Didn't really expect much from DrivingUk but honestly the amount of downvotes shocked me. God forbid people go out at night dressed normally without full on high vis.
Reddit Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/drivingUK/comments/1r8fkfo/comment/o65j18p/
this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2026
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Comes down to if you want to assign blame or prevent it from happening to you.
Yes, if you’re riding without a helmet and hit by a car, the car is (probably) still at fault. But if your primary concern is avoiding brain damage, you wear a helmet.
You’ve chosen hyperbole in your hypothetical in a dangerous neighborhood. More to the point is wearing an expensive watch while in a dangerous neighborhood. If you’re rolled and the watch stolen, it’s the fault of the thief. But maybe a better idea to put the Rolex in your pocket when downtown after dark.
I think my analogy is way more similar than yours.
Make your own decisions about how you keep yourself safe. But once you start victim blaming, expect criticism.
Nope. We’re talking basic common sense precautions. Not “body armor.”
"Common sense" stems from the cultural context. Which in this case is carbrained.
Most other countries do not consider a helmet a necessity for riding a bike.
I ride exclusively on bike trails, away from any cars. Other countries are wrong on this one.
How wonderful for you that you have the privilege of doing so. Most of us don't.
I’m not going to edit my comment, but I shouldn’t have said exclusivity. I should have said that most of my mileage is ridden away from cars, and thus wearing a helmet isn’t due to proximity to cars. I wear a helmet when I’m riding in car traffic as well, but not because of the cars.
Riding a bike anywhere without a helmet is disregarding your safety. I’m not saying it needs to be legislated, but don’t pretend you’re enlightened because you rawdog your bike.
It's all about risk tolerance. Wearing a helmet on a bike keeps you a little safer. Wearing body armor keeps you a little safer. Those are facts. But the decision as to what actions to take to keep oneself safe is a personal decision. As such, it may be reasonable to advise people of that information so they can make a better decision. But insulting them for failing to take advice you personally consider common sense is just rude. And when you're insulting them and ignoring the person actually creating the danger... well that's why the term carbrain was invented.
I support people who choose not to wear a helmet; they’ve obviously already experienced brain damage.