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I am a strong advocate for the wearing of helmets when bicycling. No matter what your profession or age, you need your brains to get you around during the day. Even a slow speed impact collision with a car or the ground can cause serious head injury. It's a risk you don't need to take. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has better statistics and information on helmets than I could compile, so I don't have any of that information, but I do have a couple of stories from friends whose lives have been saved by helmets. These are people who were just riding casually, only about 1 mile to school or work from home.

Henry Hsieh
"Two weeks ago, I was hit from behind by a car while riding my bike to school. Don't be alarmed because I miraculously avoided any major injuries. However, I am still trying to recover from road rashes and a swollen left leg. My bike and my helmet was totaled; if it wasn't because I was wearing a helmet, I don't think I'll be typing this e-mail to you. SOOOOO, ALWAYS wear a helmet if you are biking!!" He has more information on his web site.

This is Henry's helmet after the accident

A few years earlier his brother was on his way to school and was hit by a car going only 5 miles an hour. This was enough force to knock him onto the hood of the car where he hit his head on the windshield and cracked his helmet in half. If he wasn't wearing a helmet, it would have been his head.

Josh Smith
"When you ride your bike, always wear your helmet. I almost died yesterday afternoon, but I was wearing my helmet, so I have a sore shoulder and bruised shin instead. Pretty good deal for thirty bucks.

A car was turning right, into a driveway in front of me, and I was moving to slide around him on his left, when he stopped suddenly to avoid another cyclist who was riding down the sidewalk towards him. I tried to swerve around the car, but clipped his back bumper, at which point the bike and I flipped over, and crashed into the pavement. I landed mostly on my shoulder, but also smacked my head into the ground with what would've been a sickening crack if it had come from my skull rather than the helmet.

If you ride a bike at all, and don't wear a helmet, this will eventually kill you, and your friends and loved ones will be torn between really missing you and thinking what an idiot you are. Don't inflict that dilemma upon them."

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Here's a nice site for helping to find a helmet that fits properly
Helmet Guide