A Note on Headgear

 

I tend to swing back and forth on the helmet issue, and I am not going to passionately take one side against another.  However, for most normal riding these days, I wear a beret.  I used to wear berets back in my twenties, probably out of the same contrariness that leads me to ride a three speed in blue jeans in a world of carbon fiber bikes and spandex.

The best arguments for not wearing helmets come via Mikael Colville-Andersen at Copenhagenize. I was swayed by his Ted Talk when I first saw it.

However, the argument for helmets is that, in certain accidents, they will save your life by preventing a critical head injury. I think we all know someone who has been in an accident and has a cracked helmet to display as a reason why they're still around.

I am strongly opposed to being motivated by fear, and I want bicycling to be perceived as at least as safe and normal as walking, but I am also fairly keen to behave intelligently when it comes to personal safety. (When backpacking in the Grand Canyon, for example, I like to stay a body's length away from the edge of any precipice.)  So, I go back and forth on helmet use, though usually when I do wear a helmet, it is unfortunately in situations where a crash will most likely kill me helmet or no.  I wore a helmet on my fifty mile ride this past weekend, for example. Getting hit at highway speed? Hmmmm...

But in town, mostly on trails, I wear my beret.  And no purveyor of berets is as comprehensive as South Pacific Berets.  The shipping from New Zealand is on the high side, but it's a fun business to patronize.

I have to issue one caution.  This summer, I thought it would be fun to buy a few blue striped shirts, instead of wearing the same black T-shirts I've worn since I was twelve.  If you wear a beret, and a mariniere, complete strangers will start saying "bonjour" to you and saying how French you look, even if you are wearing a Czech or an Italian beret.  It really wasn't my intention to look French, and it's surprising it's the type of thing people feel compelled to comment on.  Throw in a red bandana, (I use them rather than a face mask), and a three speed bicycle with a front basket, and you're in for a constant stream of comment.