The excuse I hear the most often (aside from the whole ‘it doesn’t look cool’ thing) is that why should they wear a helmet; they’re safe, skilled cyclists; obviously they’ll only get injured if someone hits them, and that won’t happen because people are supposed to drive carefully.
I have to admit I never got this one either. My aunt got her bike tire caught in railroad ties and flipped. I skidded on some gravel and couldn’t recover in time. Even if you’re the safest, most careful, most skilled cyclist in the world, accidents can still happen.
Not to mention some drivers don’t drive safe! And even the ones that do might not see a cyclist, since cyclists are small and fast.
He was always an ass. But as he got older he definitely slid from ass into full-on shithead.