I wear a helmet when I can (which is a snow boarding helmet), but they shouldn't be compulsory. We need to encourage as many people as possible to cycle and places where helmet wearing is mandatory tend to have fewer cyclists.
In any case, your average cycle helmet is only designed to give protection from falling off your bike at speeds below 10 mph. Totally useless if you get hit by a car, which as you can see from the data posted here is the most likely cause of serious injury.
Also, there is evidence that car drivers will pass cyclists more closely if they are wearing a helmet, which has something to do with the risk perception of seeing someone else wearing protection.
Helmets are rarely worn in the Netherlands, they have a policy of "forgiving" infrastructure, so if you have an accident, injury is minimised. Hence there is heavy segregation of traffic.
In any case, your average cycle helmet is only designed to give protection from falling off your bike at speeds below 10 mph. Totally useless if you get hit by a car, which as you can see from the data posted here is the most likely cause of serious injury.
Also, there is evidence that car drivers will pass cyclists more closely if they are wearing a helmet, which has something to do with the risk perception of seeing someone else wearing protection.
Helmets are rarely worn in the Netherlands, they have a policy of "forgiving" infrastructure, so if you have an accident, injury is minimised. Hence there is heavy segregation of traffic.
