11-06-2018, 04:59 PM
(11-06-2018, 04:34 PM)KevinT Wrote: I read several articles surrounding Australia's situation yesterday to educate myself but still find the whole thing curious. As a cyclist I've never taken on more risk or rode someplace I otherwise wouldn't just because I'm wearing a helmet, and as a car driver I've never thought to myself "Hmm, that cyclist is wearing a helmet, guess I'll clip that mothersmurfer a little closer." If the researchers are to be believed however that makes me an anomaly. All I know is that after a car driver turned right just after passing me in 1991 and I somersaulted over the hood of their car at 45 km/h, I have worn a helmet, and I will never feel safer not wearing it.
You might be surprised to discover that the majority of your actions are unconscious. You might not think you would pass an unhelmeted cyclist more carefully, but you probably would...or at least, most people would because they don't think that much about it.
The same is true for unconscious racial bias, for unconscious gender bias, and so many others. In fact, the best way to change our unconscious behaviour is to understand that it *can* occur, and that we aren't necessarily immune to it.
In fact, I'll point out you say you'll never feel safer not wearing it, do you feel unsafe not wearing it? Naked even? That's how I feel, and I am quite sure that that feeling of unease probably makes me more cautious...whether that makes me safer, well, I doubt it, but it still changes my behaviour no matter how much I don't want it too. You might find that an objective evaluation would show you act differently as well.
As for your choice to wear a helmet, all the power too you, I also choose to wear a helmet most of the time, further nobody here is suggesting that you be banned from wearing a helmet, or in any way derided for it, or even that you shouldn't. Only that a law forcing you to wear one is clearly a bad thing, and that safety campaigns oriented around wearing helmets are also counter productive.