I'm down with the Dog on this one. Been riding my whole life, have had my moments in the gravel. Still, I prefer to feel the wind in my hair. A person can try to make himself as safe as he can, but, in the end, stuff happens. I ride out here in 103 degree heat. The guys with their helmets look like their heads are going to explode when we stop for a break. Kinda like lobsters. They also seem more exhausted than the rest. Exhaustion relates directly to how you handle your bike. I also believe that guys that wear helmets suffer from an artificial belief in their safty and tend to run faster than they would without a helmet. I will never argue the merits of protection. But, I don't want to be the guy waking up being slid into the meat wagon and some guy standing over me saying "Man, its a good thing you wore your helmet, its the only thing that kept you alive. You're never going to walk or feed yourself again, but your alive." Personal philosophy, don't expect anyone to understand or agree. If I wanted complete safety from the ills of life, I would stay home and order everything through the internet, including U-tubes of guys riding their bikes. Then I'd be safe.
