Urgh

To me there are very few absolutes in cycling. You should have lights. Agreed. A good lock. Agreed. An understanding of the rules of the road. Agreed. Everything else....up for debate. Wanna buy fancy panniers? Go right ahead, but don't say anything when all my crap is in two reusable HEB bags. Want a pantsclip? Fine, but my bike has fenders and a chainguard. Think I'm crazy for wearing high heels? Fine, but I'm too busy going about my daily life to give a shit.

Same goes for a helmet. I got chided today by some guy on my way to Target. "Where's your helmet?", he said. "Up your ass", I thought. I said simply, "I don't own one". The truth. I don't. Haven't felt the need to get one after reading about their utility. Not only that, but I don't ride the way many people do here in Austin. I have an upright bike. I can easily look back and my center of gravity is not much different than if I was walking. For reference, when I'm riding, I am higher up than a Mini Cooper. I ride slowly and deliberately. I don't do fancy tricks. All in all, I think I have less of a chance in getting into the kind of accidents helmets are designed to protect. I don't think I've ever fallen off a bike, even when I was little. Ok maybe once. I'll be upfront and say I don't have hard evidence. But then again, I'm right on par with those that advocate helmets to protect against car/bicycle collisions.

Don't act like a know it all if you've just popped out from behind a bush and think its OK because you have a fucking helmet on your head. I don't care if you want to wear a helmet. If it makes you feel safer or you're doing a sport go right ahead. I DON'T CARE. I'm tired of the helmet debate and I have better things to do than listen to your bullshit on the road.

Rant over.