Anyway, Fox asked me to re post the interview I originally published in June 2007 where he addresses this issue. If you'd like to read the entire piece click the link below.
Interview with a Fox
Why don't you ride with a helmet?
Fox: I never crash, it's a mind game. It builds confidence and doesn't leave you with an out. The mindset goes like this "It's ok if you crash, you have a helmet on" or "It's ok if you break your leg or need stitches cuz you got a helmet on." That's really lame.
So you better pay attention and have 100% confidence in your ability. I can't afford broken bones or cuts, if I have it on I'm still going to be cut and busted up. A helmet might not make me brain dead. That's my choice. It's a free country. You can do what you want and so can I.
You attract your situations to you, good or bad. I don't buy the "other guy running into you" at all. It's a crock. You attracted that guy to run into you. It's not any one's fault but your own. Mind your thoughts, they are powerful. You get what you think about. So I don't crash, I don't want to get hurt and if I'm hauling ass in traffic, or down some rocky trail and die then that's my problem and you guys can say "well, if he would have had a helmet on" bla bla bla.
I do what I want, how I want.
7 comments:
I really appriciate the pics and the content. dont you think the tag line could me more far better .
What do you suggest?
Good post. I know Fox asked you to re-post the interview, but it made the post pretty long for a repeat. Maybe just include Fox's answer about no helmet then link to the full interview. Up to you.
I'm the opposite of Fox, wearing a helmet makes me more gutsy because if I try something burly I don't have that little worry in the back of my head that if it goes wrong I might crack my head. But I can see Fox's point about having "faith" (for want of a better word) that you will make it and won't crash. There is power there and obviously Fox has tapped into it. I guess I'm too much of a doubter and subscriber to the "stuff happens" theory so I take precautions.
But what if Fox isn't in tune with The Force some day? Could be bad. And brains don't heal. That grey matter does a lot to make us who we are - I think it's worth protecting even if you're a Jedi like Fox.
Good call.
I have children. I want them to wear helmets whenever they ride.
Therefore, I wear a helmet whenever I ride.
As for Fox, he's right. It's a free country and he's free to train witha helmet, without a helmet or in a borat-style manthong if he choses. I may not agree with not wearing a helmet while riding, but he's a big boy now.
I just hope he keeps his record of never crashing intact.
Same for seatbelt laws! Personally, I use them 'cause statistics show that I'll drive faster with fewer tickets, so it's a win/win. Helmets are good when they're voluntary, but God saves us from a nanny state.
"I'm the opposite of Fox, wearing a helmet makes me more gutsy because if I try something burly I don't have that little worry in the back of my head that if it goes wrong I might crack my head. But I can see Fox's point about having "faith" (for want of a better word) that you will make it and won't crash. There is power there and obviously Fox has tapped into it. I guess I'm too much of a doubter and subscriber to the "stuff happens" theory so I take precautions."
I think I have heard of this being called "risk compensation". You go "bigger" because you have a helmet on, even though you have a little worry in the back of your head. This logic very troubling to me. What if I use that same logic to drive 90 mph in the snowstorms we are having. Because I am wearing my seatbelt I am not going to get hurt if I crash. That just doesn't make sense.
I have noticed this also with wearing a helmet while skiing. While wearing a helmet I started to go faster. I thought, I have a helmet on now, I am protected. Well something did happen and I crashed hard and almost slid into some trees. It would have been bad with or without a helmet on. Would I have crashed that hard with no helmet on? I cant' say, but I was going faster because I had the helmet on with the assumption I was safer because of it. Do I wear a helmet skiing anymore? Rarely
Would I ride with no bike helmet? HELL NO. I think Fox and his logic of not attracting crashes is almost the same thing with my skiing without a helmet. I ski withing my ability and I may push myself, but I am not going out of control. I may try something more gutsy, but I will not ski beyond my ability.
Fox seems to me to be using this logic for his bike handling skills. Just he states it more philosophical. Do I agree with him? No. There are just to many variables that can take over with cycling. I have seen the destroyed helmet of a cyclist that had been hit by a car. He stated the it saved his life, and I agree it was nasty looking.
Anyway I just wanted to add my opinion on this.
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