I know 3 guys that would likely be dead or wearing nappies now if not for helmets,one of them can't driver for 6mths due to a brain hemmorage (spelling ?). You may only need it 0.0000000000000000001% of the time but shit you better hope it's a good one ! My cars got airbags but I still wear a seatbelt.
Well said! I wasn't going to wear my helmet when I was about to go on a long ride one day years ago (before I became a Paramedic), because it was too hot. My Mum caught me about to ride out the gate without it on, and insisted I wear it. Less than an hour later, I was hit from behind by a driver doing 80kph by his own admission. I ended crashing into his bonnet, going up onto the windscreen and knocking his sun visor off and going over the ute and onto the road behind. I only broke two back teeth, lost a lot of skin, had an a tear in a ligament in a knee and had migraine headaches for about four years after.
Having an accident never occurred to me that day, and the benefits of wearing a helmet never crossed my mind, but having seen what I've seen as a Paramedic for nearly twenty years (mentioned for those who may not have caught an earlier reply of mine to this post), I'm so thankful my Mum caught me before my ride.
If someone survives an accident and they do unfortunately acquire a brain injury, life is going to be forever changed for them, depending on the degree of their injuries. My experiences of dealing with post brain injury patients, and how their lives are post accident means the subject of helmets is one I'm very keen to talk to people about.
I'm really sorry if reminding people of my job and experiences, makes people roll their eyes, but I'm really convinced of the value of helmets. Yes people can choose to break the law and ride without a helmet for whatever their reasons are for not wearing one, but they need to ask themselves whether their reasons for not wearing a helmet is worth the potential outcome of not wearing one! Untidy hair compared to be being fed, washed, not moving properly (if at all!) talking through a computer, years of therapy, having their house adapted to cater for them, financial hardships for peoples families, not being able to play with their kids and the list goes on and on. Is it really worth not wearing a helmet for sake of untidy hair etc?
The experiences of my job will stay for me for life, and I can recall actual jobs like they were yesterday. Driving past scenes where I've attended accidents doesn't mean anything to others, but they do to me. Please! Please! Please! for those of you who don't believe in helmets, can you please have a re-think about wearing them. They may not save you every time, but like D_Nine said, you may only need it 0.0000000000000000001% of the time.
I'm not an alarmist, just a realist!