One more thing about helmets are actually that they do nothing to prevent a cyclist from getting hit by a car. Wearing a helmet doesn't mean that you are fully protected from being injured if you crash. The most important when riding a bike is to ride safely. To know how to act in traffic and to behave well. The pro cyclists are very much aware of all this, so don't worry about them. But if you are driving in a car, try to respect them (and all cyclists) as much as you possible can and drive safely.

Many people seem to believe that wearing a helmet means you are safe from everything, but you really are not. Wearing a helmet is great, because it gives you protection when you crash, but don't forget to be aware of things around you and don't dare to think for one second that you are the center of the earth and can do whatever you want. If you try to cross the road without checking if there is a car somewhere, then you may get hit, no matter if you wear a helmet or not. So don't be stupid. Try to prevent stupid accidents to take place. Read more at: http://bicyclesafe.com/

Wearing a helmet can be false safety and actually it seems like countries with the most helmeted cyclists also have the highest rate of cycling head injuries. Mind you, the helmets are not stupid, wear them!

The real problem is: helmet-wearing may actually promote injury. Why? I heard this some years ago that motorists gave less room when passing helmeted cyclists vs. unhelmeted ones. Since then a study at the University of Bath showed the same result.

Another problem seems to be that with the helmet on, the cyclist's "head" is much larger, and the person who wears a helmet is more likely to slam it against the road or a car, which could cause brain injury.

I don't know about the last thing, but I have noticed myself that motorists take bigger risks when I am wearing a helmet. I know how to ride safely and how to reduce the risk of being involved in an accident, but I can not tell you how many times motorists have suddenly decided that it is a great idea to make a right turn directly in front of me or drive on the cycleway and then don't give a damn about the bikers. Or when a driver opens his door right in front of you, especially when there is a lot of traffic next to them, which means they don't only try to kill a cyclist, but they also try to cause a car crash. Stupid.

All cyclists should learn how to ride safely, but the motorists must be taught the same knowledge or it will be difficult to prevent crashes.