Bicycle helmets save lives. I can't plan on when future accidents might happen, so I wear my helmet whenever I ride.
It could seem like you don’t need one on a short ride. Maybe you don’t need one on an easy, familiar cruise. Or, it could seem safe enough to go unprotected on a bicycle trail.
Why take the chance?
I don’t hop on my bicycle without wearing a helmet. Won’t leave the driveway without it, and won’t take it off on a 14 hour day.
My helmets have saved me multiple times.
I have wiped out on familiar rides. One time on a regular commuting route in Fargo, I lost focus and neglected a crack between concrete street slabs that I had long known about. By the time I realized that I was drifting to the crack it was too late and I went down with the side of my helmeted head slamming into the pavement. I got up and rode on. Without the helmet there would have been traumatic head injury.
I’ve been hit by cars a few times now. Each time was at low speed, fortunately. Collisions with vehicles traveling over 10 mph mostly end with long term or lasting effects on cyclists. A couple of times, cars rolled through stop signs and hit me as I followed road rules and waited my turn.
I first rode the Katy trail between Columbia and St Louis, MO about 30 years ago. I’ve done it a few times now. Busta and I did it once together in 2022. When Busta and I tried last October, we were hit by an SUV, with the trailer and Busta taking the brunt of it. He was thrown into a driving lane, luckily free of traffic, while I rolled over the handle bars and landed on my helmeted head. Me and Busta walked away. The bicycle and trailer needed major repairs and replacements.
Close encounters with vehicles have not come without lasting effects on me. Last fall, we were struck on a dangerous stretch of road for those not in vehicles. I was being as safe as possible in riding on the sidewalk on the left. A right turning driver struck us. This time, they stayed around for the insurance claim. Thank you for that. The accident sucked, but it was better than the significant possibility of being hit in a 40 mph driving lane on Olive Blvd.
I would love to have a safe-ish riding lane, and will continue to use sidewalks when I feel driving lanes are not safe for me Busta and our 5 mph ride. Insurers and city planners agreed with me this last time.
The driver who hit us last October was found 90% at fault, with me bearing 10% responsibility for riding on the left sidewalk and shoulder.
Even better for all moving outside of vehicles, local planners have seen the danger of Olive Blvd and have been working this year to make it safer, as shown in the title image. The very intersection where we were hit now has a new sidewalk intersection. It’s part of a big project to redo sidewalks along long stretches of Olive Blvd.
Still roads are dangerous, even when we are zero percent at fault.
Whenever possible, ride on the right in a traffic lane or bicycle lane. If it is not safe or possible, please consider inquiring with local officials on ways to make it safer for those outside of vehicles. Many representatives are interested in modern commuting modes, but they need input from citizens to help change development directions. Conditions vary widely across communities. Please follow traffic rules as much as possible on your local streets and paths.
Busta and I survived an accident last fall and are now back on the bike and riding again.