Heated Opinion About Bicycle Helmets
People in Sweden are obsessed with norms — the bicycle helmet norm
My partner asked a simple question the other day: why don’t you wear a bicycle helmet?
In Sweden, it is a common habit and a norm that children should always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. Adults are also expected to wear a helmet when bicycling. Regardless of bicycle, speed, or where, if you are in the countryside, in a small town or city — it doesn’t matter — wear a bicycle helmet when you are on a bicycle!
Helmet requirements in Sweden are compulsory for all children and young people under the age of 15. Everyone under 15 must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or being transported by bicycle.
It is common knowledge that a bicycle helmet will increase your chances of survival if you are in a bicycle accident. According to statistics from the Swedish Traffic Authority, about 2000 people have a severe accident in Sweden when riding a bicycle.
Of these 2000 persons, about 20–30 persons died. Most of the persons who die are involved in an accident with a vehicle.
However, most accidents on a bicycle occur due to slippery roads, icing on the road, gravel, leaves, uneven paths, or bicycle damage.
So why the bicycle helmet?
By proxy, adults are supposed to be role models for children. This is why adults also are supposed to wear helmets. To avoid damage to the head and skull. Yes, I understand that head injury is the most common cause of those who die in bicycle accidents. Using a bicycle helmet minimizes the risks of head injury by 50% but only 25% as a cause of death.
I cannot explain why I hate wearing a bicycle helmet. It could be because I do not feel free, and the burden on my head is overwhelming. I hate strapping something to my head and under my neck.
I learned to ride a bicycle in Sweden at the age of 11. I never used a bicycle helmet then and never used one in my adult life. My friends are genuinely surprised and do not understand why I don’t wear a helmet, either. So, it is a controversial opinion and habit.
I tried explaining this to my partner, but she was just surprised by my irrationality. Or maybe I don’t care about dying or ending up in an accident. Or maybe I redeem myself exceptionally cautiously, and no argument can convince me to wear a bicycle helmet.
Well, to be honest, that is not true. I would probably wear a Hövding (bankrupted 2023), but only if it was better designed and fitted my head and neck. In the end, it is a matter of designing a product that I want to use and like to use — especially on my head. A bicycle helmet, by definition, is an intrusive object, and I cannot simply reason myself to wear it.
End of plea. No bicycle helmet for me. I'm sorry to disappoint you.
The head injury I have ever suffered as an accident happened in my home. Five years ago, I fell in my kitchen and hit my head very badly in two places; I got a head concussion and had symptoms for a month.
Last year, when doing the laundry, I hit my head by accident and also got a minor concussion. From my experience, the places where I’ve had head injuries have been in an environment where I was unaware that an accident could occur.
In situations where I’m on a bicycle and biking, I am very aware of the accidents that can happen. So, I am much more cautious.
But in any other environment or situation where I do not expect an accident to happen — that is where I’ve had an accident and head injury.
Either way, be careful out there and hope you don’t injure yourself.
This is an article series about norms in Sweden from my personal experiences.
