indyfabz

Why do people keep their helmets on when off the bike forextended periods? I guess I first noticed this odd behavior when I crossed the country witha dozen other people. There was one guy in the group who constantly kept hishelmet on. One day, he took a shortcut and was waiting for us in the parkinglot of a grocery store. It was pretty darn hot out. He had gotten to the store90 min. before us. There he was, sitting, reading and sweating--with his helmeton. Yesterday I went to my club’s end-of-season party. Pretty much a Fred fest.There was a guy walking around inside the event for at least 30 min. with hishelmet on. I see this all the time. Things like people lingering at rest stops ofcharity rides with their helmets on, even when it’s blazing hot.
Why do people do this? Inquiring minds want toknow.

10 Wheels

Two reasons:

It can keep the head cooler as shade from the Sun.

Stop some one from taking it.

Me on a Cross Country Tour 4200 miles

I had a law enforcement Helmet w built in Lights

indyfabz

See man with helmet off and in plain site. My point exactly.

10 Wheels

Cheap Bell Helmet

texaspandj

Perhaps the newest, latest, lightest helmets cost so much they like showing them off. Maybe its so light they forget its on. Possibly they think its so freakin Cool. But most importantly probably make us wonder and start a thread about it.

CV-6 

Why not see it as an opportunity to invent something to gracefully carry a bike a helmet around in the situations you describe. You could get rich.

10 Wheels

Yea Like Who cares

indyfabz

Why do you need to carry it around when you are sitting at a table having lunch? When you are sitting on park bench relaxing? When you are at a party with other cyclists? (Hang it on your darn brake hoods.)

indyfabz

What's that got to do with the price of tea in China? I have had plenty of expensive helmets. I take them off when I am off the bike for extended periods.

JonathanGennick 

Ninety minutes would be a long time, but I often will just leave mine on for short stops to catch my breath and to chat. Stopped on the trail this weekend to exchanged greetings with a hiker. Thought it would be a thirty-second stop. Ended up gabbing for 15-20 minutes. Didn't take helmet off at first because mentally I was thinking "short stop". Then we got to talking, and I guess there just didn't come a point at which anything triggered me to rethink removing the helmet. Removing the helmet would have brought attention to how long we had been talking, and ironically I think removing the helmet would have ended the conversation.

Maybe the 90-minute guy thought it would be just five minutes, and then became absorbed in his reading.

10 Wheels

The bike was in a 24 ft van with other bikes.
We did not have a hotel room yet.

10 Wheels

Your helmets most likely Stink so that no one would steal one.

Scooty Puff Jr

Why does anyone care if someone wears their helmet it not ? Why do people bring their dogs into Home Depot ? Why do people drive around a parking lot looking for a close parking spot only to walk 2 miles in the store ? Why do some people paint their faces when they go to a football game ? Why do people wear baseball caps on a cloudy day ?

Let it go.

DrIsotope

The first thought in my head is, "If your first thought when getting off the bike is to immediately remove your helmet, you probably need a better helmet." I've stood and shot the bull with people for 20-30 minutes, forgetting I even had the helmet on.

It does come off at restaurants, though.

10 Wheels

So you also remove your gun, badge, and radio?

bmthom.gis

For short stops I just leave it on, but anything more than 5 minutes mine comes off, if I am even wearing one! Gasp

DaveQ24

If I make a pit stop at a 24 hour big box, I almost never take it off because ... if I'm wearing it, no one can steal it (unlikely but hey, anything can happen in this world) and more importantly, I'm often a little "foggy" for various medical reasons, and I tend to set things down and forget them -- yes, I have had to ride back 3-4-5 miles to retrieve a helmet (and a wallet, and keys, and a phone ...). So, one less thing to worry about losing that way.

I also agree with the DrIsotope - if you're uncomfortable and want to remove your helmet at the first possible second, it's probably not a great helmet.

TimothyH

Taking it on and off messes up my hair.


-Tim-

DrIsotope

NEVER!

I wear those to bed.

I-Like-To-Bike

I've wondered the same thing. Also wonder why some people post numerous scenic pictures (if not photobomb the BF) with themselves off the bike and still wearing a helmet. Perhaps they wish to hide a bald head or think it looks flattering.

10 Wheels

I don't have much hair.

texaspandj

Or hides the fact you have no hair. More to the point, perhaps some people look better with It on. Which brings another point maybe more money can be made making a full face helmet for beautifully challenged cyclist. But more than likely we would buy them for other people.

prathmann

Certainly don't wear a helmet on every ride, but once I've gone to the trouble of putting it on I rarely bother taking it off until I'm back home. Seems like the same people who feel compelled to ask "Where's your helmet?" if I'm not wearing one are also the ones who point out that 'you forgot to take off your helmet' when I am. No, I didn't forget - just see no need to repeatedly take the thing on or off. Besides, the only time the helmet has ever protected me over the course of over 40 years and hundreds of thousands of miles was when I was sitting down eating lunch and a tree branch came crashing down on top of me.

DrIsotope

This kid is doing it right.



And if I had that helmet, I wouldn't take it off either.

TimothyH

I would totally wear this...