Why You Should Always Wear a Helmet

I’m always shocked when I see people cycling without helmets on in such a busy city as London. I don’t understand why they don’t want to protect their head in case something happens, which can't be ruled out with this many people sharing the road. I used to not wear one as well. I was among the group of people who counted on accidents not happening. Please, don’t be as dumb as I was.

When I was 15, I ended up in hospital after face-planting from my bicycle. Multiple X-rays and a CT-scan later, the doctors were both relieved and surprised I had no fractures. Miraculously, I was fine. They'd all been extremely worried about specifically my neck and my eye socket being broken, as these literally took the fall when my face smashed into the concrete ground. I was incredibly lucky, and I recognise that. I'm grateful my body handled the fall so well, when I had done nothing to protect it.

The year before, my family had gone through a devastating loss that was still fresh in everyone’s hearts. My parents didn’t need to receive a phone call that their daughter had been in an accident. I had a bad concussion after the fall and only remember fragments of it, but I have images in my head of my mom pacing back and forth waiting for the doctor to arrive. The look on her face is one I hope never to see again. Having made my family worry for me made me feel terribly guilty, especially as it was for such a dumb reason. It’s a feeling I for the future want to prevent at all cost.

It took me a while to get back on the bike. Still to this day I don’t do it without wearing a helmet. I don’t believe you get handed that kind of luck twice. I’m incredibly fortunate that I sustained no injuries, the only reminder of the accident is a scar below my left eye. Having escaped so easily with no lasting trauma, I don't want to take that risk again. Wearing a helmet won’t prevent accidents from happening, but it keeps my head a lot safer, and can greatly reduce the risk of future pain or damage. I owe it to the people who love me to take care of myself. Wearing a helmet is such an easy step to take for greatly increasing your safety, and it's not hard.

So please. Please, please, please wear a helmet. I know you might think it looks silly or that it messes up your hair, but when I was lying in the hospital bed with a face so swollen I couldn’t see out of my left eye, the last worry I had was how my hair looked. My family and friends don't deserve worrying themselves sick about me because I didn't prioritise safety. I also owe it to myself to be careful. I appreciate my good health and don't want to risk severe injures or even dying. Fracturing my neck or eye socket, as I almost did, would have changed my life. I could have sustained irreparable injuries to myself. Not wearing a helmet is a stupid reason to risk this. Your head is so easy to protect, and such an important and fragile part of your body. A helmet can make a huge difference, and there's absolutely no excuse for not wearing one. Please, make the safe choice and be careful. Always wear a helmet.

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