, larger vehicles, and let’s not forget your average texting teenage driver!
The best way to protect yourself so that you can continue to enjoy cycling is to strap on that bicycle helmet. Don’t become one of the scary statistics: strap on your bike helmet before you ride!
Source https://thunderhelmets.com/why-dont-people-wear-bike-helmets/
Source https://www.adventureinyou.com/travel-tips/what-not-to-do-when-bungee-jumping/
Source https://bicycleuniverse.com/stats-behind-bicycle-helmet/